Profit margins are especially high for oil companies with access to the ample crude oil stockpiles of Cushing, Okla. They can sell their refined products with a profit margin of as much as $18 a barrel 鈥 compare that to refiners in the Gulf Coast who make $8 a barrel.
鈥淐ertain refiners are able to make more profit per barrel of oil refined than others,鈥 says Mr. Cohan.