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Petroleum refineries in the United States produce about 19 to 20 gallons of motor gasoline and 11 to 12 gallons of ultra-low sulfur distillate fuel oil (most of which is sold as diesel fuel and in several states as heating oil) from one 42-gallon barrel of crude oil.

Another reason is that WTI supplies are produced in landlocked areas, and nowadays need to be transported to the coast, where most refineries are located. Because of growth in U.S. oil production, there's a glut of oil supply in the U.S. midwest. So WTI now trades at a price “discount” to Brent oil.

Despite the high quality of West Texas Intermediate, WTI is currently trading at more than a $7.00/bbl discount to another major oil benchmark: Brent crude. ... Although considered both light and sweet, Brent is slightly heavier than WTI, with an API gravity of 38.06 and a sulfur content of 0.37%.

Shares of WTI can be purchased through any online brokerage account. Popular online brokerages with access to the U.S. stock market include WeBull, Vanguard Brokerage Services, TD Ameritrade, E*TRADE, Robinhood, Fidelity, and Charles Schwab.

• Step 1: Get Familiar with Oil Market Fundamentals.
• Step 2: Develop a Plan of Action.
• Step 3: Pick a Broker.
• Step 4: Open an Account and Go Live. The often-volatile oil market is not for everyone, so be aware that many factors...

• Oil futures trading works on a standardized instrument, which can be traded right up until the last trading day specified in the instrument. Investors often buy oil futures on margin, meaning that they don't pay the entire price up front; they typically pay anywhere from two to ten percent of the price of the contract.

• As the figure reveals, although the oil price risk premiums are close to zero on average, they are quite large and volatile over time. This suggests that oil futures prices are not necessarily the best predictor of future oil prices. The current, or spot, oil price may also help predict future oil price movements.

• At the most basic level, oil futures are instruments whereby investors agree to purchase a specific number of units of oil at a specific price on a specific day. Oil futures trading works on a standardized instrument, which can be traded right up until the last trading day specified in the instrument.