Intercontinental Exchange, a leading global provider of data, technology, and market infrastructure, announced the launch of ICE’s newest exchange, ICE Futures Abu Dhabi (“IFAD”), and ICE Murban Crude Oil futures, the world’s first Murban futures contract. IFAD is being launched with the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) and nine of the world’s largest energy traders including BP, ENEOS, GS Caltex, INPEX, PetroChina, PTT, Shell, TOTSA (Total) and Vitol.

H.H.Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs of the UAE, attended today at ADGM the inauguration of Abu Dhabi’s first @ICE_Markets (IFAD) headquarters, making it the home of the world’s first Murban Crude Oil Futures Contract. pic.twitter.com/Q0RtRfK7uK

— Abu Dhabi Global Market (@ADGlobalMarket) March 29, 2021

ICE Murban Crude Oil Futures opened for trading along with 18 Murban-related cash settled derivatives and inter-commodity spreads. These new contracts offer the market the broadest range of ways to trade and hedge Murban crude.

“The launch of IFAD represents a singular achievement, one that would not have been realized without the vision, fortitude and years of work by His Excellency Dr. Sultan, his team at ADNOC, and the leadership of the UAE in opening up Murban to the markets,” said Jeffrey C. Sprecher, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Intercontinental Exchange. “Today, with our outstanding partners, we are bringing a new benchmark to life, and just as Murban has powered the UAE for the past 50 years, with this new futures contract there is a tremendous future ahead for Murban as a price marker for global energy markets.”

“Murban Crude is recognized the world over for its intrinsic chemical qualities, consistent and stable production volumes, large number of international buyers, and numerous long-term concession and production partners,” said His Excellency Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and ADNOC Managing Director and Group CEO. “In making Murban a freely traded global commodity, it becomes even more attractive to market participants and will deliver greater value to ADNOC and its partners. This historic and strategic milestone reinforces the UAE and Abu Dhabi’s status as a leading global energy hub and underscores ADNOC’s central role as a catalyst to empower the UAE’s economic ambitions.”

Murban futures are open for trading for 24 hours a day on Mondays and 22 hours a day Tuesdays to Fridays, with investors from jurisdictions including Abu Dhabi Global Market, United States, Singapore, UK, Switzerland, the Netherlands, France, Norway, Australia, Japan and South Korea, able to trade on IFAD. IFAD has 26 Exchange Members and 19 Clearing Members, who are listed in full on IFAD’s Membership page.

Contracts traded on IFAD are cleared at ICE Clear Europe where they are cleared alongside ICE’s global energy futures platform covering oil, natural gas and the environmental complex, allowing customers to benefit from critical margin offsets to enhance capital efficiency.

Two hours left of the first day of trading for Murban Crude Futures contracts.

The price is $63.90 with 6,343 lots traded as of 4pm ET, 9pm UK

— ICE (@ICE_Markets) March 29, 2021

• 6,344 ICE Murban Crude Oil futures contracts trade on day of launch
• Additional 2,510 Murban related cash settled derivative contracts traded
• 27 firms traded on IFAD

Intercontinental Exchange, a leading global provider of data, technology, and market infrastructure, announced the first day of trading of ICE’s newest exchange, ICE Futures Abu Dhabi (“IFAD”), and ICE Murban Crude Oil futures, the world’s first Murban futures contract.

ICE Murban Crude Oil Futures opened for trading on March 29, alongside 18 Murban-related cash settled derivatives and inter-commodity spreads, offering the market the broadest range of ways to trade and hedge Murban crude.

Market activity on ICE Futures Abu Dhabi on the first day of trading included:

• 8,854 lots traded in total. This included 6,344 ICE Murban Crude Oil futures contracts and 2,510 Murban related cash settled derivative contracts.
• Of the cash settled derivatives, 2,500 lots of Murban Singapore Marker 1st Line futures and 10 lots of Murban 1st Line vs Brent 1st Line futures contracts traded.
• 27 firms traded on day of launch.

“The depth of market activity on our first day of trading is extremely encouraging,” said Jamal Oulhadj, President of ICE Futures Abu Dhabi. “On the first day of launch we saw active trading, consistently tight bid offer spreads, a high number of participants from both the physical and financial sides of the market, and liquidity out for the first six months of the curve. The mix of trading across the Murban futures contract and the cash settled derivatives reflects how our customers are already beginning to utilize the extensive range of tools we offer to trade and hedge Murban crude price exposure.”

Murban futures are open for trading for 24 hours a day on Mondays and 22 hours a day Tuesdays to Fridays, with investors from jurisdictions including Abu Dhabi Global Market, United States, Singapore, UK, Switzerland, the Netherlands, France, Norway, Australia, Japan and South Korea, able to trade on IFAD. IFAD has 26 Exchange Members and 19 Clearing Members, who are listed in full on IFAD’s Membership page.

Contracts traded on IFAD are cleared at ICE Clear Europe where they are cleared alongside ICE’s global energy futures platform covering oil, natural gas and the environmental complex, allowing customers to benefit from critical margin offsets to enhance capital efficiency.

Source: ICE