Brent cargoes are known as dated brent cargoes once they acquire a specific set of loading dates, usually at a point about two weeks from loading. Before this point, brent cargoes are typically traded generically as so-called 15-day brent. The dated brent market, which Platts assesses on a 7-15 day forward basis (7-17 days on a Friday), generates prices which have become a key benchmark for contract pricing of crude oil worldwide.