A standard U.S. barrel contains 42 gallons of crude oil which yields about 44 gallons of petroleum products. The additional 2 gallons of petroleum products come from refiner gains which result in an additional 6% of product. As shown in the figure below, a little more than 19 gallons of gasoline and 10 gallons of diesel fuel are produced from a barrel of crude oil by U.S. refiners. Other products such as jet fuel and heating oil make up the remaining one third.

Image

Note: Product yields are based on 2009 U.S. refining data.

Supporting Information

Products Made from a Barrel of Crude Oil
ProductsGallonsPercent
Gasoline19.3643.3%
Diesel10.0422.4%
Jet Fuel3.918.7%
Liquefied Petroleum Gases1.723.8%
Heavy Fuel Oil1.683.8%
Other Distillates1.242.8%
Other Products6.8015.2%
Total44.75100.0%

U.S. Energy Information Administration, What Fuels Are Made from Crude Oil?

Return to 2011 Facts of the Week