The 2025 annual OPEC basket price stood at ***** U.S. dollars per barrel as of August. This would be lower than the 2024 average, which amounted to ***** U.S. dollars. The abbreviation OPEC stands for Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and includes Algeria, Angola, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, and the United Arab Emirates. The aim of the OPEC is to coordinate the oil policies of its member states. It was founded in 1960 in Baghdad, Iraq. The OPEC Reference Basket The OPEC crude oil price is defined by the price of the so-called OPEC (Reference) basket. This basket is an average of prices of the various petroleum blends that are produced by the OPEC members. Some of these oil blends are, for example: Saharan Blend from Algeria, Basra Light from Iraq, Arab Light from Saudi Arabia, BCF 17 from Venezuela, et cetera. By increasing and decreasing its oil production, OPEC tries to keep the price between a given maxima and minima. Benchmark crude oil The OPEC basket is one of the most important benchmarks for crude oil prices worldwide. Other significant benchmarks are UK Brent, West Texas Intermediate (WTI), and Dubai Crude (Fateh). Because there are many types and grades of oil, such benchmarks are indispensable for referencing them on the global oil market. The 2025 fall in prices was the result of weakened demand outlooks exacerbated by extensive U.S. trade tariffs.

Between 2002 and 2024, prices of OPEC Reference Basket oils fluctuated dramatically. For example, Saharan Blend from Algeria stood at some ** U.S. dollars per barrel in 2002. Ten years later, this figure had increased to more than *** U.S. dollars. In 2024, it stood at ***** U.S. dollars. Oil prices: a rollercoaster ride Oil prices are inherently volatile due to the speculative nature of their price determination. Thus, sudden economic and geopolitical events may have big influences on pricing. For example, some of the major factors behind price fluctuation since the 2000s have been the global financial crisis in 2008, the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, and the energy supply crisis and subsequent Russia-Ukraine war in 2022. As a result, the OPEC basket price has oscillated between lows of ** U.S. dollars and highs of *** U.S. dollars. Shale oil overproduction leads to 2010 oil glut The 2010s price crash was caused in part by ever-growing production of domestic shale and tight oil in the United States. Though nearly ** percent of global oil reserves can be found in OPEC countries, the United States has become the largest producer of oil worldwide in the last ten years.

As of August 2025, the average annual price of Brent crude oil stood at 71.3 U.S. dollars per barrel. This is over nine U.S. dollars lower than the 2024 average. Brent is the world's leading price benchmark for Atlantic basin crude oils. Crude oil is one of the most closely observed commodity prices as it influences costs across all stages of the production process and consequently alters the price of consumer goods as well. What determines crude oil benchmarks? In the past decade, crude oil prices have been especially volatile. Their inherent inelasticity regarding short-term changes in demand and supply means that oil prices are erratic by nature. However, since the 2009 financial crisis, many commercial developments have greatly contributed to price volatility, such as economic growth by BRIC countries like China and India, and the advent of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling in the U.S. The outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war are examples of geopolitical events dictating prices. Light crude oils - Brent and WTI Brent Crude is considered a classification of sweet light crude oil and acts as a benchmark price for oil around the world. It is considered a sweet light crude oil due to its low sulfur content and low density and may be easily refined into gasoline. This oil originates in the North Sea and comprises several different oil blends, including Brent Blend and Ekofisk crude. Often, this crude oil is refined in Northwest Europe. Another sweet light oil often referenced alongside UK Brent is West Texas Intermediate (WTI). WTI oil prices amounted to 76.55 U.S. dollars per barrel in 2024.

The Western Canadian Select (WCS) oil price has experienced significant fluctuations over the past two decades, reflecting the volatile nature of global oil markets. In 2024, the annual average WCS oil price reached ***** U.S. dollars per barrel, a slight increase from the previous year. This price movement is part of a broader trend in the oil industry, where prices have been influenced by various economic and geopolitical factors. What impacts oil prices? Oil prices have been on a rollercoaster ride since the early 2000s, with dramatic fluctuations observed in OPEC Reference Basket oils. For instance, the Saharan Blend from Algeria saw its price rise from about ** U.S. dollars per barrel in 2002 to over *** U.S. dollars a decade later, before settling at ***** U.S. dollars in 2023. These price swings have been driven by major events such as the 2008 global financial crisis, the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, and the 2022 energy supply crisis following the Russia-Ukraine war. The volatility in oil prices has had far-reaching impacts on global economies and energy markets as they impact manufacturers and consumers. How regionally important crudes can influence the global economy While WCS prices reflect trends in the North American market, other regional benchmarks provide insights into global oil dynamics. For example, Dubai Crude (Fateh), an important benchmark for Asia, averaged ***** U.S. dollars per barrel in 2023, down from ***** U.S. dollars the previous year. Similarly, Russia's Urals crude oil, a major export brand, saw its price fluctuate in response to global events and policy decisions, such as the price cap imposed by the G7, EU, and Australia in December 2022. These regional variations highlight the complex interplay of supply, demand, and geopolitical factors in shaping global oil prices.

The cost of diesel fuel in the United States reached an annual average of 3.76 U.S. dollars per gallon in 2024. This was a decrease compared to the previous year, when diesel sold for an average of 4.21 U.S. dollars per gallon. In 2022, increased economic activity and thus fuel demand combined with supply constraints following the Russia-Ukraine war, which resulted in a notable rise in monthly diesel prices Crude oil prices and their impact on motor fuel prices Motor fuel prices largely mirror major oil benchmarks, such as the OPEC reference basket, WTI, and Brent. As such, the oil glut in 2015 and 2016, which followed years of increased oil production output by the U.S., is largely responsible for the fall in diesel prices seen in those years. The same is true for the 2020 pandemic-induced oil crisis and fall in benchmarks that year. Diesel and gasoline price development The usage of diesel began in the 1930s, but until further development in the 1960s, diesel vehicles were mostly used commercially. In the U.S., diesel-powered cars remain a fairly small portion of the automobile market and diesel fuel consumption is far lower than gasoline consumption. In general, gasoline also tends to be more widely available than diesel fuel and usually sells for a lower retail price. However, diesel engines have better fuel economy than gasoline engines, and as such are often used for large commercial vehicles.