The 3:2:1 crack spread — the market's proxy for US refining margin — stands at $59.28 per barrel as of the 2026-08-18 closes (gasoline crack $40.69, distillate crack $96.47). Here's what it means, how it's calculated, and what wide or narrow cracks signal for pump prices.
| Spread | $/bbl | Formula |
|---|---|---|
| 3:2:1 crack | 59.28 | (2×RBOB + 1×HO − 3×WTI) ÷ 3, products ×42 to $/bbl |
| Gasoline crack | 40.69 | RBOB×42 − WTI |
| Distillate crack | 96.47 | HO×42 − WTI |
Inputs: WTI $84.89/bbl · RBOB $2.990/gal · heating oil $4.318/gal (daily closes; the prices page shows the live intraday cracks). Run your own numbers in the crack-spread calculator.
Based on the 2026-08-18 futures closes, the 3:2:1 crack spread is $59.28 per barrel — WTI at $84.89, RBOB gasoline at $2.99/gal and heating oil at $4.32/gal. The gasoline crack alone is $40.69 and the distillate crack $96.47.
The gross margin a refinery earns turning crude into products. The 3:2:1 ratio assumes 3 barrels of crude yield 2 barrels of gasoline and 1 of distillate — close to a typical US refinery's output. It ignores operating costs (a few dollars per barrel), so it's a market signal rather than exact profitability.
Wide cracks mean product demand is outrunning refining capacity — bullish for refiner stocks, and pump prices stay high even if crude falls. Narrow or negative cracks pressure refiners to cut runs, which eventually reduces product supply and re-widens the spread. Cracks typically widen into summer driving season.
Convert product prices from $/gallon to $/barrel (×42), then: 3:2:1 crack = (2 × RBOB + 1 × heating oil − 3 × WTI) ÷ 3. Try your own inputs in the crack-spread calculator on the tools page.