Heating oil vs diesel price: the No. 2 distillate cross-reference
No. 2 distillate heating oil and ULSD diesel are nearly identical molecules; the only difference at the terminal is the dye and the sulfur spec. In the six Northeast heating-oil states (ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, RI) winter demand for heating oil pulls diesel up alongside it. [EIA · 31 Aug 2026]
The chemistry
Both are middle distillates fractionated from the same crude tower. ULSD is 15 ppm sulfur; legacy heating oil was up to 500 ppm, though New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island now require ULSHO (15 ppm) for heating.
Seasonal premium
The Northeast heating-oil premium starts forming in late October as fill-up season hits, peaks in January, and dissolves by April. EIA State Heating Oil and Propane Program reports prices weekly from Oct 1 to Mar 31. [EIA · 31 Aug 2026]
Which EIA series to follow
For heating oil buyers: the EIA SHOPP weekly. For diesel: the EIA Weekly On-Highway Diesel Fuel Price. Both move on the same RBOB-and-distillate cycle but the spread is the heating-oil premium itself.