DENVER, April 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Bentek Energy, the natural gas and crude oil analytical unit of Platts, a leading global energy, petrochemicals and metals information provider, will host its fifth annual Benposium, an energy outlook event, May 13 -15 in Houston, Texas. The three-day symposium will feature a number of top industry speakers and will include discussions and education sessions.

Focused on the theme, "Export Nation and the Return of Volatility," Benposium's speakers and panels will explore, among other topics, the role liquefied natural gas (LNG), natural gas liquids (NGLs) and coal exports will play in the North American power outlook; the prospect of a worldwide undersupply of LNG; the return of volatility to North American natural gas prices; and the spread between West Texas Intermediate crude oil and Brent crude oil.

Key speaker presentations will include the following:

    --  E. Russell (Rusty) Braziel, President, RBN EnergyWhy What We Thought We
        Knew About the North American Hydrocarbon Market No Longer Matters

    --  Bill Moler, Chairman, Rockies Express Pipeline LLCRockies Express
        Pipeline: Shale to Shining Shale

    --  Tony Chovanec, Vice President, Fundamentals & Supply Appraisal,
        Enterprise ProductsVolatility and the New Fundamentals of Supply and
        Demand

    --  Kevin Allen, Managing Editor, U.S. Petrochemicals & Biofuels, PlattsThe
        Changing Dynamics and New Challenges Facing the North American
        Petrochemical Industry

In addition, Bentek analysts will give more than 16 presentations on diverse aspects of the natural gas, LNG, NGL and crude oil markets.

The objective of Benposium, Bentek Energy's premier annual event, is to explore the most important aspects of these markets through the practical application of fundamental analysis. This year's symposium starts with an introductory training session on Monday, followed by analytical forums on Tuesday and Wednesday, including breakout sessions that drill deeper into specific aspects of energy markets, such as supply, demand, transportation and storage for natural gas, NGLs, crude oil and LNG.

Full agenda details and Benposium details may be found online at the following website link:http://benposium.com/Default.aspx

Due to capacity constraints, advance registration is required. Industry may register at this link. Accredited media, with proof of press accreditation and business card, may attend as Platts media guests with advance registration by contacting Kathleen Tanzy at 212-904-2860 or Kathleen_tanzy@platts.com.

Bentek Energy collects and organizes market data on natural gas, natural gas liquids and oil markets from thousands of sources worldwide and transforms the data into actionable intelligence and key market insights. It provides a full range of products including daily market reports, online applications, comprehensive studies, consulting engagements and retainer services. Bentek Energy was acquired by Platts in 2011.

For more information on Bentek Energy, visit http://www.bentekenergy.com/. For more information on Platts, visit the website atwww.platts.com.

About Platts: Founded in 1909, Platts is a leading global provider of energy, petrochemicals, metals and agriculture information and a premier source of benchmark prices for the physical and futures markets. Platts' news, pricing, analytics, commentary and conferences help customers make better-informed trading and business decisions and help the markets operate with greater transparency and efficiency. Customers in more than 150 countries benefit from Platts' coverage of the biofuels, carbon emissions, coal, electricity, oil, natural gas, nuclear, power, metals, petrochemical, shipping and sugar markets. A division of The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP), Platts is headquartered in New York with approximately 900 employees in more than 15 offices worldwide. Additional information is available at http://www.platts.com.

About The McGraw-Hill Companies: The McGraw-Hill Companies, to be renamed McGraw Hill Financial (subject to shareholder approval), is a powerhouse in credit ratings, benchmarks and analytics for the global capital and commodity markets. Leading brands include: Standard & Poor's Ratings Services, S&P Capital IQ, S&P Dow Jones Indices, Platts, CRISIL, J.D. Power and Associates, McGraw-Hill Construction and Aviation Week. The Company has approximately 17,000 employees in 27 countries. Additional information is available at www.mcgraw-hill.com.

SOURCE Platts

SOURCE: Platts