Surging West Texas oil production has pushed the value of the region’s spot crude to its lowest discount to the U.S. oil benchmark in nearly two years, as an exuberant shale industry pumps more to take advantage of higher prices and demand from refiners who have seen supplies cut by top global producers. OPEC and non-OPEC suppliers are working toward cuts of 1.8 million barrels per day, around 2 percent of the 92 million bpd global market, as they try to bring down record oil inventories and raise prices. But supply cuts by exporters worldwide have given an incentive and opportunity to U.S. shale producers to do the opposite. They have sent rigs back into the field and are working to boost output after more than a two-year industry recession. The Permian Basin is the biggest […]