Platts to launch Butane DAP Lagos, LPG Freight Houston-Lome price assessments

S&P Global Energy Platts has observed shifting supply dynamics for refined oil products in West Africa. The commissioning of the Dangote refinery has changed the balance of supply and demand in the Nigerian market. At the same time, demand for LPG as a clean cooking fuel across West Africa has increased the overall flow of product to the region's major import hubs, increasing the overall need for price transparency in this fast-growing region.

In response to these changes and in consultation with market participants, Platts will launch a West African butane assessment reflecting coaster-size butane clips delivered DAP Lagos, Nigeria, beginning Jan. 2, 2026.

The DAP Lagos butane assessment will reflect refrigerated cargoes with a size range of 1,000-6,000 metric tons for delivery 5-15 days from the date of publication, with value normalized to reflect the mean of the delivery period, into Lagos, Nigeria.

At the same time, Platts will also launch a spot Houston-Offshore Lome LPG Medium Gas Carrier freight assessment, Jan. 2, 2026, to provide more transparency to the West African LPG freight market.

The assessment reflects the cost of chartering an LPG MGC vessel, transporting a 22,000 mt cargo of LPG from Houston, Texas, to Offshore Lome, Togo, loading five to 15 days forward from the date of publication.

Platts may publish pricing data or fixtures for other cargo sizes or laycans, but these may be normalized for assessment purposes.

The DAP Lagos assessment is published in US dollars/mt and reflects the transactable value at 4:30 pm London time.

LPG freight is commonly traded in the spot market on a $/mt basis, reflecting the cost of chartering a ship of a specified size on a particular voyage for a given cargo size. These values typically include port costs.

The assessment would be published in Platts LPGaswire and Clean Tankerwire, as well as on Platts Global Alert and Platts Refined Products Alert fixed page 1122.

If you have any comments or questions about this announcement, please contact Europe_products@spglobal.com and pricegroup@spglobal.com.