NEW YORK, Sept. 30, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Energy companies from 20 countries have been selected as finalists for the Platts Global Energy Awards, an annual program recognizing exemplary industry leadership. The 2013 finalists, chosen from more than 200 nominees from 26 nominating countries, were announced today by program host Platts, a leading global provider of energy, petrochemicals and metals information.

Established in 1999 and often described as "the Oscars" of the energy industry, the Platts Global Energy Awards highlight corporate and individual innovation, leadership and superior performance in 18 categories spanning the entire energy complex.

"It's no surprise that the Awards' 15(th) year brings its most internationally diverse set of nominees and finalists," said Larry Neal, president of Platts. "Finalists once again represent every region of the globe. We congratulate all of the nominees and finalists, and look forward to honoring the winners in December."

The list of 2013 finalists once again showcased the wide-ranging geographic representation of the program's applicants. The Stewardship Award for Corporate Social Responsibility, for instance, featured nominations from 10 countries alone. The Awards also saw a significant increase in the number of global entrants for the Rising Star-Company and Rising Star-Individual honors.

"This year's finalists demonstrate the growing diversification of players in the global energy markets, with many more non-traditional names staking their claim in several categories," said Patsy Wurster, head of the Platts Global Energy Awards program.

From the list of finalists unveiled today, winners will be chosen in each independent award category and the 2013 Energy Company of the Year will be selected from the entire list of finalists. Winners will be determined by the program's independent panel of judges and announced at the 2013 Global Energy Awards black-tie dinner gala on December 12 at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City. CNBC News Anchor Amanda Drury will return to emcee the gala for a fourth consecutive year.

The awards dinner will be preceded earlier in the day by an associated event, the December 12 Platts Global Energy Outlook Forum, entitled "Bridging the U.S. Boom: Global Markets Prepare," which features a keynote speaker and a panel debate and discussions by energy executives, government officials and industry leaders.

Corporate and industry representatives who wish to attend the awards dinner may RSVP at this registration link (http://bit.ly/13Mg8Is). Accredited media may attend by registering at the press registration link (http://bit.ly/1dSG3ky).

To view the list of 2013 Platts Global Energy Awards finalists (http://bit.ly/1bXIX9B) or for more information on the Awards, visit the Platts Global Energy Awards website.

Mercer, a wholly owned subsidiary of Marsh & McLennan Companies (NYSE: MMC) and global consulting leader in talent, health, retirement and investments, is a sponsor of the 2013 Global Energy Awards. For details on sponsorship opportunities, contact Vicki Peterson at +1 970-461-1090 or email Vicki at vicki.peterson@platts.com.

Find Fast Facts on Platts Global Energy Awards on the website. For more information on Platts, visit www.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, metals, nuclear power, petrochemical, shipping and sugar markets. A division of McGraw Hill Financial (NYSE: MHFI), 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 McGraw Hill Financial: McGraw Hill Financial (NYSE: MHFI), a financial intelligence company, is a leader in credit ratings, benchmarks and analytics for the global capital and commodity markets. Iconic brands include: Standard & Poor's Ratings Services, S&P Capital IQ, S&P Dow Jones Indices, Platts, CRISIL, J.D. Power & Associates, and McGraw Hill Construction. The Company has approximately 17,000 employees in 27 countries. Additional information is available at www.mhfi.com.

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SOURCE Platts

SOURCE: Platts