Naphtha (Open-Spec & Full-Range)

Light open-spec and heavy/full-range naphtha for crackers, reformers and blending

Naphtha is bought for what the buyer's unit does with it. A steam cracker making ethylene and propylene wants a light, paraffinic cut: the Platts C+F Japan benchmark describes open-spec naphtha at a minimum 65% paraffins (with a separate 70% minimum assessment), specific gravity 0.65–0.74, RVP up to 13 psi, sulphur up to 650 ppm, olefins up to 1%, n-paraffins at least 30%, final boiling point up to 204 °C, and trace limits on chlorine, mercury and arsenic. A catalytic reformer or a gasoline blender wants heavier, naphthenic and aromatic-rich naphtha instead, and full-range naphtha sits between the two. The contaminant limits matter as much as the paraffins, because mercury and arsenic poison cracker and reformer catalysts, and a cargo that fails them is a claim, not a discount.

Buy naphtha as a cargo when you run a cracker, a reformer or a blending operation with tank capacity. The Asian cracker market prices against the Platts C+F Japan assessment (MOPJ), with Argus and ICIS also publishing references; cargoes move in LR1 and LR2 product tankers, and Asian benchmark cargoes are typically 25,000 MT. Supply on this desk is refinery naphtha from India (BPCL from Mumbai and Kochi, ONGC from Hazira), Algeria (Sonatrach), the Saudi Red Sea at Yanbu, Oman at Sohar, and the US Gulf. Naphtha is a MARPOL Annex I oil cargo. Because the product draws paper offers, we work one way: the producing refinery named on the certificate of quality, SGS or Intertek quality and quantity at load, a named buyer or charterer, and payment against shipping documents; no deals built on tank-storage receipts, dip tests or advance fees. CBIL brokers naphtha on FOB, CFR and CIF terms.

Need the ship as well? Our chartering desk prices product tanker chartering on LaycanDesk.

Excluded origins are not offered, including product re-exported, blended or re-processed through a third country. Every lot moves with a certificate of origin naming the producing plant, mine or grower country, and nothing is quoted before the seller and loading point are known.