Barrel of oil - how many liters of raw material are actually in it.

Oil volumes are measured in barrels, a unit used worldwide. But how much oil does one barrel actually contain? Let's figure it out.

One barrel - how much oil is that

An American oil barrel (bbl) is an international standard for measuring the volume of crude oil. One barrel of black gold is 42 U.S. gallons, which is nearly 159 liters or 35 British (imperial) gallons.

There is also a standard oil barrel - it's the volume of oil heated to a temperature of 60 degrees Fahrenheit (15.6 degrees Celsius).

Oil volumes can also be measured by other systems, for example:

• one barrel of oil - 159 liters;
• one metric ton of oil - 7.5 barrels (depending on the density of a specific grade of oil);
• one cubic meter of oil - 6.3 barrels.

Why oil is measured in barrels

In 1859, the first commercial oil well was drilled in Pennsylvania. At that Time, there was no standardization, so oil was stored and transported in barrels, buckets, wine, and beer casks. Producers began using wooden barrels for transporting oil, which had a volume of 42 U.S. gallons (159 liters). Over time, this unit of measurement became the industrial standard.

What else to know

Oil is categorized into different types, with around a hundred different grades worldwide. Among them, three benchmark standards stand out, influencing prices in the global oil market: WTI, Brent, and Dubai Crude. Each of these types has its own characteristics and uses.

In the world, oil is measured in barrels, and this unit has become a kind of standard in the oil industry. It's interesting to learn how these measurement volumes affect our everyday lives and the country's economy.