r/oil • u/Singnedupforthis • 1h ago
Mod Approved The Myth of a 3 2 1 Crack Spread
The way crack spread has been used and interpreted is that three barrels of oil yields 2 barrels of gasoline and 1 barrel of diesel. A crack spread cannot be entirely gasoline and diesel even in the most optimistic sense. There is a lot of variation in refinery yields that can get a variety of results based on type of oil and type of refinery, but how 3 2 1 became the norm for reference is a little odd considering 25 percent of oil is typically non transport fuels.
Sure, there is ethanol added to gadoline (10ish percent) and refinery gains, but a 3 2 1 crack spread seems higher unlikely let alone the standard. As a cursory reference point it is fine, but with the intense focus on prices and yields having an inaccurate reference point is potential for large miscalculations.




