LONDON, June 3, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) bestowed its 2015 Award for Journalism on Margaret McQuaile, senior correspondent at Platts, a leading global provider of energy and commodities information, before an international audience Wednesday in Vienna.

McQuaile, who has driven Platts' OPEC coverage for many years, was also in 2006 the recipient of the International Association for Energy Economics Award for Excellence in Written Journalism.

The OPEC Award for Journalism, which was established in 2009, honors journalists for objective and balanced reporting and analysis of the oil market, contributing not only to a greater understanding of the market but also to a better awareness of the concerns and plight of developing countries. The selection process for the Award is entrusted to a panel of experts, whose recommendation is then considered and approved by OPEC's governing board. OPEC has described Margaret's oil and energy reporting as "outstanding."

"On behalf of Platts, I congratulate Margaret for this well-earned recognition," said Platts President Larry Neal. "Not only am I delighted for Margaret, but I am also delighted for Platts because the Award acknowledges the importance we place on news and analysis and the excellence on which we pride ourselves."

Margaret is currently leading a team of Platts reporters covering this week's OPEC talks in the Austrian capital. A seasoned journalist, her past experience also includes market coverage of crude oil and fuel oil.

"Margaret's ability to cut to the true oil supply-demand aspects of covering a huge beat like OPEC has served our readers well," said Beth Evans, Platts editorial director of global oil news. "Her long-standing career at Platts shows the value we place on journalists of her caliber."

For more information about the OPEC Award for Journalism, see this link: http://www.opecseminar.org/page/OPEC-Awards. For more information about Platts' OPEC coverage, click here for the OPEC guide. For more information about 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 based in London with more than 1000 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) is a leading financial intelligence company providing the global capital and commodity markets with independent benchmarks, credit ratings, portfolio and enterprise risk solutions, and analytics. The Company's iconic brands include: Standard & Poor's Ratings Services, S&P Capital IQ, S&P Dow Jones Indices, Platts, CRISIL and J.D. Power. The Company has approximately 17,000 employees in 30 countries. Additional information is available at www.mhfi.com.

Media Contact: Global, EMEA, Americas: Kathleen Tanzy, Kathleen.tanzy@platts.com, +1 212-904-2860 or +1 917 331 4607

SOURCE Platts

SOURCE: Platts