Every crude cargo is priced relative to a handful of reference grades, benchmarks the market has agreed to trust. Below is a working reference to twenty of the most-cited streams globally: where each is produced, how it's classified, and the two numbers that matter most to a refiner, API gravity (density) and sulfur content (sweet vs. sour). For live indicative pricing on the most-traded contracts, see the ticker on our homepage.
Live · U.S. Energy Information Administration
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How grading works
API Gravity
A scale measuring how light or heavy a crude oil is relative to water. Higher API° means a lighter crude, and light crude generally yields more high-value refined products like gasoline and jet fuel, so it typically commands a premium. Below about 22° API a crude is classified heavy; above roughly 31° it's classified light, with medium in between.
Sweet vs. Sour
A classification by sulfur content. Sweet crude runs below roughly 0.5% sulfur and refines more easily into clean fuels; sour crude carries more sulfur and needs extra processing to meet the same standards, so it typically trades at a discount to a sweet crude of similar gravity. The combination, light sweet vs. heavy sour and everything between, is what ultimately sets a grade's price relative to the benchmarks below.
The panel above is live, official EIA data. The grade table below is reference specifications, not live prices, actual differentials shift with freight, quality, and demand, and Malico prices every cargo on its own assay and current market terms. For today's spec on a specific parcel, contact the desk.
Americas
| Grade | Classification | API Gravity | Sulfur |
|---|---|---|---|
| WTI West Texas Intermediate | Light Sweet | 39.6° | 0.24% |
| LLS Louisiana Light Sweet | Light Sweet | 36.0° | 0.37% |
| Mars Blend US Gulf of Mexico | Medium Sour | 30.0° | 1.9% |
| WCS Western Canadian Select | Heavy Sour | 20.5° | 3.5% |
Europe & Russia
| Grade | Classification | API Gravity | Sulfur |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brent North Sea (UK / Norway) | Light Sweet | 38.3° | 0.37% |
| Urals Russia export blend | Medium Sour | 31.7° | 1.35% |
Middle East
| Grade | Classification | API Gravity | Sulfur |
|---|---|---|---|
| Murban UAE (Abu Dhabi) | Light Sweet | 40.0° | 0.78% |
| Arab Light Saudi Arabia | Light Sour | 33.0° | 1.8% |
| Arab Heavy Saudi Arabia | Heavy Sour | 27.0° | 2.8% |
| Kirkuk Iraq | Medium Sour | 35.1° | 1.9% |
| Basra Light Iraq | Medium Sour | 30.0° | 2.5% |
| Dubai UAE | Medium Sour | 31.0° | 2.13% |
| Oman Oman | Medium Sour | 33.0° | 1.3% |
Africa
| Grade | Classification | API Gravity | Sulfur |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bonny Light Nigeria | Light Sweet | 35.4° | 0.14% |
| Forcados Nigeria | Light Sweet | 30.0° | 0.18% |
| Es Sider Libya | Light Sweet | 37.0° | 0.45% |
Asia-Pacific
| Grade | Classification | API Gravity | Sulfur |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tapis Malaysia | Light Sweet | 43.0° | 0.03% |
| Minas Indonesia | Light Sweet | 34.5° | 0.10% |
| ESPO Blend Russia (Pacific) | Medium Sweet | 34.8° | 0.50% |
Global Composite
| Grade | Classification | API Gravity | Sulfur |
|---|---|---|---|
| OPEC Reference Basket Weighted average, member grades | Composite Index | — | — |
Sourcing a specific grade?
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