Fuel Oil
Reviewed by Afonso Firmo, Co-Founder & Director · Updated 7 July 2026
Fuel oil emits 2.9314 kg CO₂-e per litre — the highest of the common liquid fuels (NGA Factors 2025). Worked examples, calculator and NGER guidance.
Emission Factor Value
2.9314 kg CO₂-e/litre
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Estimated emissions
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Fuel oil burned in equipment or vessels you own or control is Scope 1. Calculated as litres × 2.9314 kg CO₂-e/L (NGA Factors 2025, Table 8). Add 0.7146 kg CO₂-e/L separately for upstream Scope 3.
Official Source & Citation
This emission factor is sourced from the Australian National Greenhouse Accounts Factors 2025 , Table 8 — Liquid fuels and certain petroleum-based products, published by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW).
Citation: DCCEEW (2025). Australian National Greenhouse Accounts Factors 2025. Commonwealth of Australia. Available at: https://www.dcceew.gov.au/climate-change/publications/national-greenhouse-accounts-factors-2025
Notes
Derived from NGA Factors 2025 Table 8: energy content 39.7 GJ/kL × combined Scope 1 emission factor 73.84 kg CO₂-e/GJ = 2,931.4 kg CO₂-e/kL, i.e. 2.9314 kg CO₂-e per litre — the highest per-litre value of the common liquid fuels. The upstream (Scope 3) factor is 18 kg CO₂-e/GJ (0.7146 kg CO₂-e/litre), reported separately.
Calculation Example
If an industrial boiler consumed 40,000 litres of fuel oil during the year:
| Working | Result |
|---|---|
| 40,000 L × 2.9314 kg CO₂-e/L = 117,256 kg CO₂-e | 117.26 tonnes CO₂-e (Scope 1) |
Fuel oil is the heavyweight of the liquid fuels table — literally and statistically. The dense residual product that fires industrial boilers, kilns and marine engines carries the highest per-litre emission factor of any common Australian fuel, and it lands squarely in Scope 1.
The factor below comes from the NGA Factors 2025 and applies to the 2025–26 reporting year. Apply it directly to bulk delivery records, or automate it with a Scope 1 and 2 calculator.
Quick Verdict
Fuel oil combusted in Australia emits 2.9314 kg CO₂-e per litre, reported under Scope 1 — around 8% more per litre than stationary diesel. The value comes from fuel oil’s high energy content of 39.7 GJ/kL and the combined emission factor of 73.84 kg CO₂-e/GJ in Table 8 of the NGA Factors 2025. It applies to organisations firing industrial boilers, furnaces and marine engines they own or control. Because of its intensity, fuel oil is typically the first switching candidate in any decarbonisation plan. Upstream supply emissions add 0.7146 kg CO₂-e per litre under Scope 3.
How to Calculate Fuel Oil Emissions
Emissions (kg CO₂-e) = Litres of fuel oil × 2.9314
Or in NGA energy terms: E (t CO₂-e) = kL × 39.7 GJ/kL × 73.84 kg CO₂-e/GJ ÷ 1,000.
Worked Example 1: Backup Plant
A facility’s fuel-oil-fired backup plant consumes 10,000 litres during the year.
10,000 L × 2.9314 = 29,314 kg CO₂-e
29.31 tonnes CO₂-e (Scope 1)
Worked Example 2: Industrial Boiler
A manufacturer’s process boiler burns 40,000 litres of fuel oil.
40,000 L × 2.9314 = 117,256 kg CO₂-e
117.26 tonnes CO₂-e (Scope 1)
Worked Example 3: Coastal Vessel
A company-operated coastal vessel bunkers 250,000 litres of fuel oil across the year.
250,000 L × 2.9314 = 732,850 kg CO₂-e
732.85 tonnes CO₂-e (Scope 1)
How Fuel Oil Compares to Other Liquid Fuels
| Fuel | Scope 1 factor (kg CO₂-e/L) |
|---|---|
| Fuel oil | 2.9314 |
| Diesel (stationary) | 2.7097 |
| Heating oil | 2.6009 |
| Kerosene (non-aviation) | 2.5916 |
| Liquefied aromatic hydrocarbons | 2.4056 |
| LPG (stationary) | 1.5574 |
All values from NGA Factors 2025, Table 8.
NGER and AASB S2 Reporting
Fuel oil combustion is Scope 1 energy under the NGER scheme, reported with Table 8 factors where thresholds are met. Under AASB S2, it forms part of the mandatory Scope 1 disclosure, and its intensity relative to gas and electrification alternatives makes it a natural feature of the transition-plan narrative in the same statement.
Related Emission Factors
Frequently Asked Questions
Disclaimer
This page is provided for general information, not professional or compliance advice. The factor shown is reproduced from the official publication cited above, and while we work to keep it current, government factors change — the publication is always the authoritative source.
- Before using this value in any formal reporting — including under the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2007 — confirm it against the current official publication and the methods specified by the Clean Energy Regulator.
- NetNada is independent of the Australian Government, DCCEEW, and the Clean Energy Regulator. Government data is Crown copyright, Commonwealth of Australia.