Argus US Crack Spread Forward Curves
Overview
Argus US Crack Spread Forward Curves service is an independent market valuation tool to support investment and trading decisions in North American oil markets. The service provides daily differential forward prices between key refined oil products and various crude grades.
Our clients act with confidence because our forward curves are built from unbiased and transparent industry-specific methodologies that produce representative market values free from distortion.
Key features
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Daily assessments
Daily assessments for 45 crack spread markets, providing a rolling 24 month view of monthly forward prices.
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Key differentials
Price differences between crude oil and refined product markets across North America.
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Time-stamped
Time-stamped at 6 p.m. CPT time, in alignment with Argus’ physical settlement price assessments.
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Robust methodology
Independent and transparent market-appropriate methodology.
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Delivery options
Receive our forward curve data via data feed, third-party channel partners, our client portal or via email.
Customers that benefit
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Exploration and production companies
Use our curves services to determine commitments for the coming fiscal year.
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Refineries
Use curves to inform hedging decisions when securing refined oil supplies and to analyse margins at their facilities.
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Risk managers
Use our forward curves data for unbiased, third-party curve validation against counterparties, internal valuations, and for mark-to-market purposes for daily profit and loss assessments.
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Traders
Rely on our extensive historical analysis to determine locational and temporal spread relationships and use prior day curves on a daily basis as a reference when entering the market the following morning.
Product specifications
- Gulf Coast Gasoline-M2 (9.0 RVP)
- Gulf Coast ULSD
- Gulf Coast Jet Fuel
- Chicago CBOB
- Chicago RBOB
- Chicago ULSD
- Chicago Jet Fuel
- Group 3 CBOB
- Group 3 ULSD
- LA reg CARBOB
- LA ULSD
- LA Jet Fuel
- NY Harbor RBOB
- NY Harbor ULSD
- NY Harbor Jet Fuel
- WTI Houston
- WTL Midland
- LLS
- WCS
- ANS
- Brent
- Multi crack forwards
- Single crack forwards
- Excel format
- Excel add-in
- FTP – CSV file
- API – CSV file
- Argus Direct client portal
- Argus Date Science Studio
- Third party channel partners
Argus forward curves are a proven, reliable tool for analytical and risk-management processes, including:
- Mark-to-market (MTM) accounting
- Value-at-risk (VaR)
- Potential future exposure (PFE)
- Deal valuation
- Regression analysis
- Scenario analysis
- Valuing option premiums associated with forward crude contracts
Key price assessments
Argus prices are recognised by the market as trusted and reliable indicators of the real market value. Explore some of our most widely used and relevant price assessments.
Argus European RED marine biodiesel indexes
Argus B24 (UCOME) dob West Med, Argus B30, B100 (Advanced Fame 0) dob ARA, Argus B30 (UCOME) fob ARA.
Argus ESPO Blend
Pricing for light crude shipped through the East Siberia-Pacific Ocean
US coking coal
Argus provides three fob Hampton Roads coking coal price assessments — low-volatile, high-volatile type A (HVA) and high-volatile type B (HVB).
Argus/Coalindo Indonesian Coal Index (ICI)
The five prices of the ICI coal price assessments are weekly assessments by Argus and Coalindo Energy for the main Indonesian thermal coal grades sold on a fob Indonesia basis.
Argus/McCloskey's API 8
The API 8 price assessment is the benchmark price reference for the import market in China, the world’s largest coal consumer.
Argus/McCloskey's API 5
The API 5 price assessment is the key price reference used for coal supply agreements in the Australian and Chinese markets.
Argus/McCloskey's API 4
The API 4 price assessment is the benchmark price reference for 6,000 kcal/kg coal exported from South Africa’s Richards Bay Coal Terminal and is used in physical and over-the-counter contracts.
Argus/McCloskey's API 2
The API 2 price assessment is the benchmark price reference for coal imported to northwest Europe. It is calculated as an average of the Argus cif ARA price assessment and the IHS McCloskey NW Europe Steam Coal marker.
Argus 8800 PRB
The Powder River basin is the largest coal-producing basin in the US and produces half of the coal used for US power generation. The coal is a cost-effective fuel choice for generators.
Argus Southeast Asia cfr standard MOP
The Southeast Asia cfr Standard MOP assessment is the region’s leading spot price reference.
Argus Middle East fob ammonia
Argus publishes this price on a weekly basis, inclusive of shipments loading from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, UAE and Oman, and also considers netbacks from price movements in key cfr export markets.
Argus China fob prilled urea
The Argus China fob prilled urea assessment is a leading spot price reference for the urea sector. Argus publishes this assessment on both a weekly and daily basis, covering prilled urea shipped from a range of ports across China.
India DAP cfr
The Argus India DAP cfr price assessment is a leading spot price for the global phosphates market. India typically accounts for 30-50pc of global DAP trade every year. The price is pivotal to setting cfr levels in neighbouring Pakistan, as well as DAP fob levels out of China.
Argus Middle East sulphur fob
The Argus Middle East sulphur fob price assessment is a significant market reference point and Argus publishes the price on a weekly basis.
Argus China sulphur cfr full range
The Argus China sulphur cfr full range price assessment is a key global price and Argus publishes the assessment on a weekly basis.
Argus Brazil MAP cfr
The Argus Brazil MAP cfr price is a leading assessment for 11-52 prices west of Suez. Brazil is the world’s largest MAP importer by a considerable margin.
Argus European RED marine biodiesel indexes
Argus B24 (UCOME) dob West Med, Argus B30, B100 (Advanced Fame 0) dob ARA, Argus B30 (UCOME) fob ARA.
Argus ESPO Blend
Pricing for light crude shipped through the East Siberia-Pacific Ocean
US coking coal
Argus provides three fob Hampton Roads coking coal price assessments — low-volatile, high-volatile type A (HVA) and high-volatile type B (HVB).
Argus/Coalindo Indonesian Coal Index (ICI)
The five prices of the ICI coal price assessments are weekly assessments by Argus and Coalindo Energy for the main Indonesian thermal coal grades sold on a fob Indonesia basis.
Argus/McCloskey's API 8
The API 8 price assessment is the benchmark price reference for the import market in China, the world’s largest coal consumer.
Argus/McCloskey's API 5
The API 5 price assessment is the key price reference used for coal supply agreements in the Australian and Chinese markets.
Argus/McCloskey's API 4
The API 4 price assessment is the benchmark price reference for 6,000 kcal/kg coal exported from South Africa’s Richards Bay Coal Terminal and is used in physical and over-the-counter contracts.
Argus/McCloskey's API 2
The API 2 price assessment is the benchmark price reference for coal imported to northwest Europe. It is calculated as an average of the Argus cif ARA price assessment and the IHS McCloskey NW Europe Steam Coal marker.
Argus 8800 PRB
The Powder River basin is the largest coal-producing basin in the US and produces half of the coal used for US power generation. The coal is a cost-effective fuel choice for generators.
Argus Southeast Asia cfr standard MOP
The Southeast Asia cfr Standard MOP assessment is the region’s leading spot price reference.
Argus Middle East fob ammonia
Argus publishes this price on a weekly basis, inclusive of shipments loading from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, UAE and Oman, and also considers netbacks from price movements in key cfr export markets.
Argus China fob prilled urea
The Argus China fob prilled urea assessment is a leading spot price reference for the urea sector. Argus publishes this assessment on both a weekly and daily basis, covering prilled urea shipped from a range of ports across China.
India DAP cfr
The Argus India DAP cfr price assessment is a leading spot price for the global phosphates market. India typically accounts for 30-50pc of global DAP trade every year. The price is pivotal to setting cfr levels in neighbouring Pakistan, as well as DAP fob levels out of China.
Argus Middle East sulphur fob
The Argus Middle East sulphur fob price assessment is a significant market reference point and Argus publishes the price on a weekly basis.
Argus China sulphur cfr full range
The Argus China sulphur cfr full range price assessment is a key global price and Argus publishes the assessment on a weekly basis.
Argus Brazil MAP cfr
The Argus Brazil MAP cfr price is a leading assessment for 11-52 prices west of Suez. Brazil is the world’s largest MAP importer by a considerable margin.
Argus European RED marine biodiesel indexes
Argus B24 (UCOME) dob West Med, Argus B30, B100 (Advanced Fame 0) dob ARA, Argus B30 (UCOME) fob ARA.
Argus ESPO Blend
Pricing for light crude shipped through the East Siberia-Pacific Ocean
US coking coal
Argus provides three fob Hampton Roads coking coal price assessments — low-volatile, high-volatile type A (HVA) and high-volatile type B (HVB).
Argus/Coalindo Indonesian Coal Index (ICI)
The five prices of the ICI coal price assessments are weekly assessments by Argus and Coalindo Energy for the main Indonesian thermal coal grades sold on a fob Indonesia basis.
Argus/McCloskey's API 8
The API 8 price assessment is the benchmark price reference for the import market in China, the world’s largest coal consumer.
Argus/McCloskey's API 5
The API 5 price assessment is the key price reference used for coal supply agreements in the Australian and Chinese markets.
Argus/McCloskey's API 4
The API 4 price assessment is the benchmark price reference for 6,000 kcal/kg coal exported from South Africa’s Richards Bay Coal Terminal and is used in physical and over-the-counter contracts.
Argus/McCloskey's API 2
The API 2 price assessment is the benchmark price reference for coal imported to northwest Europe. It is calculated as an average of the Argus cif ARA price assessment and the IHS McCloskey NW Europe Steam Coal marker.
Argus 8800 PRB
The Powder River basin is the largest coal-producing basin in the US and produces half of the coal used for US power generation. The coal is a cost-effective fuel choice for generators.
Argus Southeast Asia cfr standard MOP
The Southeast Asia cfr Standard MOP assessment is the region’s leading spot price reference.
Argus Middle East fob ammonia
Argus publishes this price on a weekly basis, inclusive of shipments loading from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, UAE and Oman, and also considers netbacks from price movements in key cfr export markets.
Argus China fob prilled urea
The Argus China fob prilled urea assessment is a leading spot price reference for the urea sector. Argus publishes this assessment on both a weekly and daily basis, covering prilled urea shipped from a range of ports across China.
India DAP cfr
The Argus India DAP cfr price assessment is a leading spot price for the global phosphates market. India typically accounts for 30-50pc of global DAP trade every year. The price is pivotal to setting cfr levels in neighbouring Pakistan, as well as DAP fob levels out of China.
Argus Middle East sulphur fob
The Argus Middle East sulphur fob price assessment is a significant market reference point and Argus publishes the price on a weekly basis.
Argus China sulphur cfr full range
The Argus China sulphur cfr full range price assessment is a key global price and Argus publishes the assessment on a weekly basis.
Argus Brazil MAP cfr
The Argus Brazil MAP cfr price is a leading assessment for 11-52 prices west of Suez. Brazil is the world’s largest MAP importer by a considerable margin.
Related documents
Methodology
Get the most up-to-date guide to the methodology used to ensure the prices published in the Argus US Crack Spread Forward Curves are free from distortion and representative of spot market values.
Forward curves primer
An introduction to forward curves – what are they, how are they produced and why do they matter.
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