Western Canadian oil prices holding their own as production cuts kick in
CALGARY – Crude oil prices in Western Canada remain elevated as Alberta’s government-mandated oil production curtailments come into force.
Calgary oil brokerage Net Energy says the difference between Western Canadian Select bitumen-blend heavy oil and New York-traded West Texas Intermediate oil prices was about US$12.50 per barrel on Wednesday afternoon.
That is an improvement over the US$17.52 per barrel average for spot contracts signed last month for January delivery.
The WCS-WTI discount peaked at more than US$52 a barrel in October but recovered to traditional norms or better after Premier Rachel Notley announced Dec. 2 that the province would impose curtailments of 325,000 barrels per day as of Jan. 1 on larger producers to relieve a glut of oil in Western Canada and free up export pipeline space.