If you are interested in trading Unleaded Gas futures it is helpful to become familiar with the history of the RBOB Gasoline market. Gasoline is the largest single volume refined product sold in the United States and accounts for almost half of national oil consumption. It is a highly diverse market, with hundreds of wholesale distributors and thousands of retail outlets, making it subject to intense competition and price volatility.

The NYMEX Division New York harbor unleaded gasoline futures contract and reformulated gasoline blendstock for oxygen blending (RBOB) futures contract trade in units of 42,000 gallons (1,000 barrels). They are based on delivery at petroleum products terminals in the harbor, the major East Coast trading center for imports and domestic shipments from refineries in the New York harbor area or from the Gulf Coast refining centers.

The unleaded gasoline contract specifications conform to those for oxygenated gasoline, required in many areas for controlling emissions that can adversely affect air quality. With the ongoing phaseout of the oxygenate methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) the industry is shifting towards ethanol.

RBOB conforms to industry standards for reformulated regular gasoline blendstock for blending with 10% denatured fuel ethanol (92% purity) as listed by the Colonial Pipeline for fungible F grade for sales in New York and New Jersey. RBOB is a wholesale non-oxygentated blendstock traded in the New York Harbor barge market that is ready for the addition of 10% ethanol at the truck rack.

To ensure that the terms and conditions of the gasoline futures contract continue to mirror the cash market, the Exchange maintains close contact with federal and state officials and continues to evaluate changes in the regulations.

Along with the futures contracts, options contracts, calendar spread options contracts, crack spread options contracts, and average price options contracts provide a slate of flexible, liquid financial instruments. Exotic options contracts are offered as well, under the calendar spread option, average price option, crack spread option, European “look alike” option, and conventional gasoline vs. RBOB option.