Question 1

What is a barrel of oil equivalent?

Accepted Answer

BOE measures energy content of 1 barrel of crude oil ≈ 6.1 GJ = 1,700 kWh. Used for comparing energy sources.

Question 2

How do you convert BOE to joules?

Accepted Answer

1 BOE ≈ 6.12 × 10⁹ joules. Natural gas: 6000 cubic feet ≈ 1 BOE.

Question 3

What's the difference between energy and power?

Accepted Answer

Energy (joules, kWh) is total work done. Power (watts) is energy per unit time. A 100W bulb for 10 hours = 1 kWh of energy.

Question 4

Why are there so many energy units?

Accepted Answer

Different fields developed their own: BTU for heating, calories for nutrition, joules for physics, kWh for electricity billing.

Barrel of Oil Equivalent to Joules

Frequently Asked Questions