Daily Brent and WTI crude oil benchmark prices, sourced from the U.S. Energy Information Administration — as of Sep 22, 2026.
BZ · per barrel
$114.89
Last updated Sep 22, 2026 12:00 AM UTC
CL · per barrel
$96.41
Last updated Sep 22, 2026 12:00 AM UTC
The price of crude oil today refers to the current spot price for a barrel of crude oil — the price for immediate delivery, as opposed to a futures contract for delivery in a future month. When checking crude oil prices today, the two benchmarks quoted globally are Brent crude and WTI (West Texas Intermediate). Both are priced in US Dollars (USD).
When a news headline says "oil is at $X today," it almost always refers to the Brent front-month price. WTI is the equivalent North American reference.
Brent and WTI are separate benchmarks reflecting different physical crude grades and regional supply dynamics. Brent is seaborne, North Sea-based, and used to price roughly two-thirds of internationally traded crude. WTI is a landlocked North American grade priced at Cushing, Oklahoma. The gap between them — the Brent-WTI spread — can widen or narrow based on pipeline constraints, U.S. export economics, and regional inventory levels.
For most practical purposes (fuel costs, inflation, freight budgets), both benchmarks tell a similar story about global oil tightness. When they diverge significantly, it usually signals something structural in U.S. supply or infrastructure.
Crude oil futures trade continuously during exchange hours and can move by several dollars in a single session. The EIA spot price data shown on this page is published the next business day, meaning figures are typically one trading day behind real-time futures. For futures-level precision, you need a Bloomberg or Reuters terminal. For tracking daily and weekly trends — the kind that drives actual pump prices and logistics costs — EIA spot data is the standard reference.
Today's crude oil price is a key upstream input for gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and heating oil. However, the relationship between crude and pump prices is not one-to-one — taxes, refining margins, distribution costs, and local competition all sit between the barrel and the nozzle. A sustained move in crude tends to appear at the pump within two to six weeks, not instantly. See our explainer on how oil prices affect gasoline prices for the full breakdown.
As of the most recent EIA update, Brent crude is at $114.89 and WTI crude is at $96.41 per barrel. EIA spot data is typically one business day behind live futures.
This is an EIA spot price, published the next business day after trading. It is not a real-time futures price. Real-time crude oil prices require a paid market data terminal. EIA spot data is the standard reference for most analytical and planning purposes. For live-as-they-happen futures, visit a commodities exchange like NYMEX or ICE.
Today's spread is $18.48 per barrel (Brent above WTI). Brent is a global seaborne benchmark; WTI is a North American landlocked benchmark priced at Cushing, Oklahoma. Their spread reflects regional supply/demand and transportation economics.
Crude oil is the largest single component of gasoline cost — typically 40–60% depending on prevailing crack spreads and regional taxes. A sustained move in crude tends to show up at the pump within two to six weeks. Short-term crude spikes often do not fully pass through, while multi-week trends usually do. Full breakdown here.
Prices are sourced from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) API v2 — Brent (series RBRTE) and WTI (series RWTC). The EIA is a U.S. government statistical agency and considered the authoritative source for energy price data. Data is cached for 15 minutes on this site and refreshed automatically.
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