Industry Note No. 13 - The US Makes an Eastern Entrance
The Brent to West Texas Intermediate (WTI) spread has fluctuated over the years, with Brent posting a premium to WTI in most cases. For the tanker market, the value of this variance has gained further importance since the removal of the US crude export ban because it provides cargo holders with new commercial opportunities, dictating tanker trading patterns and global tanker demand. In this note, we will discuss our views of the Brent/WTI spread, its impact on US exports and how tanker demand may be affected.