Thermal conversion factor source documentation

Monthly Energy Review, April, 2005

Approximate Heat Content of Petroleum and Natural Gas Plant Liquids

Asphalt. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) adopted the thermal conversion factor of 6.636 million British thermal units (Btu) per barrel as estimated by the Bureau of Mines and first published in the Petroleum Statement, Annual, 1956.

Aviation Gasoline. EIA adopted the thermal conversion factor of 5.048 million Btu per barrel as adopted by the Bureau of Mines from the Texas Eastern Transmission Corporation publication Competition and Growth in American Energy Markets 1947-1985, a 1968 release of historical and projected statistics.

Butane. EIA adopted the Bureau of Mines thermal conversion factor of 4.326 million Btu per barrel as published in the California Oil World and Petroleum Industry, First Issue, April 1942.

Butane-Propane Mixture. EIA adopted the Bureau of Mines calculation of 4.130 million Btu per barrel based on an assumed mixture of 60 percent butane and 40 percent propane. See Butane and Propane.

Crude Oil Exports. Assumed by EIA to be 5.800 million Btu per barrel or equal to the thermal conversion factor for crude oil produced in the United States. See Crude Oil Production.

Crude Oil Imports. Calculated annually by EIA as the average of the thermal conversion factors for each type of crude oil imported weighted by the quantities imported. Thermal conversion factors for each type were calculated on a foreign country basis, by determining the average American Petroleum Institute (API) gravity of crude oil imported from each foreign country from Form ERA-60 in 1977 and converting average API gravity to average Btu content by using National Bureau of Standards, Miscellaneous Publication No. 97, Thermal Properties of Petroleum Products, 1933.

Crude Oil Production. EIA adopted the thermal conversion factor of 5.800 million Btu per barrel as reported in a Bureau of Mines internal memorandum, "Bureau of Mines Standard Average Heating Values of Various Fuels, Adopted January 3, 1950."

Distillate Fuel Oil. EIA adopted the Bureau of Mines thermal conversion factor of 5.825 million Btu per barrel as reported in a Bureau of Mines internal memorandum, "Bureau of Mines Standard Average Heating Values of Various Fuels, Adopted January 3, 1950."

Ethane. EIA adopted the Bureau of Mines thermal conversion factor of 3.082 million Btu per barrel as published in the California Oil World and Petroleum Industry,, First Issue, April 1942.

Ethane-Propane Mixture. EIA calculation of 3.308 million Btu per barrel based on an assumed mixture of 70 percent ethane and 30 percent propane. See Ethane and Propane.

Fuel Ethanol (Blended Into Motor Gasoline). EIA adopted the thermal conversion factor of 3.539 million Btu per barrel published in "Oxygenate Flexibility for Future Fuels," a paper presented by William J. Piel of the ARCO Chemical Company at the National Conference on Reformulated Gasolines and Clean Air Act Implementation, Washington, D.C., October 1991.

Isobutane. EIA adopted the Bureau of Mines thermal conversion factor of 3.974 million Btu per barrel as published in the California Oil World and Petroleum Industry, First Issue, April 1942.

Jet Fuel, Kerosene-Type. EIA adopted the Bureau of Mines thermal conversion factor of 5.670 million Btu per barrel for "Jet Fuel, Commercial" as published by the Texas Eastern Transmission Corporation in the report Competition and Growth in American Energy Markets 1947-1985, a 1968 release of historical and projected statistics.

Jet Fuel, Naphtha-Type. EIA adopted the Bureau of Mines thermal conversion factor of 5.355 million Btu per barrel for "Jet Fuel, Military" as published by the Texas Eastern Transmission Corporation in the report Competition and Growth in American Energy Markets 1947-1985, a 1968 release of historical and projected statistics.

Kerosene. EIA adopted the Bureau of Mines thermal conversion factor of 5.670 million Btu per barrel as reported in a Bureau of Mines internal memorandum, "Bureau of Mines Standard Average Heating Values of Various Fuels, Adopted January 3, 1950."

Liquefied Petroleum Gases Consumption. Calculated annually by EIA as the average of the thermal conversion factors for all liquefied petroleum gases consumed (see Table A1) weighted by the quantities consumed. The component products of liquefied petroleum gases are ethane (including ethylene), propane (including propylene), normal butane (including butylene), butane-propane mixtures, ethane-propane mixtures, and isobutane. For 1973-1980, quantities consumed are from EIA, Energy Data Reports, "Petroleum Statement, Annual," Table 1. For 1981 forward, quantities consumed are from EIA, Petroleum Supply Annual, Table 2.

Lubricants. EIA adopted the thermal conversion factor of 6.065 million Btu per barrel as estimated by the Bureau of Mines and first published in the Petroleum Statement, Annual, 1956.

Miscellaneous Products. EIA adopted the thermal conversion factor of 5.796 million Btu per barrel as estimated by the Bureau of Mines and first published in the Petroleum Statement, Annual, 1956.