据世界石油网站12月3日报道 一个美国主要原油等级有望纳入北海基准，此举可能会改变全球许多地区的油价制定方式。
据一份声明称，该定价机构已就将西德克萨斯中质米德兰原油加入即期布伦特基准原油展开磋商，并邀请各方在2月5日之前就这一提议提出反馈意见。即期布伦特原油被用来设定全球三分之二以上的实物油价，并最终帮助塑造布伦特原油期货的价格。
此举反映出美国原油在国际上的重要性与日俱增，该国5年前结束了20世纪70年代能源危机期间对石油出口的限制，以及北海一些关键级别原油供应正在减少的事实。
该机构石油市场价格报告主管Vera Blei表示：“自2015年美国原油出口重启以来，WTI米德兰已成为欧洲炼油商的基本负荷等级，也是北海石油市场的核心部分。”
Vera Blei还表示，美国每天出口100多万桶这种级别的原油，将其纳入即期布伦特原油中，将提供额外的交易量，并确保在未来十年乃至更长时间内即期布伦特原油的持续稳定。如果在2022年3月开始更改货物，将对货物产生较大影响。”
数据显示，2020年，欧洲每天进口44.3万桶WTI米德兰原油。这是一种轻质低硫原油，这些石油流入正值北海主要品级产量下降之际。2015年，该地区的布伦特、福蒂斯、奥斯贝格、埃科菲斯克和特罗尔原油的总量约为每天120万桶。根据彭博社的计算，从那时起，产量已经下降了21%。
此前，该定价机构曾就将北海以外地区的原油添加至即期布伦特原油上进行过磋商。去年，它选择不跟进一项提案，其中包括增加WTI米德兰和其他来自世界各地等级的原油。相反，该机构对定价基准进行了改革，增加了运往荷兰鹿特丹港的货物。
王磊 摘译自 世界石油
原文如下：
U.S. crude may be included in Brent global benchmark pricing
A key U.S. crude grade is consideredto adding to its North Sea benchmark, a move that could transform the way oil prices are set in many parts of the world.
The pricing agency has opened consultations The move reflects the growing importance of U.S. crude internationally -- the country five years ago ended restrictions “Since the restart of U.S. crude exports in 2015, WTI Midland has become a baseload grade for European refiners and a core part of the North Sea oil market,” said Vera Blei, head of oil markets price reporting atthe pricing agency
The U.S. exports more than 1 million barrels of the grade daily, and “its inclusion within the Dated Brent basket would provide additional volume and ensure the continued robustness of Dated Brent for the next decade and beyond,” she added. If approved, the change would affect cargoes starting in March 2022.
Europe imported about 443,000 barrels a day of WTI Midland -- a light, sweet crude -- in 2020, according to he pricing agency . Those flows come amid falling production of key North Sea grades. The region’s loadings of Brent, Forties, Oseberg, Ekofisk and Troll crudes combined were about 1.2 million barrels a day in 2015. Since then, they have dropped by 21%, according to Bloomberg calculations.
The pricing agency has previously consulted on adding grades from outside the North Sea to Dated Brent. Last year it chose not to follow up on a proposal that included adding WTI Midland and other grades from across the world. Instead, the pricing agency overhauled the pricing benchmark by adding cargoes delivered to the Dutch port of Rotterdam.