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Liquid Fuels Scope 1 (Direct — oxidation during use)

Petroleum Based Greases

Reviewed by Afonso Firmo, Co-Founder & Director · Updated 7 July 2026

Petroleum based greases emit 0.1358 kg CO₂-e per litre used (NGA Factors 2025). Worked examples, calculator and NGER-ready guidance for maintenance teams.

Emission Factor Value

0.1358 kg CO₂-e/litre

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Estimated emissions

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Greases used in equipment you own or control are Scope 1. Calculated as litres × 0.1358 kg CO₂-e/L (NGA Factors 2025, Table 8). Add 0.6984 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

View official publication ↗

Notes

Derived from NGA Factors 2025 Table 8: energy content 38.8 GJ/kL × Scope 1 emission factor 3.5 kg CO₂-e/GJ = 135.8 kg CO₂-e/kL, i.e. 0.1358 kg CO₂-e per litre. The factor is the lowest of the petroleum products because only a small fraction of grease oxidises during use (all CO₂, no CH₄ or N₂O). The upstream (Scope 3) factor is 18 kg CO₂-e/GJ (0.6984 kg CO₂-e/litre), reported separately under Scope 3.

Calculation Example

If your maintenance teams used 2,000 litres of petroleum based greases during the year:

Working Result
2,000 L × 0.1358 kg CO₂-e/L = 271.6 kg CO₂-e 0.27 tonnes CO₂-e (Scope 1)

Grease is the smallest line item in most carbon inventories — but it is a line item. The NGA Factors assign petroleum based greases a Scope 1 factor for the small fraction that oxidises in service, and NGER reporters with big maintenance programmes need it on the books.

The values below come from the NGA Factors 2025 and apply to the 2025–26 reporting year. An activity-based emissions calculator can sweep up minor product lines like this without manual spreadsheet work.

Quick Verdict

Petroleum based greases emit 0.1358 kg CO₂-e per litre used, reported under Scope 1 — the lowest factor of any petroleum product in the national accounts. The value comes from an energy content of 38.8 GJ/kL and a Scope 1 emission factor of 3.5 kg CO₂-e/GJ in Table 8 of the NGA Factors 2025, reflecting the small share of grease that actually oxidises during use. The separate upstream factor of 18 kg CO₂-e/GJ (0.6984 kg CO₂-e/L) is about five times larger and is reported under Scope 3.

How to Calculate Grease Emissions

Emissions (kg CO₂-e) = Litres of grease used × 0.1358

Or in NGA energy terms: E (t CO₂-e) = kL × 38.8 GJ/kL × 3.5 kg CO₂-e/GJ ÷ 1,000.

Worked Example 1: Workshop Cartridges

A workshop uses 50 litres of grease cartridges across the year.

50 L × 0.1358 = 6.8 kg CO₂-e

6.8 kg CO₂-e (Scope 1)

Worked Example 2: Plant Maintenance

A manufacturer’s maintenance team applies 500 litres of grease to bearings and machinery.

500 L × 0.1358 = 67.9 kg CO₂-e

0.07 tonnes CO₂-e (Scope 1)

Worked Example 3: Mining Operation

A mine site’s auto-lubrication systems and workshops consume 2,000 litres of grease.

2,000 L × 0.1358 = 271.6 kg CO₂-e

0.27 tonnes CO₂-e (Scope 1)

How Greases Compare to Oils and Fuels

ProductScope 1 factor (kg CO₂-e/GJ)Per litre (kg CO₂-e/L)
Diesel (stationary)70.202.7097
Petroleum based oils (lubricants)13.90.5393
Petroleum based greases3.50.1358

All values from NGA Factors 2025, Table 8. Fuels are fully combusted; oils and greases only partially oxidise in use.

NGER and AASB S2 Reporting

Petroleum based greases are reportable under the NGER scheme using the Table 8 factor where volumes are material. Under AASB S2, the Scope 1 oxidation emissions join your climate statement alongside fuel combustion — a Scope 1 and 2 calculator keeps minor product lines like this from being forgotten.

Related Emission Factors

Petroleum Based Oils

0.5393 kg CO₂-e/litre

Diesel (Stationary)

2.7097 kg CO₂-e/litre

Fuel Oil

2.9314 kg CO₂-e/litre

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the emission factor for petroleum based greases in Australia?
Petroleum based greases emit 0.1358 kg CO₂-e per litre used under the NGA Factors 2025. The value comes from an energy content of 38.8 GJ/kL and a Scope 1 factor of 3.5 kg CO₂-e/GJ in Table 8 — the lowest of the petroleum based products.
Why is the grease factor so low?
Because greases are not combusted and most of the product is eventually collected as waste rather than oxidised. The 3.5 kg CO₂-e/GJ factor represents only the small fraction that degrades or burns off in service — a quarter of the lubricating-oil factor and a twentieth of a combusted fuel.
Which scope do petroleum based greases fall under?
Greases used in plant and equipment your organisation owns or controls are Scope 1, since the oxidation occurs in your operations. Emissions from manufacturing and transporting the grease are Scope 3, covered by the separate upstream factor of 18 kg CO₂-e/GJ (0.6984 kg CO₂-e/L).
Is grease use ever material to a carbon inventory?
Rarely on its own — 2,000 litres of grease produces about 0.27 tonnes CO₂-e. It matters mainly for mining, rail and heavy-industrial operators with large maintenance programmes, and for NGER reporters who must account for all energy and petroleum product use above thresholds.
What activity data should I use for greases?
Litres or kilograms purchased, from supplier invoices or store issue records. If your records are in kilograms, convert using the product density (typically around 0.9 kg/L for petroleum greases) and document the assumption.
How is grease different from lubricating oil in the NGA Factors?
Both share the 38.8 GJ/kL energy content, but greases carry a Scope 1 factor of 3.5 kg CO₂-e/GJ against 13.9 for oils, because less of the product oxidises during use. Per litre, that is 0.1358 versus 0.5393 kg CO₂-e.
Does the 0.1358 kg/L factor include upstream emissions?
No. It covers in-use oxidation only (Scope 1). The NGA Factors 2025 publish a separate upstream factor of 18 kg CO₂-e/GJ — 0.6984 kg CO₂-e per litre, about five times the Scope 1 value — for refining and transport, reported under Scope 3.
Do I report grease use under NGER and AASB S2?
If your organisation meets NGER thresholds, petroleum based greases are reportable energy and product use with their Table 8 factor. Under AASB S2, the Scope 1 component sits in your climate statement alongside other direct emissions, though in practice it is usually a minor line item.

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.
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