burning oil
liquid oilDESNZ 2025 'Burning Oil' — the kerosene grade burned in UK domestic heating boilers, sold as '28 second oil'. Distinct from aviation kerosene (the 'kerosene' entry, DESNZ 'Aviation Turbine Fuel') and from the heavier heating oil / gas oil grades. Beware 'home heating oil': in the UK it usually means this fuel, in the US it means No. 2 fuel oil — so the term is deliberately not an alias here.
Easily confused with
Different products with different numbers. Check you are on the right one.
- kerosene 800 kg/m³ 2.54269 kgCO₂e/L
- heavy fuel oil 983.284 kg/m³ 3.17492 kgCO₂e/L
Density
802.568 kg/m³
at 15 °C (fuel-properties basis)
Heating values
- 43.865 MJ/kg
- 9.779 kWh/L
- 46.174 MJ/kg
- 10.294 kWh/L
Emission factors
- CO₂ 2.52782 kgCO₂/Ldirect combustion · UK · 2025
- CO₂e 2.54016 kgCO₂e/Ldirect combustion · UK · 2025
| Metric | Value | Scope | Region / year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CO₂ | 2.52782 kgCO₂/L | direct combustion | UK · 2025 | |
| CO₂e | 2.54016 kgCO₂e/L | direct combustion | UK · 2025 |
CO₂ ≠ CO₂e — separate metrics, never converted into one another. What these metrics mean →
Worked example: 1 L burning oil converted to every unit
At a glance
- Energy · LHV 9.779 kWh source-based
- Mass 0.8026 kg source-based
- CO₂ ~2.53 kg CO₂ region + year
- CO₂e ~2.54 kg CO₂e region + year
All results
Energy
Same energy expressed in other units.
Net calorific value · LHV/NCV
Gross calorific value · HHV/GCV
Mass
Volume
Emissions
CO₂ and CO₂e are separate — never derived from each other.
Energy density
Energy per unit of mass or volume.
Net calorific value · LHV/NCV
Assumptions
- density: assumed burning oil density 802.568 kg/m³ at 15 °C (fuel-properties basis)
- heating value basis: energy on LHV/NCV basis, 9.779 kWh/L
- heating value basis: energy on HHV/GCV basis, 10.294 kWh/L
Sources
Follow each source back to its primary document — that traceability is the point. How conversions work →