Algeria’s flagship crude oil, the Sahara Blend, has claimed the top position in OPEC’s crude oil price basket for April 2026, reaching an extraordinary $133.4 per barrel — the highest price among all OPEC member crudes — in a stunning development that underscores Algeria’s growing clout in global energy markets.
The Sahara Blend surged by $29.16 per barrel in a single month, jumping from $104.24 in March to $133.4 in April — a remarkable leap driven by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and severe supply disruptions caused by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which has effectively isolated Gulf crude from world markets.
The gap between Algerian crude and the benchmark Brent now stands at approximately $4.95 per barrel, while Algeria’s annual average price for Sahara Blend reached $95.10 per barrel, compared to the OPEC basket annual average of $98.42.
Experts told dzwatch that this surge reflects not only strong global demand for light, low-sulfur crude but also an unprecedented isolation of Middle Eastern supplies — positioning Algeria as a critical and indispensable energy partner for Europe and beyond.
