The standard weight of crude oil is 6.3-8.4 pounds per gallon, with an average of 7.2. This means that you can expect the weight of one barrel (42 gal.) of crude oil to be in the range of 265-353 pounds, with an average weight of 300 pounds.
If you want to find out more about the weight of different crude oils and compare them in one chart, this post is for you.
We at PowerSportsGuide have compiled all you need to know under one roof!
What is Crude Oil?
Crude oil is a fossil fuel formed from hydrocarbon deposits and other materials. These organic materials are derived from plants and animals that lived in the oceans millions of years ago.
In the many millions of years that have passed, these deposits were buried by sediment like rocks and sand. The pressure and heat converted these deposits into petroleum and crude oil.
Crude oil is processed by refining it to produce fuels like diesel, gasoline, and a wide variety of petrochemicals.
What Are the 4 Main Types of Crude Oil?
Simply put, the four main types of crude oil are as follows:
- Extra Light Crude Oil
- Light Crude Oil
- Medium Crude Oil
- Heavy Crude Oil (and extra-heavy oil)
Crude oils with very high (45-55) API gravity are often considered extra light or super light crude oils.
Light crude oil comes with a hefty price tag since it can be turned into gasoline and diesel fuel. The API gravity of light crude oil is about 25-45 API.
Medium or “middle” crude oil is the most common type of crude oil, and has an API gravity of 25-35.
As the name suggests, you can find the densest crude oils in the “heavy” class. These oils cost less as they require a more thorough refining process. Also, they produce fewer usable products than lighter oils.
The API gravity of heavy crude oils is about 15-25 API, but below 15, the oil is considered extra heavy.
What is the Weight of Crude Oil?
As a rule of thumb, the average crude oil weighs about 7.21 pounds per gallon, which means you can expect the weight of one barrel (42 gallons) of crude oil to be about 300 pounds.
However, as we’ve discussed, the density of crude oils depends on their API gravity. The API gravity is a measure that tells how heavy crude oil is compared to water.
The general rule is that the API gravity of most crude oils falls into the range of 15-45 API. Anything above 45 API would be considered an extra-light oil, and below 15 API, you can find the extra-heavy oils.
The formula of API gravity is as follows:
API = (141.5/SG) -131.5
Rearranging this formula helps to calculate specific gravity (SG) from API gravity.
SG = 141.5 / (API+131.5)
The SG (specific gravity) refers to the density of the crude oil, which can be turned into pounds-per- gallon figures.
Based on our research, the average API and weight-per-gallon figures of the different crude oil categories are as follows:
- Extra light crude oil (API 45-55): 6.3 – 6.7 pounds per gallon
- Light crude oil (API 35-45): 6.7 – 7.1 pounds per gallon
- Medium crude oil (API 25-35): 7.1 – 7.6 pounds per gallon
- Heavy crude oil (API 15-25): 7.6 – 8.1 pounds per gallon
- Extra heavy crude oil (API 10-15): 8.1 – 8.4 pounds per gallon
Based on that, it’s safe to say that most crude oil weighs about 6.3-8.4 pounds per gallon, which translates to 265-353 pounds per barrel.
Crude Oil Weight Per Gallon Chart
For your convenience, we’ve done the math and listed the most common conversion numbers into these crude oil weight charts:
Crude Oil Weight Chart
| Type of Oil | API | Density (g/ml) | Density (lbs/gal) |
| Extra light Crude Oil | 45-55 | 0.76-0.80 | 6.3-6.7 |
| Light Crude Oil | 35-45 | 0.80-0.85 | 6.7-7.1 |
| Middle Crude Oil | 25-35 | 0.85-0.90 | 7.1-7.6 |
| Heavy Crude Oil | 15-25 | 0.90-0.97 | 7.6-8.1 |
| Extra heavy crude oil | 10-15 | 0.97-1.0 | 8.1-8.4 |
Crude Oil Weight-Per-Gallon Chart
| API | Weight of 1 gallon (lbs) | Density (g/ml) |
| 55 | 6.33 | 0.759 |
| 54 | 6.37 | 0.763 |
| 53 | 6.40 | 0.767 |
| 52 | 6.44 | 0.771 |
| 51 | 6.47 | 0.775 |
| 50 | 6.51 | 0.780 |
| 49 | 6.54 | 0.784 |
| 48 | 6.58 | 0.788 |
| 47 | 6.62 | 0.793 |
| 46 | 6.65 | 0.797 |
| 45 | 6.69 | 0.802 |
| 44 | 6.73 | 0.806 |
| 43 | 6.77 | 0.811 |
| 42 | 6.81 | 0.816 |
| 41 | 6.85 | 0.820 |
| 40 | 6.89 | 0.825 |
| 39 | 6.93 | 0.830 |
| 38 | 6.97 | 0.835 |
| 37 | 7.01 | 0.840 |
| 36 | 7.05 | 0.845 |
| 35 | 7.09 | 0.850 |
| 34 | 7.14 | 0.855 |
| 33 | 7.18 | 0.860 |
| 32 | 7.22 | 0.865 |
| 31 | 7.27 | 0.871 |
| 30 | 7.31 | 0.876 |
| 29 | 7.36 | 0.882 |
| 28 | 7.40 | 0.887 |
| 27 | 7.45 | 0.893 |
| 26 | 7.50 | 0.898 |
| 25 | 7.55 | 0.904 |
| 24 | 7.59 | 0.910 |
| 23 | 7.64 | 0.916 |
| 22 | 7.69 | 0.922 |
| 21 | 7.74 | 0.928 |
| 20 | 7.79 | 0.934 |
| 19 | 7.85 | 0.940 |
| 18 | 7.90 | 0.946 |
| 17 | 7.95 | 0.953 |
| 16 | 8.01 | 0.959 |
| 15 | 8.06 | 0.966 |
| 14 | 8.12 | 0.973 |
| 13 | 8.17 | 0.979 |
| 12 | 8.23 | 0.986 |
| 11 | 8.29 | 0.993 |
| 10 | 8.35 | 1.000 |
Crude Oil Weight-Per-Barrel Chart
| API | Weight of 1 barrel [42 gal.] (lbs) | Density (g/ml) |
| 55 | 266 | 0.759 |
| 54 | 267 | 0.763 |
| 53 | 269 | 0.767 |
| 52 | 270 | 0.771 |
| 51 | 272 | 0.775 |
| 50 | 273 | 0.780 |
| 49 | 275 | 0.784 |
| 48 | 276 | 0.788 |
| 47 | 278 | 0.793 |
| 46 | 279 | 0.797 |
| 45 | 281 | 0.802 |
| 44 | 283 | 0.806 |
| 43 | 284 | 0.811 |
| 42 | 286 | 0.816 |
| 41 | 288 | 0.820 |
| 40 | 289 | 0.825 |
| 39 | 291 | 0.830 |
| 38 | 293 | 0.835 |
| 37 | 294 | 0.840 |
| 36 | 296 | 0.845 |
| 35 | 298 | 0.850 |
| 34 | 300 | 0.855 |
| 33 | 301 | 0.860 |
| 32 | 303 | 0.865 |
| 31 | 305 | 0.871 |
| 30 | 307 | 0.876 |
| 29 | 309 | 0.882 |
| 28 | 311 | 0.887 |
| 27 | 313 | 0.893 |
| 26 | 315 | 0.898 |
| 25 | 317 | 0.904 |
| 24 | 319 | 0.910 |
| 23 | 321 | 0.916 |
| 22 | 323 | 0.922 |
| 21 | 325 | 0.928 |
| 20 | 327 | 0.934 |
| 19 | 330 | 0.940 |
| 18 | 332 | 0.946 |
| 17 | 334 | 0.953 |
| 16 | 336 | 0.959 |
| 15 | 339 | 0.966 |
| 14 | 341 | 0.973 |
| 13 | 343 | 0.979 |
| 12 | 346 | 0.986 |
| 11 | 348 | 0.993 |
| 10 | 351 | 1.000 |
Disclaimer: These charts are for informational purposes only! Crude oil weight varies depending on many factors like its API and temperature.
Takeaways – FAQs About Crude oil Weight
As a takeaway, we’ve answered the most common questions on the topic.
What is the density of crude oil in g/mL?
The density of crude oil ranges from about 0.75 g/ml up to almost 1 g/ml, with an average of 0.864 g/ml. It’s safe to say that the density of the majority of crude oils falls into the range of 0.80-0.97 g/ml.
What is the standard unit of measurement for crude oil?
The standard measurement for crude oil is the barrel (a.k.a. “BBL”), equivalent to 42 U.S. gallons.
How much does crude oil weigh per barrel (42 gal.)?
The average crude oil weighs about 300 pounds per barrel (42 gal.), but depending on its API gravity, the weight of one barrel of crude oil can be anywhere from 265-353 pounds.
What is the weight of crude oil per gallon?
The weight of crude oil is about 6.3-8.4 pounds per gallon, depending on its API gravity.
References:
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/crude-oil.asp
https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/oil-and-petroleum-products/
https://www.plainsmanmfg.com/blog/four-main-types-crude-oil/
