What are the advantages of the Argus LLS price assessment?

The rise of Permian light sweet crude production has led much of the market to adopt Argus WTI Houston as the primary light sweet physical price benchmark for the Gulf coast. But LLS continues to be an important price. First, LLS is now an export crude, and international buyers of LLS find it helpful to have an LLS index price and financial contract settling on the Argus LLS price. Second, new pipelines from Cushing and from east Texas to St. James will ensure that there is a steady flow of light crude for blending into LLS. And finally, the industry-accepted quality specifications for LLS make it an important price marker for light crude in Louisiana.

Who uses this assessment?

The Argus LLS crude price assessment is useful for buyers or sellers of domestic light sweet crude on the US Gulf coast and for international buyers of light crude in Louisiana. It can be helpful in refinery models, internal transfer pricing, the pricing of term contracts and analysis.