Welcome to the Investors Trading Academy talking glossary of financial terms and events. Our word of the day is “Brent Oil” There are different types of crude oil – the thick, unprocessed liquid that drillers extract below the earth – and some are more desirable than others. For instance, it’s easier for refiners to make gasoline and diesel fuel out of low-sulfur, or “sweet,” crude than oil with high sulfur concentrations. Low-density, or “light,” crude is generally favorable to the high-density variety for the same reason. Where the oil comes from also makes a difference if you’re a buyer. The less expensive it is to take delivery of the product, the more you’re willing to pay for it. From a transportation standpoint, oil extracted at sea has certain advantages over land-based supplies, which depend on the capacity of Pipelines. North Sea Brent crude was discovered in the early 1960s. It is now sourced primarily by the United Kingdom, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands and Germany. Brent crude oil is not as light or as sweet as its counterpart, West Texas Intermediate oil. Brent Crude is more ubiquitous, and most oil is priced using Brent Crude as the benchmark. However, in the United States, West Texas Intermediate is the preferred measure. Brent Crude is produced near the sea, so transportation costs are significantly lower. In contrast, West Texas Intermediate is produced in landlocked areas, making transportation costs more on-erous. In recent years, due to advancements in oil drilling and fracking, West Texas Intermediate has become cheaper than Brent Crude oil. Prior to this, Brent Crude tended to be cheaper than West Texas Crude.