Platts proposes to launch daily any-month Chicago Terminal ethanol assessments

Platts, part of S&P Global Commodity Insights, proposes to launch a daily any-month Chicago Terminal ethanol assessment, effective June 3, 2024.

Platts has observed strong interest in expanding its physical Chicago Terminal ethanol assessments to include the any-month transfer timing.

Platts is proposing to launch two any-month Chicago Terminal ethanol assessments, one for the current-month (M1) and one for the forward-month (M2). The assessments roll to the next forward month two publishing days before the end of the month, meaning there would be one clear working day between the roll of the assessment and the start of the new calendar month.

For example, the any-June (M1) 2024 and any-July (M2) 2024 assessments would roll to any-July (M1) 2024 and any-August (M2) on June 26, 2024.

The proposed any-Month Chicago terminal ethanol assessments would be basis InterTank Transfer (ITT) in the Kinder Morgan Chicago fungible system, which includes the Argo and Chicago (Stony Island) terminals.

Platts would assess a minimum traded volume of 5,000 barrels.

The assessments would consider market information reported to Platts and published throughout the day, including firm bids and offers, trades, and indicative values, as well as any other data deemed relevant to the assessment process.

The any-month ethanol price assessments would be published as an outright value in US cents per gallon.

A summary of the proposed assessment launches is as follows:

The methodology and specifications for the five- to 15-day forward Platts benchmark Chicago terminal ethanol assessment can be found here.

The assessments would reflect a 1330 Houston time market close and would follow the Platts US publishing schedule.

Please submit any feedback, comments, or questions about this proposal tomrts_biofuelsandfeedstocks@spglobal.com, and pricegroup@spglobal.com by May 2, 2024.

For written comments, please provide a clear indication if comments are not intended for publication by Platts for public viewing. Platts will consider all comments received and will make comments not marked as confidential available upon request.