Natural gas is metered by volume but priced by energy. The U.S. average heating value of delivered gas is about 1,037 BTU per cubic foot (about 38.6 MJ/m³); your supplier may use a slightly different figure.
How to use the Natural Gas Converter
- Gas volume
- Heating value
- Every result field is editable: type into Energy or any other result and Gas volume plus every other field update to match.
Results update as you type, and every field accepts the units shown in its menu.
How it works
Volume is converted to cubic feet and multiplied by the heating value to give BTU, which is then converted to each energy unit.
Inputs explained
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Gas volume | Units: MCF (1,000 ft³), CCF (100 ft³), ft³, m³ |
| Heating value | In BTU/ft³ |
What each result means
- Energy = [Gas volume] ÷ 0.028316846592 × [Heating value] × 1055.05585262
- In kWh = [Gas volume] ÷ 0.028316846592 × [Heating value] × 1055.05585262
- In MMBtu = [Gas volume] ÷ 0.028316846592 × [Heating value] ÷ 1e6
Example values
How the main result changes when Gas volume changes and everything else stays at the example values above:
| Gas volume (MCF (1,000 ft³)) | Energy (therm) |
|---|---|
| 0.5 | 5.185 |
| 0.75 | 7.7775 |
| 1 | 10.37 |
| 1.25 | 12.9625 |
| 1.5 | 15.555 |
| 2 | 20.74 |
Formula
energy = volume × heating valueWorked example
Inputs — Gas volume: 1 MCF (1,000 ft³); Heating value: 1,037 BTU/ft³.
Results — Energy = 10.37 therm; In kWh = 303.91 kWh; In MMBtu = 1.037 MMBtu.
Frequently asked questions
How many therms in an MCF?
About 10.37 therms.
How many kWh in a cubic metre of gas?
About 10.7 kWh.
What formula does the Natural Gas Converter use?
energy = volume × heating value.