Platts to launch weekly USGC Group II, Group III base oil assessments

Platts, part of S&P Global Commodity Insights, will launch weekly USGC Group II and Group III base oil spot assessments on Dec. 11, 2024.

The assessments will reflect Group II spot domestic and spot FOB export prices and Group III spot domestic prices. Group II grades include 100N, 220N, and 600N; and Group III grades include 4CST, 6CST, and 8CST base oils, for a total of nine new assessments, broken down in six spot domestic assessments and three spot FOB export assessments.

The new Group II and Group II USGC assessments will be published in $/gal for domestic assessments and $/mt for export FOB assessments. These would take into consideration price information gathered during the week ahead of the assessment, with indications normalized to the close at 2:30 pm ET US on Wednesday of each week. The assessments will reflect the values of physical base oil cargoes at the close of 2:30 pm ET Wednesdays and would follow a US publishing schedule. When a US public holiday falls on the planned publishing day, the assessment will be published the day prior to the public holiday.

Details of the specifications:

Group II 100N Domestic FOB Rail tank

ATSM Color	Maximum 0.5
Appearance	Bright and Clear
Viscosity at 40 °C	19.5 - 21.5 millimeters squared per second (cSt)
Viscosity at 100 °C	4.0 - 4.5 millimeters squared per second (cSt)
Viscosity Index	Minimum 95
Flash Point °C	Minimum 200 degrees Celsius
Pour Point °C	Maximum -14 degrees Celsius
Sulfur	Maximum 25 ppm
Density	7.0 - 7.1 pounds per gallon
Gravity, °API	33 -37
Trade Size	Minimum 25,000 gallons
Laycan	10 - 30 days forward loading
Pricing Basis	$/gal
Conversion Factor $/gal to $/mt	311 gal/mt

Group II 100N Export FOB USGC

ATSM Color	Maximum 0.5
Appearance	Bright and Clear
Viscosity at 40 °C	19.5 - 21.5 millimeters squared per second (cSt)
Viscosity at 100 °C	4.0 - 4.5 millimeters squared per second (cSt)
Viscosity Index	Minimum 95
Flash Point °C	Minimum 200 degrees Celsius
Pour Point °C	Maximum -14 degrees Celsius
Sulfur	Maximum 25 ppm
Density	7.0 - 7.1 pounds per gallon
Gravity, °API	33 -37
Clip Size	2,000 - 10,000 mt
Laycan	10 - 30 days forward loading
Port Basis	USGC
Pricing Basis	$/mt

Group II 220N Domestic FOB Rail tank

ATSM Color	Maximum 1.0
Appearance	Bright and Clear
Viscosity at 40 °C	39.5 - 42.5 millimeters squared per second (cSt)
Viscosity at 100 °C	6.25 - 6.75 millimeters squared per second (cSt)
Viscosity Index	Minimum 95
Flash Point °C	Minimum 215 degrees Celsius
Pour Point °C	Maximum -12 degrees Celsius
Sulfur	Maximum 100 ppm
Density	7.15 - 7.25 pounds per gallon
Gravity, °API	30.5 - 33
Trade Size	Minimum 25,000 gallons
Laycan	10 - 30 days forward loading
Pricing Basis	$/gal
Conversion Factor $/gal to $/mt	306 gal/mt

Group II 220N Export FOB USGC

ATSM Color	Maximum 1.0
Appearance	Bright and Clear
Viscosity at 40 °C	39.5 - 42.5 millimeters squared per second (cSt)
Viscosity at 100 °C	6.25 - 6.75 millimeters squared per second (cSt)
Viscosity Index	Minimum 95
Flash Point °C	Minimum 215 degrees Celsius
Pour Point °C	Maximum -12 degrees Celsius
Sulfur	Maximum 100 ppm
Density	7.15 - 7.25 pounds per gallon
Gravity, °API	30.5 - 33
Clip Size	2,000 - 10,000 mt
Laycan	10 - 30 days forward loading
Port Basis	USGC
Pricing Basis	$/mt

Group II 600N Domestic FOB Rail tank

ATSM Color	Maximum 2.0
Appearance	Bright and Clear
Viscosity at 40 °C	Minimum 105 millimeters squared per second (cSt)
Viscosity at 100 °C	12.0 - 12.5 millimeters squared per second (cSt)
Viscosity Index	Minimum 95
Flash Point °C	Minimum 240 degrees Celsius
Pour Point °C	Maximum -12 degrees Celsius
Sulfur	Maximum 300 ppm
Density	7.25 - 7.35 pounds per gallon
Gravity, °API	28.5 - 31
Trade Size	Minimum 25,000 gallons
Laycan	10 - 30 days forward loading
Pricing Basis	$/gal
Conversion Factor $/gal to $/mt	302 gal/mt

Group II 600N Export FOB USGC

ATSM Color	Maximum 2.0
Appearance	Bright and Clear
Viscosity at 40 °C	Minimum 105 millimeters squared per second (cSt)
Viscosity at 100 °C	12.0 - 12.5 millimeters squared per second (cSt)
Viscosity Index	Minimum 95
Flash Point °C	Minimum 240 degrees Celsius
Pour Point °C	Maximum -12 degrees Celsius
Sulfur	Maximum 300 ppm
Density	7.25 - 7.35 pounds per gallon
Gravity, °API	28.5 - 31
Clip Size	2,000 - 10,000 mt
Laycan	10 - 30 days forward loading
Port Basis	USGC
Pricing Basis	$/mt

Group III 4CST Domestic FOB Rail tank

ATSM Color	Maximum 0.5
Appearance	Bright and Clear
Viscosity at 40 °C	20.0 - 21.5 millimeters squared per second (cSt)
Viscosity at 100 °C	4.25 - 4.75 millimeters squared per second (cSt)
Viscosity Index	Minimum 120
Flash Point °C	Minimum 210 degrees Celsius
Pour Point °C	Maximum -18 degrees Celsius
Sulfur	Maximum 5 ppm
Density	6.9 - 7.0 pounds per gallon
Trade Size	Minimum 25,000 gallons
Laycan	10 - 30 days forward loading
Pricing Basis	$/gal
Conversion Factor $/gal to $/mt	317 gal/mt

Group III 6CST Domestic FOB Rail tank

ATSM Color	Maximum 1.0
Appearance	Bright and Clear
Viscosity at 40 °C	32.0 - 33.0 millimeters squared per second (cSt)
Viscosity at 100 °C	5.75 - 6.25 millimeters squared per second (cSt)
Viscosity Index	Minimum 125
Flash Point °C	Minimum 225 degrees Celsius
Pour Point °C	Maximum -15 degrees Celsius
Sulfur	Maximum 5 ppm
Density	7.0 - 7.1 pounds per gallon
Trade Size	Minimum 25,000 gallons
Laycan	10 - 30 days forward loading
Pricing Basis	$/gal
Conversion Factor $/gal to $/mt	314 gal/mt

Group III 8CST Domestic FOB Rail tank

ATSM Color	Maximum 1.5
Appearance	Bright and Clear
Viscosity at 40 °C	49.0 - 52.0 millimeters squared per second (cSt)
Viscosity at 100 °C	7.75 - 8.25 millimeters squared per second (cSt)
Viscosity Index	Minimum 125
Flash Point °C	Minimum 240 degrees Celsius
Pour Point °C	Maximum -12 degrees Celsius
Sulfur	Maximum 5 ppm
Density	7.0 - 7.1 pounds per gallon
Trade Size	Minimum 25,000 gallons
Laycan	10 - 30 days forward loading
Pricing Basis	$/gal
Conversion Factor $/gal to $/mt	312 gal/mt

Pricing information with terms, locations and specifications different from the above standard may be considered for assessment purposes, subject to normalization. These will be added to Platts Global Alert Page 1146.

Please send any questions, comments or feedback to americas_products@spglobal.com with a copy to pricegroup@spglobal.com .

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