Petroleum Coke (Petcoke)
Reviewed by Afonso Firmo, Co-Founder & Director · Updated 7 July 2026
Petroleum coke emits 3,176.50 kg CO₂-e per tonne combusted (NGA Factors 2025) — the highest liquid-fuel table value. Worked examples and calculator.
Emission Factor Value
3,176.5 kg CO₂-e/tonne
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Estimated emissions
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Petroleum coke combusted in equipment you own or control is Scope 1. Calculated as tonnes × 3,176.50 kg CO₂-e/t (NGA Factors 2025, Table 8). Add 615.6 kg CO₂-e/t 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 34.2 GJ/t × combined Scope 1 emission factor 92.88 kg CO₂-e/GJ (92.6 CO₂ + 0.08 CH₄ + 0.2 N₂O) = 3,176.50 kg CO₂-e per tonne. Petroleum coke has the highest per-GJ factor in the liquid fuels table — well above coal. Refinery coke shares the same values. The upstream (Scope 3) factor is 18 kg CO₂-e/GJ (615.6 kg CO₂-e/t), reported separately under Scope 3.
Calculation Example
If a cement kiln combusted 100 tonnes of petroleum coke during the year:
| Working | Result |
|---|---|
| 100 t × 3,176.50 kg CO₂-e/t = 317,650 kg CO₂-e | 317.65 tonnes CO₂-e (Scope 1) |
Petroleum coke is the heavy end of the refinery — a nearly pure-carbon solid burned in cement and lime kilns for cheap, intense heat. That carbon density makes it the most emissions-intensive entry in the liquid fuels table, and a major Scope 1 line for the industries that use it.
The values below come from the NGA Factors 2025 and apply to the 2025–26 reporting year. A Scope 1 and 2 calculator handles the tonnage and energy conversions automatically.
Quick Verdict
Petroleum coke emits 3,176.50 kg CO₂-e per tonne when combusted, reported under Scope 1. The factor is derived from an energy content of 34.2 GJ/t and the combined emission factor of 92.88 kg CO₂-e/GJ in Table 8 of the NGA Factors 2025 — the highest per-gigajoule value in the table, roughly a third above diesel. Refinery coke shares identical values. Carbon anodes consumed in aluminium smelting are treated as industrial process emissions instead, and a separate upstream factor of 18 kg CO₂-e/GJ (615.6 kg CO₂-e/t) is reported under Scope 3.
How to Calculate Petroleum Coke Emissions
Emissions (kg CO₂-e) = Tonnes of petcoke × 3,176.50
Or in NGA energy terms: E (t CO₂-e) = t × 34.2 GJ/t × 92.88 kg CO₂-e/GJ ÷ 1,000.
Worked Example 1: Trial Burn
A lime producer trials 25 tonnes of petcoke as a kiln fuel.
25 t × 3,176.50 = 79,412.5 kg CO₂-e
79.41 tonnes CO₂-e (Scope 1)
Worked Example 2: Cement Kiln
A cement kiln combusts 100 tonnes of petroleum coke during the year.
100 t × 3,176.50 = 317,650 kg CO₂-e
317.65 tonnes CO₂-e (Scope 1)
Worked Example 3: Annual Industrial Use
An industrial site burns 1,000 tonnes of petcoke across its furnaces.
1,000 t × 3,176.50 = 3,176,500 kg CO₂-e
3,176.50 tonnes CO₂-e (Scope 1)
How Petcoke Compares to Other High-Carbon Fuels
| Fuel | Scope 1 factor (kg CO₂-e/GJ) | Per tonne (kg CO₂-e/t) |
|---|---|---|
| Petroleum coke | 92.88 | 3,176.50 |
| Refinery coke | 92.88 | 3,176.50 |
| Crude oil (incl. condensates) | 69.88 | 3,165.56 |
| Refinery gas and liquids | 54.76 | 2,349.20 |
All values from NGA Factors 2025, Table 8.
NGER and AASB S2 Reporting
Petcoke combustion is Scope 1 fuel use under the NGER scheme, reported in energy terms with the Table 8 factors — separately from any anode-carbon process emissions, which have their own methods. Under AASB S2, it typically dominates the Scope 1 disclosure for cement and lime reporters, so an emission factor control workflow is worth having in place.
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.