On July 21, 2025, the Brent crude oil price stood at 68.98 U.S. dollars per barrel, compared to 67.2 U.S. dollars for WTI oil and 70.65 U.S. dollars for the OPEC basket. Brent and OPEC prices fell slightly that week, while WTI prices rose.Europe's Brent crude oil, the U.S. WTI crude oil, and OPEC's basket are three of the most important benchmarks used by traders as reference for oil and gasoline prices. Lowest ever oil prices during coronavirus pandemic In 2020, the coronavirus pandemic resulted in crude oil prices hitting a major slump as oil demand drastically declined following lockdowns and travel restrictions. Initial outlooks and uncertainty surrounding the course of the pandemic brought about a disagreement between two of the largest oil producers, Russia and Saudi Arabia, in early March. Bilateral talks between global oil producers ended in agreement on April 13th, with promises to cut petroleum output and hopes rising that these might help stabilize the oil price in the coming weeks. However, with storage facilities and oil tankers quickly filling up, fears grew over where to store excess oil, leading to benchmark prices seeing record negative prices between April 20 and April 22, 2020. How crude oil prices are determined As with most commodities, crude oil prices are impacted by supply and demand, as well as inventories and market sentiment. However, as oil is most often traded in future contracts (where a contract is agreed upon while product delivery will follow in the next two to three months), market speculation is one of the principal determinants for oil prices. Traders make conclusions on how production output and consumer demand will likely develop over the coming months, leaving room for uncertainty. Spot prices differ from futures in so far as they reflect the current market price of a commodity.

Crude Oil rose to 65.49 USD/Bbl on July 23, 2025, up 0.27% from the previous day. Over the past month, Crude Oil's price has risen 1.73%, but it is still 15.60% lower than a year ago, according to trading on a contract for difference (CFD) that tracks the benchmark market for this commodity. Crude Oil - values, historical data, forecasts and news - updated on July of 2025.

Brent rose to 68.87 USD/Bbl on July 23, 2025, up 0.41% from the previous day. Over the past month, Brent's price has risen 2.57%, but it is still 15.72% lower than a year ago, according to trading on a contract for difference (CFD) that tracks the benchmark market for this commodity. Brent crude oil - values, historical data, forecasts and news - updated on July of 2025.

The annual price of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil is expected to reach an average of 61.81 U.S. dollars per barrel in 2025, according to a May 2025 forecast. This would be a decrease of roughly 15 U.S. dollar compared to the previous year. In the first months weeks of 2025, weekly crude oil prices largely stayed below 70 U.S. dollars per barrel amid trade tariffs and expected economic downturn. What are benchmark crudes? WTI is often used as a price reference point called a benchmark (or ”marker”) crude. This category includes Brent crude from the North Sea, Dubai Crude, as well as blends in the OPEC reference basket. WTI, Brent, and the OPEC basket have tended to trade closely, but since 2011, Brent has been selling at a higher annual spot price than WTI, largely due to increased oil production in the United States. What causes price volatility? Oil prices are historically volatile. While mostly shaped by demand and supply like all consumer goods, they may also be affected by production limits, a change in U.S. dollar value, and to an extent by market speculation. In 2022, the annual average price for WTI was close to the peak of nearly 100 U.S. dollars recorded in 2008. In the latter year, multiple factors, such as strikes in Nigeria, an oil sale stop in Venezuela, and the continuous increase in oil demand from China were partly responsible for the price surge. Higher oil prices allowed the pursuit of extraction methods previously deemed too expensive and risky, such as shale gas and tight oil production in the U.S. The widespread practice of fracturing source rocks for oil and gas extraction led to the oil glut in 2016 and made the U.S. the largest oil producer in the world.

In June 2025, the average price of one barrel of Brent crude oil was 71.44 U.S. dollars. This was around seven U.S. dollars more than prices the previous month, which were the lowest value in the past 24-month period. Brent terminology and most common uses Brent is the world's leading price benchmark for Atlantic basin crude oils. It is used to price two thirds of the internationally traded crude oil supplies and is also the most significant crude oil benchmark for Europe. Brent crude originates in the North Sea and includes oils from Brent and Forties Oil Field in the United Kingdom, and from the Oseborg and Ekofisk oil fields, both oil reserves in Norway. Other names for Brent are Brent Blend, London Brent and Brent petroleum. The name Brent comes from the Brent oil field, located north-east of the Shetland Islands, and thus part of the United Kingdom. Because the Brent oil field already passed its production peak, today the benchmark Brent includes oil from the other three major oil fields. Brent, next to West Texas Intermediate (WTI), is one of the lightest crude oils. With a low content of sulfur, it is ranged among the so-called sweet crude oils. Most of the Brent crude oil is refined into gasoline and middle distillates in Northwest Europe. Benchmark oil prices Other crucial benchmarks for crude oil prices are the already mentioned U.S.- WTI and Dubai Crude (Fateh). They are indispensable for referencing the many types and grades of oil on the global market. In the past 20 years, the annual price for one barrel of Brent crude oil saw a net increase. For example, the average price per barrel stood at 80.53 U.S. dollars in 2024.

The 2025 annual OPEC basket price stood at ***** U.S. dollars per barrel as of June. 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.

Heating Oil fell to 2.45 USD/Gal on July 24, 2025, down 0.16% from the previous day. Over the past month, Heating Oil's price has risen 6.48%, but it is still 0.98% lower than a year ago, according to trading on a contract for difference (CFD) that tracks the benchmark market for this commodity. Heating oil - values, historical data, forecasts and news - updated on July of 2025.

Brent crude oil is projected to have an average annual spot price of 65.85 U.S. dollars per barrel in 2025, according to a forecast from May 2025. This would mean a decrease of nearly 15 U.S. dollars compared to the previous year, and also reflects a reduced forecast WTI crude oil price. Lower economic activity, an increase in OPEC+ production output, and uncertainty over trade tariffs all impacted price forecasting. All about Brent Also known as Brent Blend, London Brent, and Brent petroleum, Brent Crude is a crude oil benchmark named after the exploration site in the North Sea's Brent oilfield. It is a sweet light crude oil but slightly heavier than West Texas Intermediate. In this context, sweet refers to a low sulfur content and light refers to a relatively low density when compared to other crude oil benchmarks. Price development in the 2020s Oil prices are volatile, impacted by consumer demand and discoveries of new oilfields, new extraction methods such as fracking, and production caps routinely placed by OPEC on its member states. The price for Brent crude oil stood at an average of just 42 U.S. dollars in 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic resulted in a sudden demand drop. Two years later, sanctions on Russian energy imports, had pushed up prices to a new decade-high, above 100 U.S. dollars per barrel.

API Crude Oil Stock Change in the United States decreased to -0.58 BBL/1Million in July 18 from 0.84 BBL/1Million in the previous week. This dataset provides - United States API Crude Oil Stock Change- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Palm Oil fell to 4,252 MYR/T on July 23, 2025, down 0.26% from the previous day. Over the past month, Palm Oil's price has risen 6.67%, and is up 8.30% compared to the same time last year, according to trading on a contract for difference (CFD) that tracks the benchmark market for this commodity. Palm Oil - values, historical data, forecasts and news - updated on July of 2025.

Urals Oil fell to 63.86 USD/Bbl on July 23, 2025, down 2.87% from the previous day. Over the past month, Urals Oil's price has fallen 1.66%, and is down 17.20% compared to the same time last year, according to trading on a contract for difference (CFD) that tracks the benchmark market for this commodity. This dataset includes a chart with historical data for Urals Crude.

In June 2025, the price of Merey crude oil – Venezuela’s reference export blend – averaged ***** U.S. dollars per barrel, down from ***** U.S. dollars per barrel the previous month. Merey crude oil has been part of the OPEC basket since January 2009. A blend of extra-heavy crude oil from the Orinoco belt and lighter grades, Venezuela’s export oil is the heaviest component in the basket, and, in turn, has historically reported the lowest average price in the OPEC basket. The 2020's oil crisis Crude oil prices worldwide dropped dramatically in the first months of 2020, the result of an unprecedented decline in demand as lockdown measures were implemented globally in an attempt to limit the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. With storage facilities filling up, WTI crude oil reached a record negative price in the third week of April. Since then, prices have seen a mostly continual recovery. Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine at the end of February 2022, prices surged to levels last seen in 2008, with reference oil blends Brent, WTI, and OPEC basket averaging at more than *** U.S. dollars per barrel in summer 2022. Venezuela’s struggling oil sector The global decline in prices brought upon by the pandemic was only the most recent blow to the South American country's oil industry. Despite holding the largest proved oil reserves in the world, Venezuela’s oil production has declined notably. In 2023, it averaged around ******* barrels per day, a third of the level registered a decade earlier. A political and economic crisis as well as resulting U.S. sanctions have led to a rise in oil stocks in the country, affecting both prices and production.

The average price for regular gasoline in the United States stood at **** U.S. dollars per gallon on July 21, 2025. This compared to a diesel price of **** U.S. dollars per gallon. Prices for gasoline decreased that week. Real price surge of 2022 and 2023 still below 2011 to 2014 prices When looking at the real price of gasoline over time, U.S. drivers had to pay notably more in the years between 2011 and 2014. The surge in prices noted throughout 2022 and partly for 2023, which followed supply constraints, was still lower in terms of real U.S. dollars. U.S. on the lower-end spectrum of worldwide motor fuel prices The U.S. has some of the lowest conventional motor fuel prices in the world. Although fuel prices are usually higher in high-income countries, the U.S. profits from its position as the world’s largest crude oil producer and can keep retail prices for oil products comparatively low. For example, among high-income countries, prices for automotive premium gasoline (RON 95) were only lower in Russia and Saudi Arabia - countries where crude oil and oil product exports are in part restricted by sanctions, thus keeping domestic supply high.

Crude Oil: Processed: Weekly: Independent Refineries: Northwest China data was reported at 33.220 Ton tt in 09 May 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 32.800 Ton tt for 02 May 2025. Crude Oil: Processed: Weekly: Independent Refineries: Northwest China data is updated daily, averaging 33.200 Ton tt from May 2020 (Median) to 09 May 2025, with 262 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 39.050 Ton tt in 03 Jul 2020 and a record low of 23.670 Ton tt in 30 Jun 2023. Crude Oil: Processed: Weekly: Independent Refineries: Northwest China data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Shandong Longzhong Information Technology Co., Ltd.. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Energy Sector – Table CN.RBP: Crude Oil: Capacity and Production.

United States WS: PADD 1: Total Stocks data was reported at 7,223.000 Barrel th in 16 Feb 2024. This records a decrease from the previous number of 7,697.000 Barrel th for 09 Feb 2024. United States WS: PADD 1: Total Stocks data is updated weekly, averaging 8,227.500 Barrel th from Jan 2020 (Median) to 16 Feb 2024, with 214 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 13,243.000 Barrel th in 08 May 2020 and a record low of 6,530.000 Barrel th in 17 Mar 2023. United States WS: PADD 1: Total Stocks data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by U.S. Energy Information Administration. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.RB052: Petroleum Supply: Weekly Crude Oil Storage Capacity (Discontinued). Released once a week (every Wednesday) with data for the previous week (Monday to Friday). If Wednesday falls on a holiday, the data will be released on the next business day.

Crude Oil: Processed: Weekly: Northwest China data was reported at 131.107 Ton tt in 09 May 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 129.925 Ton tt for 02 May 2025. Crude Oil: Processed: Weekly: Northwest China data is updated daily, averaging 127.230 Ton tt from Jan 2021 (Median) to 09 May 2025, with 227 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 147.070 Ton tt in 01 Sep 2023 and a record low of 104.230 Ton tt in 16 Jun 2023. Crude Oil: Processed: Weekly: Northwest China data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Shandong Longzhong Information Technology Co., Ltd.. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Energy Sector – Table CN.RBP: Crude Oil: Capacity and Production.

Natural gas fell to 3.25 USD/MMBtu on July 22, 2025, down 2.13% from the previous day. Over the past month, Natural gas's price has fallen 14.59%, but it is still 48.80% higher than a year ago, according to trading on a contract for difference (CFD) that tracks the benchmark market for this commodity. Natural gas - values, historical data, forecasts and news - updated on July of 2025.

Crude Oil: Processed: Weekly: China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) data was reported at 375.982 Ton tt in 02 May 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 374.813 Ton tt for 25 Apr 2025. Crude Oil: Processed: Weekly: China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) data is updated daily, averaging 340.675 Ton tt from Jan 2021 (Median) to 02 May 2025, with 226 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 400.420 Ton tt in 01 Sep 2023 and a record low of 286.270 Ton tt in 29 Jul 2022. Crude Oil: Processed: Weekly: China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Shandong Longzhong Information Technology Co., Ltd.. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Energy Sector – Table CN.RBP: Crude Oil: Capacity and Production.

Crude oil stocks in the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) increased to nearly 400 million barrels in the first week of 2025. SPR ending stocks depleted to lows not seen since the 1980s as the U.S. government tried to combat reduced supplies from Russia throughout 2022 and 2023. Since then, sluggish world demand has again allowed for greater storing of crude oil.

United States WS: PADD 5: Fill & Stocks in Pipelines & In-Transit by Water & Rail data was reported at 14,746.000 Barrel th in 09 Feb 2024. This records a decrease from the previous number of 15,610.000 Barrel th for 02 Feb 2024. United States WS: PADD 5: Fill & Stocks in Pipelines & In-Transit by Water & Rail data is updated weekly, averaging 15,663.000 Barrel th from Jan 2020 (Median) to 09 Feb 2024, with 213 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 18,404.000 Barrel th in 25 Dec 2020 and a record low of 12,704.000 Barrel th in 29 Sep 2023. United States WS: PADD 5: Fill & Stocks in Pipelines & In-Transit by Water & Rail data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by U.S. Energy Information Administration. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.RB052: Petroleum Supply: Weekly Crude Oil Storage Capacity (Discontinued). Released once a week (every Wednesday) with data for the previous week (Monday to Friday). If Wednesday falls on a holiday, the data will be released on the next business day.