54 Rules of Thumb for Petroleum Engineers

Table 1 Cont. Specific Kilograms Pounds per

Specific Kilograms Pounds per API gravity gravity per liter gallon
API gravity gravity per liter gallon 33 0.8602 0.8585 7.1658
13.5 0.9759 0.9739 8.1295
33.5 0.8576 0.8559 7.1441
14 0.9725 0.9706 8.1015
34 0.855 0.8533 7.1225
14.5 0.9692 0.9672 8.0738
34.5 0.8524 0.8507 7.101
15 0.9659 0.9639 8.0462
35 0.8498 0.8482 7.0797
15.5 0.9626 0.9607 8.0189
35.5 0.8473 0.8456 7.0585
16 0.9593 0.9574 7.9917
36 0.8448 0.8431 7.0375
16.5 0.9561 0.9542 7.9647
36.5 0.8423 0.8406 7.0165
17 0.9529 0.951 7.9379
37 0.8398 0.8381 6.9957
17.5 0.9497 0.9478 7.9112
37.5 0.8373 0.8356 6.975
18 0.9465 0.9446 7.8848
38 0.8348 0.8331 6.9544
18.5 0.9433 0.9414 7.8585
38.5 0.8324 0.8307 6.934
19 0.9402 0.9383 7.8324
39 0.8299 0.8283 6.9136
19.5 0.9371 0.9352 7.8064
39.5 0.8275 0.8258 6.8934
20 0.934 0.9321 7.7807
40 0.8251 0.8234 6.8733
20.5 0.9309 0.9291 7.7551
40.5 0.8227 0.821 6.8533
21 0.9279 0.926 7.7297
41 0.8203 0.8186 6.8335
21.5 0.9248 0.923 7.7044
41.5 0.8179 0.8163 6.8137
22 0.9218 0.92 7.6793
42 0.8156 0.8139 6.7941
22.5 0.9188 0.917 7.6544
42.5 0.8132 0.8116 6.7746
23 0.9159 0.914 7.6296
43 0.8109 0.8093 6.7551
23.5 0.9129 0.9111 7.605
43.5 0.8086 0.807 6.7358
24 0.91 0.9081 7.5805
44 0.8063 0.8047 6.7167
24.5 0.9071 0.9052 7.5562
44.5 0.804 0.8024 6.6976
25 0.9042 0.9023 7.5321
45 0.8017 0.8001 6.6786
25.5 0.9013 0.8995 7.5081
45.5 0.7994 0.7978 6.6597
26 0.8984 0.8966 7.4843
46 0.7972 0.7956 6.641
26.5 0.8956 0.8938 7.4606
46.5 0.7949 0.7934 6.6223
27 0.8927 0.891 7.4371
47 0.7927 0.7911 6.6038
27.5 0.8899 0.8882 7.4137
47.5 0.7905 0.7889 6.5853
28 0.8871 0.8854 7.3904
48 0.7883 0.7867 6.567
28.5 0.8844 0.8826 7.3673
48.5 0.7861 0.7845 6.5487
29 0.8816 0.8799 7.3444
49 0.7839 0.7824 6.5306
29.5 0.8789 0.8771 7.3216
49.5 0.7818 0.7802 6.5126
30 0.8762 0.8744 7.2989
50 0.7796 0.7781 6.4946
30.5 0.8735 0.8717 7.2764
50.5 0.7775 0.7759 6.4768
31 0.8708 0.869 7.254
51 0.7753 0.7738 6.459
31.5 0.8681 0.8664 7.2317
51.5 0.7732 0.7717 6.4414
32 0.8654 0.8637 7.2096
52 0.7711 0.7696 6.4238
32.5 0.8628 0.8611 7.1876
52.5 0.769 0.7675 6.4064
(Continued)
 API Gravity 55

Table 1 Cont. Specific Kilograms Pounds per

Specific Kilograms Pounds per API gravity gravity per liter gallon
API gravity gravity per liter gallon 70 0.7022 0.7008 5.85
53 0.7669 0.7654 6.389
70.5 0.7005 0.6991 5.8355
53.5 0.7649 0.7633 6.3717 71 0.6988 0.6974 5.8211
54 0.7628 0.7613 6.3546 71.5 0.697 0.6957 5.8068
54.5 0.7608 0.7592 6.3375 72 0.6953 0.6939 5.7925
55 0.7587 0.7572 6.3205 72.5 0.6936 0.6922 5.7783
55.5 0.7567 0.7552 6.3036 73 0.6919 0.6905 5.7642
56 0.7547 0.7532 6.2868 73.5 0.6902 0.6889 5.7501
56.5 0.7527 0.7512 6.2701 74 0.6886 0.6872 5.7361
57 0.7507 0.7492 6.2534 74.5 0.6869 0.6855 5.7222
57.5 0.7487 0.7472 6.2369 75 0.6852 0.6839 5.7083
58 0.7467 0.7452 6.2204
58.5 0.7447 0.7432 6.2041
59 0.7428 0.7413 6.1878
59.5 0.7408 0.7394 6.1716 Table API gravity and sulfur content of selected heavy oils.

60 0.7389 0.7374 6.1555 API Sulfur % w/w

60.5 0.737 0.7355 6.1394 Bachaquero 13.0 2.6
61 0.7351 0.7336 6.1235 Boscan 10.1 5.5
61.5 0.7332 0.7317 6.1076 Cold Lake 13.2 4.1
62 0.7313 0.7298 6.0918 Huntington Beach 19.4 2.0
62.5 0.7294 0.7279 6.0761 Kern River 13.3 1.1
63 0.7275 0.7261 6.0605 Lagunillas 17.0 2.2
63.5 0.7256 0.7242 6.045 Lloydminster 16.0 2.6
64 0.7238 0.7223 6.0295 Lost Hills 18.4 1.0
64.5 0.7219 0.7205 6.0141 Merey 18.0 2.3
65 0.7201 0.7187 5.9988 Midway Sunset 12.6 1.6
65.5 0.7183 0.7168 5.9836 Monterey 12.2 2.3
66 0.7165 0.715 5.9685 Morichal 11.7 2.7
66.5 0.7146 0.7132 5.9534 Mount Poso 16.0 0.7
67 0.7128 0.7114 5.9384 Pilon 13.8 1.9
67.5 0.7111 0.7096 5.9235 San Ardo 12.2 2.3
68 0.7093 0.7079 5.9086 Tremblador 19.0 0.8
68.5 0.7075 0.7061 5.8939 Tia Juana 12.1 2.7
69 0.7057 0.7043 5.8792 Wilmington 17.1 1.7
69.5 0.704 0.7026 5.8645 Zuata Sweet 15.7 2.7
56 Rules of Thumb for Petroleum Engineers

Table 2 API gravity at observed temperature versus API gravity at 60 °F.

Observed
temperature (°F) 18.0 19.0 20.0 21.0 22.0 23.0 24.0 25.0 26.0 27.0
70 17.5 18.4 19.4 20.4 21.4 22.4 23.4 24.4 25.4 26.3
75 17.2 18.2 19.1 20.1 21.1 22.1 23.1 24.1 25.0 26.0
80 16.9 17.9 18.9 19.8 20.8 21.8 22.8 23.7 24.7 25.7
85 16.6 17.6 18.6 19.6 20.5 21.5 22.5 23.4 24.4 25.4
90 16.4 17.3 18.3 19.3 20.2 21.2 22.2 23.1 24.1 25.1
95 16.1 17.1 18.0 19.0 20.0 20.9 21.9 22.8 23.8 24.8
100 15.9 16.8 17.8 18.7 19.7 20.6 21.6 22.5 23.5 24.4
105 15.6 16.5 17.5 18.7 19.4 20.3 21.3 22.2 23.2 24.1
110 15.3 16.3 17.2 18.2 19.1 20.1 21.0 21.9 22.9 23.8
115 15.1 16.0 17.0 17.9 18.8 19.8 20.7 21.6 22.6 23.5
120 14.8 15.8 16.7 17.6 18.6 19.5 20.4 21.3 22.3 23.2
125 14.6 15.5 16.4 17.4 18.3 19.2 20.1 21.1 22.0 22.9
130 14.3 15.2 16.2 17.4 18.0 18.9 19.9 20.8 21.7 22.6
135 14.1 15.0 15.9 16.8 17.7 18.7 19.6 20.5 21.4 22.6
140 13.8 14.7 15.6 16.6 17.5 18.4 19.3 20.2 21.1 22.0

Table 3 Selected crude oils showing the differences in API gravity and sulfur content within a country.
Country Crude oil API Sulfur % w/w
Abu Dhabi (UAE) Abu Al Bu Khoosh 31.6 2.00
Abu Dhabi (UAE) Murban 40.5 0.78
Angola Cabinda 31.7 0.17
Angola Palanca 40.1 0.11
Australia Barrow Island 37.3 0.05
Australia Griffin 55.0 0.03
Brazil Garoupa 30.0 0.68
Brazil Sergipano Platforma 38.4 0.19
Brunei Champion Export 23.9 0.12
Brunei Seria 40.5 0.06
Cameroon Lokele 20.7 0.46
Cameroon Kole Marine 32.6 0.33
Canada (Alberta) Wainwright-Kinsella 23.1 2.58
Canada (Alberta) Rainbow 40.7 0.50
China Shengli 24.2 1.00
China Nanhai Light 40.6 0.06
Dubai (UAE) Fateh 31.1 2.00
Dubai (UAE) Margham Light 50.3 0.04
Egypt Ras Gharib 21.5 3.64
Egypt Gulf of Suez 31.9 1.52
Gabon Gamba 31.4 0.09
Gabon Rabi-Kounga 33.5 0.07
(Continued)
 API Gravity 57

Table 3 Cont.
Country Crude oil API Sulfur % w/w
Indonesia Bima 21.1 0.25
Indonesia Kakap 51.5 0.05
Iran Aboozar (Ardeshir) 26.9 2.48
Iran Rostam 35.9 1.55
Iraq Basrah Heavy 24.7 3.50
Iraq Basrah Light 33.7 1.95
Libya Buri 26.2 1.76
Libya Bu Attifel 43.3 0.04
Malaysia Bintulu 28.1 0.08
Malaysia Dulang 39.0 0.12
Mexico Maya 22.2 3.30
Mexico Olmeca 39.8 0.80
Nigeria Bonny Medium 25.2 0.23
Nigeria Brass River 42.8 0.06
North Sea (Norway) Emerald 22.0 0.75
North Sea (UK) Innes 45.7 0.13
Qatar Qatar Marine 36.0 1.42
Qatar Dukhan (Qatar Land) 40.9 1.27
Saudi Arabia Arab Heavy (Safaniya) 27.4 2.80
Saudi Arabia Arab Extra Light (Berri) 37.2 1.15
USA (California) Huntington Beach 20.7 1.38
USA (Michigan) Lakehead Sweet 47.0 0.31
Venezeula Leona 24.4 1.51
Venezuela Oficina 33.3 0.78

Table 4 API gravity and sulfur content of selected heavy oils and tar sand bitumen.
Country Crude oil API Sulfur % w/w
Canada (Alberta) Athabasca 8.0 4.8
Canada (Alberta) Cold Lake 13.2 4.11
Canada (Alberta) Lloydminster 16.0 2.60
Canada (Alberta) Wabasca 19.6 3.90
Chad Bolobo 16.8 0.14
Chad Kome 18.5 0.20
China Qinhuangdao 16.0 0.26
China Zhao Dong 18.4 0.25
Colombia Castilla 13.3 0.22
Colombia Chichimene 19.8 1.12
Ecuador Ecuador Heavy 18.2 2.23
Ecuador Napo 19.2 1.98
USA (California) Midway Sunset 11.0 1.55
USA (California) Wilmington 18.6 1.59
Venezuela Boscan 10.1 5.50
Venezuela Tremblador 19.0 0.80