MMBL question

[kander]

Easy one guys. What does mmbl mean in relation to flow / consumption of barrels of oil. Is this million million barrels?

If so, what is the value in scientific notation as I think there is a diffence between US and European terminology for what a billion is. ??

Regards,

Kevin

 

[Ashereng]

mmscfd is common for gas transmission pipelines.

Regardless of SI, metric, imperial, there are still many industries that use their "historical" units of measure.

For example, shoe sizes.

Within an industry, units are used frequently according to custom rather than any one system. It is very common, for example, for someone in my industry to refer to pipe sizes in inches, pressure in kPa, gas volume in mmscfd, and liquid voume in bbl. It's just the way it works.

"Do not worry about your problems with mathematics, I assure you mine are far greater."
Albert Einstein
Have you read FAQ731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

 

[zdas04]

Ashereng,
The first time I heard a Canadian ask for 3,000 meters of 2-3/8 inch tubing I cracked up. Now it just sounds normal. Canada is the only place I've heard E3M3 for gas volumes, but at a class I taught up there last month everyone understood MMCF's just fine.

David

David Simpson, PE
MuleShoe Engineering

http://www.muleshoe-eng.com

Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips Fora.

The harder I work, the luckier I seem

 

[BigInch]

zdas,
Come over here and you'll find not only M3 for gas, but also tons/year for oil flowrates... and they don't admit to understanding CF, however BBLS is OK, but we're digressing now.

BigInch-born in the trenches.

http://virtualpipeline.spaces.msn.com

 

[zdas04]

Tons is fine, tonnes is fine, as long as everyone understands how many molecules there are in one unit. On the phone I always ask if the "ton" mentioned is 2,000 U.S. lbm or 1,000 kg.

David

 

[Ashereng]

Thanks David. I forgot we also use E3M3. I guess it's a Canadian thing, eh?



"Do not worry about your problems with mathematics, I assure you mine are far greater."
Albert Einstein
Have you read FAQ731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

 

[mbeychok]

Kander:

In the oil refining business, M=1000 and MM=(1000)(1000) = 1,000,000 (one million in the United Sates).

We would not usually refer to oil quantities as MMBL ... instead we would much more often use MM BBL, meaning 1,000,000 barrels of oil.

I million = 1,000,000 = 10[sup]6[/sup] both in the United States and in the UK.

1 billion = 1,000,000,000 = 10[sup]9[/sup] in the United States but, in the UK, 1 billion = 1,000,000,000,000 = 10[sup]12[/sup].

Many European countries follow the UK convention, but not all ... so be careful to ask what a European means by 1 million or 1 billion.

Beware of India, a billion can mean many, many different things there.

Milton Beychok
(Visit me at www.air-dispersion.com)
.

 

[kander]

mbeychok,

Being a UK resident I'm quite sure that a billion means 1,000,000,000. Certainly where I was taught.

UK follows SI units and has done since the late 60's (I think), but there seems to be a little confusions as to where the billion = 1x10 ^ 12 is used. I can't see this being the case anywhere in Europe.

Any ideas?

 

[ukinam]

kander,

YOU are the ONLY ONE confused. Why are you making a big fuss on semantics? If you have doubts on terms containing "billion", ask the source of that information. You will probably sound stupid to them, but at least you will have the satisfaction of knowing that the billion means 1,000,000,000.

 

[BigInch]

Kander, You are right in that many other places in Europe you don't find the problem at all, but its because the billion (1E+9) term does not exist those languages. Spain, for example, where 1 billion, 1E+9 is called 1,000 "miliones" and a trillion is a million millions.

BigInch-born in the trenches.

http://virtualpipeline.spaces.msn.com

 

[mbeychok]

kander:

I am an American who lived and worked in London for 8 years in the late 60's and early 70's. At that time, the billion in the UK was 10[sup]12[/sup]. The UK had not yet metrified. There were still 12 shillings to the pound sterling.

Now that England has metrified, the billion may now be 10[sup]9[/sup] as you say. If so, then I stand corrected.

If anyone wants more information as to which countries use which definition of a billion, I recommend reading:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_and_short_scales

Milton Beychok
(Visit me at www.air-dispersion.com)
.

 

[kander]

mbeychok / BigInch,

Thanks for your help with this one. Quite interesting the different views from around the world on the definition of a billion.

Cheers,

Kander