Subscriber note: Platts launches calcined pet coke, adds caustic soda prices

Effective May 31, Platts has added new price assessments to its metals services for calcined petroleum coke and caustic soda, both key raw materials in the aluminum production chain. In addition, Platts is launching commentary on the global calcined petroleum coke market which will be published on a monthly basis in conjunction with the CPC assessment. The Platts Calcined Pet Coke FOB US Gulf assessment is assessed monthly on the last business day of the month, published that day in a narrow price range (high-low and midpoint), reflecting cargo values loading 30-60 days forward. The assessment takes into account firm bids and offers, or where spot transactions would take place for the benchmark grade. Platts has made minor changes to the methodology in response to industry feedback. For the complete methodology, visit http://www.platts.com/methodology-specifications, under the Metals section. The Platts Calcined Pet Coke FOB US Gulf assessment reflects a typical grade exported from the US Gulf containing 2.5-2.7% sulfur, maximum 300 ppm vanadium, max 250 ppm nickel, max 300 ppm iron, max 250 ppm silicon, max 150 ppm calcium, max 120 ppm sodium and max 0.50% ash, with a vibrated bulk density (VBD) of max 0.87 g/cc, in sponge form excluding shot coke. The assessment is based on input from suppliers (oil companies and merchant calciners), aluminum smelter buyers, traders and other active spot market participants. The price will be assessed in dollars per metric ton, for typical cargoes of 10,000-15,000 mt, loading FOB US Gulf ports 30-60 days forward from date of publication. The Platts metals publications are also now publishing additional global caustic soda price assessments, which have been assessed for some time by the Platts Petrochemicals group. In addition to FOB NE Asia and CFR SE Asia prices already published, the caustic soda price assessments will include: weekly domestic ex-works China (in yuan/mt), weekly FOB Rotterdam (in dollars per mt), Northwest Europe contract price monthly (euros/mt), US FOB US Gulf weekly spot price ($/mt), US FOB plant (dollars per dry short ton) and US contract price monthly (dollars per dry short ton). The new caustic soda price assessments and calcined pet coke price assessments appear on Platts Metals Alert fixed pages 050 and 054, respectively; in Platts Metals Daily, in the Primary Aluminum daily price table on page 2, and in Metals Week, on the weekly price assessments page under Major Metals, just below Aluminum. Calcined pet coke commentary appears on Platts Metals Alert fixed page 055, and caustic soda commentary for Asia remains on PMA 052.