Barrels Oil to Cubic Feet
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1 barrel oil (bbl oil) = 5.61458333 cubic foot (cu ft). Barrel Oil (bbl oil) is a unit of Volume used in Standard system. Cubic Foot (cu ft) is a unit of Volume used in Standard system.

Oil Barrels: A Unit of Volume

Oil barrels are a unit of volume that are used to measure crude oil and petroleum products, such as gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, etc. They are different from fluid barrels, which are used to measure other liquids, such as beer, wine, water, etc. Oil barrels are also different from barrel of oil equivalent (BOE), which is a unit of energy based on the approximate energy released by burning one barrel of crude oil.

Definition of Oil Barrels

An oil barrel is defined as 42 US gallons or 0.159 cubic meters in the US customary system of measurement. It is equivalent to 34.9723 imperial gallons or 158.987 liters in the imperial system. An oil barrel is also equal to 5.6146 cubic feet or 6.2898 oil barrels in the metric system.

History of Oil Barrels

The origin of the term barrel as a unit of measure is uncertain, but it may have derived from the French word baril, which means a small cask or keg. Barrels have been used since ancient times to store and transport various goods, especially liquids and dry grains. The size and shape of barrels varied depending on the type and quantity of the goods, the availability of materials, and the customs of different regions and countries.

The use of oil barrels as a unit of measure dates back to the 19th century, when the petroleum industry emerged in the United States and other countries. The first oil wells produced oil that was stored in wooden barrels that were readily available from the whiskey industry. The standard size of these barrels was 42 US gallons, which was also the size of a tierce, a unit of measure for wine and salt.

The use of oil barrels as a unit of measure became more widespread as the oil market developed and expanded globally. Oil barrels were convenient for measuring and transporting large quantities of oil across long distances by rail, ship, pipeline, etc. Oil barrels were also used for pricing and trading oil in various markets and exchanges.

How to Convert Oil Barrels

To convert oil barrels to other units of volume, one can use the following formulas:

• To convert oil barrels to cubic meters: multiply by 0.159
• To convert oil barrels to liters: multiply by 158.987
• To convert oil barrels to cubic feet: multiply by 5.6146
• To convert oil barrels to gallons (US): multiply by 42
• To convert oil barrels to gallons (UK): multiply by 34.9723
• To convert oil barrels to BOE: divide by 6.2898

Where Oil Barrels are Used

Oil barrels are mainly used in the United States and some other countries that still use the US customary system of measurement. They are often used for measuring and reporting the production, consumption, reserves, and trade of crude oil and petroleum products.

In some countries that use the metric system of measurement, such as Canada and Australia, oil barrels are sometimes used as an informal or approximate unit of volume for certain types of crude oil or petroleum products. For example, in Canada, heavy crude oil is sometimes sold by the barrel, which is equivalent to about 159 liters or 0.159 cubic meters.

In some countries that have their own traditional units of volume based on barrels or similar containers, such as India and China, oil barrels are not commonly used or recognized. Instead, they use units such as tonnes (about 7.33 barrels), kilolitres (about 6.29 barrels), or tonnes of oil equivalent (about 7.1 barrels).

Example Conversions of Oil Barrels to Other Units

Here are some examples of converting oil barrels to other units of volume:

• 1 oil barrel = 0.159 cubic meters
• 2 oil barrels = 317.974 liters
• 3 oil barrels = 16.8438 cubic feet
• 4 oil barrels = 168 gallons (US)
• 5 oil barrels = 174.8615 gallons (UK)
• 6 oil barrels = 0.9534 BOE
• 7 oil barrels = 1.113 BOE

Cubic Feet - A Unit of Volume

Definition of the Cubic Foot

A cubic foot (symbol ft3 or cu ft) is an imperial and US customary (non-metric) unit of volume, used in the United States and the United Kingdom. It is defined as the volume of a cube with sides of one foot (0.3048 meter) in length.

One cubic foot is equal to 1728 cubic inches, 0.037037 cubic yards, or 0.02831685 cubic meters.

History of the Cubic Foot

The cubic foot is derived from the foot, which is an ancient unit of length that was based on the length of a human foot. The foot was originally divided into 12 inches, and later into 16 digits or 4 palms. The foot was used in many different systems of measurement, such as the Roman, Egyptian, Greek, and English systems. The foot was standardized by King Henry I of England in the 12th century as the length of his own foot. The current definition of the foot, adopted in 1959, is based on the international yard, which is defined as 0.9144 meter.

The cubic foot was first used as a unit of volume for measuring wood in England in the 15th century. It was also used for measuring other materials and substances, such as stone, sand, coal, water, and air. The cubic foot was adopted as a standard unit of measure in the imperial system in 1824, along with other units such as the gallon, the bushel, and the barrel. The cubic foot was also used in the US customary system, which is similar but not identical to the imperial system. The cubic foot is still widely used today for various purposes, such as construction, engineering, commerce, and everyday life.

How to Convert Cubic Feet

To convert cubic feet to other units of volume, you need to multiply or divide by the appropriate conversion factor. Here are some common conversion factors and examples:

• To convert cubic feet to cubic inches, multiply by 1728.
  • Example: 2 ft3 × 1728 = 3456 in3
• To convert cubic feet to cubic yards, multiply by 0.037037.
  • Example: 2 ft3 × 0.037037 = 0.074074 yd3
• To convert cubic feet to cubic meters, multiply by 0.02831685.
  • Example: 2 ft3 × 0.02831685 = 0.0566337 m3
• To convert cubic feet to liters, multiply by 28.3168466.
  • Example: 2 ft3 × 28.3168466 = 56.6336932 L
• To convert cubic feet to gallons (US liquid), multiply by 7.48051948.
  • Example: 2 ft3 × 7.48051948 = 14.96103896 gal
• To convert cubic feet to bushels (US), multiply by 0.803563954.
  • Example: 2 ft3 × 0.803563954 = 1.607127908 bu

To convert other units of volume to cubic feet, you need to divide by the appropriate conversion factor. Here are some common conversion factors and examples:

• To convert cubic inches to cubic feet, divide by 1728.
  • Example: 3456 in3 ÷ 1728 = 2 ft3
• To convert cubic yards to cubic feet, divide by 0.037037.
  • Example: 0.074074 yd3 ÷ 0.037037 = 2 ft3
• To convert cubic meters to cubic feet, divide by 0.02831685.
  • Example: 0.0566337 m3 ÷ 0.02831685 = 2 ft3
• To convert liters to cubic feet, divide by 28.3168466.
  • Example: 56.6336932 L ÷ 28.3168466 = 2 ft3
• To convert gallons (US liquid) to cubic feet, divide by 7.48051948.
  • Example: 14.96103896 gal ÷ 7.48051948 = 2 ft3
• To convert bushels (US) to cubic feet, divide by 0.803563954.
  • Example: 1.607127908 bu ÷ 0.803563954 = 2 ft3

Where Cubic Feet are Used

Cubic feet are used for measuring various materials and substances in different countries and applications.

Some examples are:

• In the United States and the United Kingdom, cubic feet are used for measuring the volume of rooms, buildings, refrigerators, freezers, ovens, microwaves, and other spaces and appliances.
• In the United States, cubic feet are used for measuring the flow or discharge of rivers, streams, and canals, as well as the water supply and consumption of households and industries.
• In the United States and Canada, cubic feet are used for measuring the volume of natural gas, propane, and wood, as well as the energy content and price of these fuels.
• In the United States and the United Kingdom, cubic feet are used for measuring the cargo capacity of trucks, vans, trailers, containers, ships, and aircraft.
• In the United States and the United Kingdom, cubic feet are used for measuring the storage capacity and actual storage volume of storage dams, reservoirs, tanks, silos, and bins.

Example Conversions of Cubic Feet to Other Units

Here are some example conversions of cubic feet to other units of volume:

• 1 ft3 = 1728 in3
• 1 ft3 = 0.037037 yd3
• 1 ft3 = 0.02831685 m3
• 1 ft3 = 28.3168466 L
• 1 ft3 = 7.48051948 gal
• 1 ft3 = 0.803563954 bu
• 1 ft3 = 0.178107607 bbl