SUBSCRIBER NOTE: Platts to assess Forties de-escalator at $0.20/b for October 2017

Effective October 1, 2017, the sulfur de-escalator to be applied to Forties cargoes and related instruments in the Platts North Sea assessment process will be $0.20/b per 0.1% weight of sulfur over the 0.6% weight standard, up $0.05/b from the level applied to September cargoes.

The de-escalator should apply to cargoes loading from October 1, 2017.

S&P Global Platts has assessed this de-escalator level after reviewing the change in outright crude value, the differential between low-sulfur and high-sulfur products, as well as the difference in value between North Sea crudes and comparable heavy, sourer crudes, such as Urals.

A rationale for this decision will be available shortly on the Platts website, www.platts.com. It can also be accessed directly using the following URL http://plts.co/ZEWBE.

Platts guidelines for its sulfur de-escalator use three significant figures for determination of sulfur-related payment.

The test reflecting this figure should be the ASTM-D2622.

Forties cargoes and all related instruments, including BFOE cash forwards, bid or offered through the Platts system must adhere to this standard.

In addition, Platts will publish the sulfur de-escalator, representing the dollar value per 0.1% weight of sulfur, in its crude oil publications.

Please send comments to oilgroup@spglobal.com and pricegroup@spglobal.com.