How Natural Gas is Measured

Natural Gas is usually measured by volume and is stated in cubic feet. A cubic foot of gas is the amount of gas needed to fill a volume of one cubic foot under set conditions of pressure and temperature.To measure larger amounts of natural gas, a "therm" is used to denote 100 cubic feet, and "mcf" is used to denote 1,000 cubic feet. To provide greater accuracy in comparing fuels, energy content is measured in terms of "British Thermal nits !BT "s#." A BT is the amount of heat re$uired to raise one pound of %ater !appro&imately a pint#, one degree 'arenheit at or close to its point of ma&imum density. The energy content of natural gas differs in various locations thoughout the country. 'or the sa(e of comparison, one average cubic foot of natural gas about 1,000 BT "s of heat energy.The chart belo% sho%s ho% much heat energy is released in various $uantities of natural gas. HEAT ENERGY PER UNIT OF MEASURE FOR NATURAL GAS UNIT OF MEASURE 1 cubic foot 100 cubic feet !1 therm# 1,000 cubic feet !1 mcf# APPROX. HEAT ENERGY 1,000 BT "s 100,000 BT "s 1,000,000 BT "s

How Natural Gas is Sold as Trans ortation Fuel )ompressed Natural Gas or )NG is sold at the retail level either by mass, energy units or "gasoline gallon e$uivalents" or gge. The National )onference of *eights + ,easurements !N)*,# has developed a standard unit of measurement for compressed natural gas. The standard is defined in the NIST Handbook 44 Appendi& - as follo%s. !"asoline "allon e#ui$alent %GGE&. gasoline gallon e$uivalent !GG/# means 0.110 pounds of natural gas." The chart belo% sho%s ho% much heat energy is released in various $uantities of natural gas. Mass Ener"' Units 2n terms of (ilograms or pounds 3old in therms, %ith one therm e$ualing 100,000 BT ""s )alculated by the N)*, using either mass or energy content

Gasoline Gallon E#ui$alents

Mass Ener"' (ontent

1 gge 4 0.110 lb. natural gas 1 gge 4 115,116.6 BT "s 4 1.15 Therms

-ue to variance of temperature and pressure, a therm in your area may vary from standard. To find out the BT "s per pound, divide your therm into 100,000 BT "s !100 cubic feet or 1 standard therm#. To find the number of BT "s per GG/, multiply the result by 0.11 !1 standard GG/#. For e)a* le, if the therm of your area is 5.71 lbs, divide that number into 100,000 and you have the resulting BT "s per lb. of 80,111.87. To find the BT "s per GG/, multiple that resulting number !80,111.87# by 0.11 !a standard GG/# and you have 115,118.7 BT "s per GG/.