Density of Common Fuels
The density of a fuel is an important factor in determining its energy content, transportation efficiency, and storage requirements. In general, liquid fuels such as gasoline and diesel have higher energy densities than gaseous fuels like natural gas. Solid fuels, such as coal or wood, have different densities depending on their composition and moisture content.
The table bellow provides a curated list of density values for various fuels at 15°C (59°F) and 1 atmospheric (atm) pressure. (1 atm = 101,325 Pa)
Click on the icon to switch between SI (kg/m3) and US customary/Imperial (lb/ft3) units.
| Anthracite coal | 1400 - 1800 |
| Benzene | 877 |
| Bituminous coal | 1200 - 1500 |
| Butane | 2500 |
| Charcoal wood | 200 - 600 |
| Coke (petroleum) | 1700 - 2000 |
| Cooking oil (used) | 840 |
| Crude oil (petroleum) | 810 - 975 |
| Diesel fuel no-1 | 856 |
| Ethanol | 790 |
| Fuel oil | 890 - 955 |
| Gasoline | 740 |
| Kerosene | 820 |
| Lignite | 1100 - 1400 |
| Methanol | 791 |
| Naphtha | 641 |
| Natural gas | 700 - 900 |
| Oil ASTM no-1 | 806 - 845 |
| Oil ASTM no-2 | 855 - 876 |
| Oil ASTM no-4 | 887 - 910 |
| Oil ASTM no-5 (light) | 922 - 934 |
| Oil ASTM no-5 (light) | 945 - 950 |
| Oil ASTM no-6 | 959 - 986 |
| Peat (air-dried) | 240 - 400 |
| Peat (mulled) | 650 - 870 |
| Peat (briquettes) | 650 - 961 |
| Propane | 1700 |
| Recycled oil | 838 |
| Rice hulls | 400 - 481 |
| Toluene (toluol) | 866 |
Related Tables
References: 1) Cardarelli, François. Materials Handbook: A Concise Desktop Reference. Switzerland: Springer International Publishing, 2018. 2) CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 97th Edition. United Kingdom: CRC Press, 2016-2017. 3) Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA): The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). 4) Fire Protection Guide to Hazardous Materials, 14th Edition. United States: National Fire Protection Association, 2010.