Energy Equivalency Calculator
Convert between crude oil, natural gas, LNG, coal, and electricity using EIA standard conversion factors. Compare physical energy content and live dollar values side by side.
Energy Equivalency Calculator
EIA standard conversion factors
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All Equivalencies
Conversion factors from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). Coal figure is average bituminous; actual heat content varies by mine and grade. Dollar values use live WTI or Henry Hub prices where available.
Understanding Energy Equivalency
Energy equivalency allows analysts, traders, and policymakers to compare fundamentally different fuels on a common basis. The barrel of oil equivalent (BOE) is the most widely used standard in the energy industry.
Why BOE Matters
Oil and gas companies report reserves in BOE to give investors a single comparable metric regardless of whether reserves are oil, gas, or LNG. It enables apples-to-apples comparison across fuel types.
Trading Applications
Energy traders use BTU equivalency to identify arbitrage opportunities between natural gas, LNG, and oil markets. When gas trades at a discount to its oil-equivalent value, it signals potential relative value trades.
Policy and Planning
Energy planners and regulators use equivalency factors to model fuel switching, calculate carbon intensity per unit of energy, and design energy security frameworks across diverse fuel mixes.
EIA Standard Conversion Factors
All conversions in this calculator use factors published by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).
| Energy Unit | Million BTU | BOE Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Barrel Crude Oil | 5.800 | 1.000 |
| 1 MCF Natural Gas | 1.037 | 0.179 |
| 1 MMBTU | 1.000 | 0.172 |
| 1 Metric Ton LNG | 52.000 | 8.966 |
| 1 Short Ton Coal (bituminous) | 19.622 | 3.383 |
| 1 MWh Electricity | 3.412 | 0.588 |
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). Coal figure represents average bituminous coal. LNG density may vary slightly by source.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a barrel of oil equivalent (BOE)?
A barrel of oil equivalent (BOE) is a unit of energy equal to the energy released by burning one barrel (42 US gallons) of crude oil — approximately 5.8 million BTU (British Thermal Units). It is widely used in the energy industry to compare the energy content of different fuels on a common basis.
How many BTU are in a barrel of crude oil?
One barrel of crude oil contains approximately 5.8 million BTU (5,800,000 BTU), according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). This figure is an average for US crude oil; the exact energy content varies slightly by API gravity and crude type.
How do you convert MCF of natural gas to barrels of oil equivalent?
One MCF (thousand cubic feet) of natural gas contains approximately 1.037 million BTU. Since one BOE equals 5.8 million BTU, one MCF of natural gas equals roughly 0.179 BOE (1.037 / 5.8). Conversely, one BOE equals about 5.59 MCF of natural gas.
How does electricity compare to fossil fuel energy in MWh?
One megawatt-hour (MWh) of electricity is equivalent to 3.412 million BTU of thermal energy, or about 0.588 barrels of oil equivalent (BOE). However, this is a straight thermal equivalency — when accounting for the efficiency losses in power generation (typically 35-40%), the primary energy required to generate 1 MWh is actually 2.5 to 3 times higher.
What are the EIA standard energy conversion factors used in this calculator?
This calculator uses the standard conversion factors published by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA): 1 barrel crude oil = 5.8 million BTU; 1 MCF natural gas = 1.037 million BTU; 1 MMBTU = 1 million BTU; 1 metric ton LNG = 52.0 million BTU; 1 short ton bituminous coal = 19.622 million BTU; 1 MWh electricity = 3.412 million BTU.
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