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Crude grade comparison

OPEC Reference Basket vs Arab Medium

Price, OPEC Reference Basket spread, quality and refinery yields side by side. Updated .

OPEC (various members)

OPEC Reference Basket

$77.37USD/BBL
■ 0.00(0.00%)
Class
Medium/Sour
API
32.7°
Sulfur
1.77%
VS
OPEC Reference Basket – Arab Medium spread +3.44 USD/BBL · OPEC Reference Basket premium
Saudi Arabia (multiple fields)

Arab Medium

$73.93USD/BBL
▲ +0.01 (+0.01%)
Class
Medium/Sour
API
31.5°
Sulfur
2.49%

OPEC Reference Basket Crude vs Arab Medium Crude: on July 06, 2026 OPEC Reference Basket settled at $77.37/bbl (0.00%) and Arab Medium at $73.93/bbl (+0.01%), putting OPEC Reference Basket $3.44 above Arab Medium. OPEC Reference Basket is medium/sour crude (32.7° API, 1.77% sulfur); Arab Medium is medium/sour crude (31.5° API, 2.49% sulfur).

Price history

OPEC Reference Basket vs Arab Medium price chart

Daily assessed prices in USD per barrel and the spread between them.

  • OPEC Reference Basket Crude
  • Arab Medium Crude
30-day OPEC Reference Basket avg
$96.30
30 shared days
30-day Arab Medium avg
$99.32
30 shared days
Average spread
-3.02
OPEC Reference Basket minus Arab Medium
Days OPEC Reference Basket above
10 / 30
widest $10.84 on 2026-04-24

OPEC Reference Basket – Arab Medium spread $/bbl · above zero: OPEC Reference Basket premium · below zero: Arab Medium premium

Free view: last 30 days. Gaps mark days with no assessment. Subscribe for longer history and Excel export.

View as table
DateOPEC Reference BasketArab MediumSpread
28 May 2026-102.30-
27 May 2026-103.52-
21 May 2026-112.75-
18 May 2026-117.35-
14 May 2026-112.82-
13 May 2026-113.65-
12 May 2026-112.59-
11 May 2026-111.42-
08 May 2026-105.72-
05 May 2026-119.29-
04 May 2026-119.29-
01 May 2026-119.29-
29 Apr 2026-118.05-
27 Apr 2026-117.73-
29 Jun 202677.37--
26 Jun 202677.37--
25 Jun 202677.37--
23 Jun 202681.59--
22 Jun 202683.16--
18 Jun 202683.74--
17 Jun 202684.43--
16 Jun 202687.90--
15 Jun 202691.69--
12 Jun 202698.07--
11 Jun 202697.1890.93+6.25
10 Jun 202698.9292.43+6.49
09 Jun 2026102.5294.77+7.75
08 Jun 2026100.6398.28+2.35
05 Jun 2026101.58103.27-1.69
04 Jun 2026101.58105.67-4.09
03 Jun 2026101.58106.10-4.52
02 Jun 2026104.05101.87+2.18
01 Jun 2026104.05101.87+2.18
29 May 202697.52100.35-2.83
22 May 2026113.44111.40+2.04
20 May 2026115.42115.21+0.21000000000001
19 May 2026116.87115.94+0.93000000000001
15 May 2026115.09114.46+0.63000000000001
06 May 2026118.33--
28 Apr 2026107.62118.45-10.83
24 Apr 2026106.28117.12-10.84
20 Apr 2026104.79--
14 Apr 2026107.29--
13 Apr 2026107.29--
Price analysis

Highs and lows by period

PeriodOPEC Reference BasketArab Medium
HighLowRangeHighLowRange
7 Days---%---%
30 Days---%---%
90 Days---%---%
180 Days116.8777.3733.8%117.3573.0137.78%
365 Days118.3377.3734.62%119.2973.0138.8%

Range = (high − low) ÷ high.

Daily prices

Recent prices & spread

DateOPEC Reference BasketChgArab MediumChgSpread
107.290
107.290
104.79-2.5
106.28+1.49117.120-10.84
107.62+1.34118.45+0.72-10.83
Full daily history for both grades since 2019 is available to subscribers.Subscribe now
Crude quality

Quality & refinery yields

How the two crudes differ in the barrel. Each property uses its own scale.

  • OPEC Reference Basket Crude
  • Arab Medium Crude

Physical & chemical properties

API gravityhigher = lighter
ORB32.7°
AM31.5°
Sulfur contenthigher = sourer
ORB1.77%
AM2.49%
Densityhigher = heavier
ORB0.86 g/cm³
AM0.87 g/cm³
Viscosityhigher = thicker
ORB8 cSt
AM10 cSt
Pour pointhigher = waxier
ORB10 °C
AM18 °C

Typical refinery yields

Gasoline% of barrel
ORB18-22%
AM18-22%
Diesel% of barrel
ORB38-42%
AM40-44%
Jet fuel% of barrel
ORB10-12'%
AM10-12'%
Residual fuel% of barrel
ORB20-25%
AM20-25%

Bars show each yield range; the faint part runs from 0 to the low end. Scale 0–50%.

Full specification comparison

PropertyOPEC Reference Basket CrudeArab Medium CrudeOPEC Reference Basket − Arab Medium
Classification
ClassificationMedium/SourMedium/Sour
OriginOPEC (various members)Saudi Arabia (multiple fields)
Chemical properties
API gravity32.7° API31.5° API+1.2 °API
Sulfur content1.77%2.49%-0.72%
Density0.86 g/cm³0.87 g/cm³-0.01 g/cm³
Pour point10 °C18 °C-8 °C
Viscosity8 cSt10 cSt-2 cSt
Typical refinery yields
Gasoline18-22%18-22%0 pts
Diesel38-42%40-44%-2 pts
Jet fuel10-12'%10-12'%0 pts
Residual fuel20-25%20-25%0 pts
Trading & logistics
Delivery basisN/A (composite)Ras Tanura, Jubail
Major exchangesOPECSaudi OSP
Export hubN/A (composite index)Ras Tanura, Jubail
Main destinationsGlobal (index tracking)Asia-Pacific, Europe
Benchmark typeGlobal (index)Regional/Global
Market profile
Key characteristicsComposite of 13 OPEC crude grades, represents average OPEC qualitySaudi Arabia medium sour, balanced yields
Refining notesRepresents avg. OPEC crude quality for policy trackingBalanced refinery feedstock
FAQ

OPEC Reference Basket vs Arab Medium questions

The spread, the quality gap and why each grade is a benchmark.

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July 06, 2026 OPEC Reference Basket Crude was $77.37 and Arab Medium Crude $73.93 per barrel, so OPEC Reference Basket traded at a premium of $+3.44 over Arab Medium. Over the previous 30 shared price days the spread averaged -3.02 $/bbl, with Arab Medium priced above OPEC Reference Basket on 10 day(s).

OPEC Reference Basket Crude is a medium/sour OPEC (various members) crude (32.7° API, 1.77% sulfur) and Global (index) benchmark. Arab Medium Crude is a medium/sour Saudi Arabia (multiple fields) crude (31.5° API, 2.49% sulfur) and Regional/Global benchmark.
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