Energy in Crude Oil

The amount of Energy in Crude Oil is 5,800,000 BTUs per barrel (42gal).

BTUs and Common Energy Sources

BTU stands for British Thermal Unit, and it is the amount of energy needed to heat one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit.  

Many common energy sources are used to generate energy measured in BTUs.  The following is an excerpt from a U.S. Department of Energy guide listing the BTUs generated by energy products:

BTU Content of Common Energy Sources

• Energy in Crude Oil: 1 barrel (42 gallons) of crude oil = 5,800,000 BTU
• Energy in Propane: 1 gallon of propane = 91,033 BTU
• Energy in Natural Gas: 1 cubic foot of natural gas = 1,027 BTU
• Energy in Heating Oil: 1 gallon of heating oil = 138,690 BTU
• Energy in Diesel: 1 gallon of diesel fuel = 138,690 BTU
• Energy in Gasoline:  1 gallon of gasoline = 123,238 BTU
• Energy in Coal: 1 short ton of coal = 19,977,000 BTU
• Energy in Electricity: 1 kilowatt-hour of electricity = 3,412 BTU 

Pumping Calculators

• Volume Pumped over time by Pump Flow-rate
• Time to Pump Deadweight Tonnage: Computes time to pump an amount of oil measured by DWT at a pumping rate.   It also returns the volume pumped in barrels.
• Time to Pump Volume by Flow-rate: Computes the time to pump an amount of fluid (e.g., oil) based on a volume and pump rate.
• Duplex Pump Output: Barrels per stroke from a duplex pump.
• Triplex Pump Output: Barrels per stroke from a triplex pump.
• Quintuplex Pump Output: Barrels per stroke from a quintuplex pump.
• Barrel Production: Computes the total volume (barrels) produced over a period of time based on the production rate and duration.
• Annular Velocity: Compute the fluid flow velocity, based on the flow rate and pipe dimensions.
• Mud Buoyancy: Computes the buoyancy in mud
• Volume of a Pipe: Computes the volume of a pipe.
• Weight of Pipe Contents: Computes the weight (mass) based on density and pipe dimensions.
• Density of Oil:
  • Crude at (48° API): 790.0 kg/m³
  • Crude at (40° API): 825.0 kg/m³
  • Crude at (35.6° API): 847.0 kg/m³
  • Crude at (32.6° API): 862.0 kg/m³
• Energy in Crude Oil: 5800000.0 BTU/bbl
• Pump Efficiency