Convert Liter to Barrel (L → bbl)

Converting liters to barrels is straightforward: multiply by the conversion factor. Follow these three steps to do it by hand or in your head.

1. 1
   Take your value in liters

   Start with the number of liters (L) you want to convert.
2. 2
   Multiply by 0.00629

   The conversion factor from L to bbl is 0.00629. Multiply your value by this number.
3. 3
   Read the result in barrels

   The result is your value in barrels (bbl).

Multiply the value in liters by 0.00629. For the reverse direction, multiply by 158.98729.

• ✓1 L = 1000 ml = 1 dm³ = 0.001 m³ exactly.
• ✓1 L of water weighs 1 kg at 4 °C — use for quick mass estimates.
• ✓Fuel economy in Europe is litres per 100 km; lower is better. US uses mpg where higher is better.

• ✗Confusing L (litre) with l (lowercase), since lowercase l can be mistaken for digit 1. Capital L is preferred.
• ✗Mixing litres and US gallons in fuel economy discussions.
• ✗Writing engine displacement in ml instead of L — 1500 cc = 1.5 L.

What is the Liter?

The liter equals exactly 1 cubic decimeter (1 dm³ = 0.001 m³) and is the everyday metric unit for liquids worldwide. Adopted as part of the metric system in the 1790s, the liter is used universally for beverages, fuel, household chemicals, and cooking liquids — except in the United States where gallons and fluid ounces dominate. The liter has special connection to mass: pure water at 4°C has almost exactly 1 kg per liter, a relationship designed into the metric system. Soda, milk, and water bottles in metric countries come in 0.5 L, 1 L, 1.5 L, and 2 L sizes. The liter relates to the milliliter (1,000 mL = 1 L), the cubic meter (1,000 L = 1 m³), the US gallon (1 L ≈ 0.264 gal), and the UK gallon (1 L ≈ 0.220 imp gal). Although not strictly an SI base unit, the liter is one of the most-used metric units globally.

• Bottled beverages and milk in Europe
• Petrol and diesel pricing in metric countries
• Engine displacement (car engines rated in litres)

What is the Barrel?

The oil barrel equals exactly 42 US gallons (158.987 liters) and is the global benchmark unit for crude oil pricing and trading. The 42-gallon size dates to the 1860s Pennsylvania oil boom, when oil was shipped in repurposed wooden barrels of various sizes; the standard settled at 42 gallons as a practical industry compromise. Today, the oil barrel is virtually synonymous with crude oil — Brent crude and WTI prices are quoted per barrel ($/bbl), OPEC tracks production in barrels per day, and proven reserves are listed in billions of barrels. Despite metrication, the barrel persists in petroleum trading and journalism worldwide. It relates to the US gallon (1 bbl = 42 US gal), the cubic meter (1 bbl ≈ 0.159 m³), and the liter (1 bbl ≈ 159 L). Note that beer and wine barrels have different volumes.

• Crude oil international pricing (Brent, WTI)
• Petroleum product reporting (OPEC, EIA)
• Energy-sector financial reporting