Keep in mind, the transportation cost, and lack of sufficient transportation capacity greatly effects the price of oil at location. The exact same oil today, at different locations can vary in price by over $20. light sweet crude
In general, that is the most desired. But light can become so light that it losses value. In general, something approaching near gasoline tends to be the most valuable. But if it is so light it is mostly butane, it will not bring top dollar.
Is Quaker State, ie Penn St crude oil still the best?
I don't know that was ever true outside of commercials.
US mars - Shell's production from Ursa, Mensa and Mars offshore platforms commingles with Amberkjack pipeline volumes to create MARS BLEND crude in the caverns at Loop. It is a large enough volume to get traded as a commodity. All of these are contract agreements that not only determine quality, but also location of delivery. Adders/discounts to prices tend to be standard for known quality changes and/or different delivery locations. Mars is 30.3° API gravity and 1.91% sulfur delivered to the Loop. (Louisiana Offshore Oil Port)
LLS - Louisiana Light Sweet is 35.6° (lighter than Mars) and 0.37% sulfur (sweeter than Mars) delivered to St James, Louisiana (also gulf coast)
US-WTI is the price you normally hear quoted, when the news generically talks about the price of oil. It is West Texas Intermediate, 39.6° (lighter than LLS) and 0.24% sulfur (slightly sweeter than LLS) delivered to Cushing, OK. This location has become bottle-necked due to the shale oil production, too much coming into one location. It has created a discount in the WTI price even while the demand for it has climbed, because the supply has climbed faster.
So what comes out of the northern Alberta sands?
Also, what comes out of the Balken, ND & MT?
It was due to the high parafin content in PA oil, right? That’s what I always heard.