Tool
LNG unit converter
LNG capacity is quoted in three incompatible units and priced in a fourth. Enter a figure in any of them and the rest follow, with the assumptions shown rather than hidden.
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Common conversions
The same arithmetic, precomputed. This table needs no JavaScript.
| Mtpa | bcm/y | m³ LNG | MMBtu | TWh | Cargoes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5 | 0.68 | 1,111,111 | 26,000,000 | 7.6 | 6.4 |
| 1 | 1.36 | 2,222,222 | 52,000,000 | 15.2 | 12.8 |
| 2 | 2.72 | 4,444,444 | 104,000,000 | 30.5 | 25.5 |
| 5 | 6.80 | 11,111,111 | 260,000,000 | 76.2 | 63.9 |
| 10 | 13.60 | 22,222,222 | 520,000,000 | 152.4 | 127.7 |
| 20 | 27.20 | 44,444,444 | 1,040,000,000 | 304.8 | 255.4 |
What these conversions assume
None of these factors is exact, because LNG is a mixture and every cargo differs. The figures used here are:
- 1 Mtpa = 1.36 bcm/y of natural gas, the convention Global Energy Monitor uses and therefore the one this site uses everywhere.
- 1 m³ of LNG = 450 kg, a mid-range density. Real cargoes run roughly 430 to 470 kg/m³ depending on composition.
- 1 tonne of LNG = 52 MMBtu, varying with composition between about 51 and 54.
- 1 m³ of LNG = 600 m³ of gas at standard conditions.
- 1 cargo = 174,000 m³, the current conventional carrier size, about 78,300 tonnes.
Two figures converted with different assumptions will not agree, and the difference can reach several per cent. When a number matters, use the composition-specific factor from the contract or the plant, not a generic one. The conversions explainer works through why the factors vary, and the glossary defines each unit.
Common questions
Each answer stands on its own.
- How many bcm is 1 Mtpa of LNG?
- About 1.36 billion cubic metres of natural gas a year. The factor depends on gas composition; 1.36 is the convention used across this site and by Global Energy Monitor.
- How many cargoes is 1 Mtpa?
- Roughly 13 cargoes a year on a conventional 174,000 cubic metre carrier, which holds about 78,000 tonnes of LNG at 450 kg per cubic metre.
- How much gas does one cubic metre of LNG make?
- About 600 cubic metres of natural gas at standard conditions. That 600 to 1 expansion ratio is the reason the whole liquefaction chain exists.
- How many MMBtu are in a tonne of LNG?
- About 52 MMBtu, varying with composition between roughly 51 and 54. Richer LNG carries more energy per tonne than lean.
- Why do capacity figures differ between sources?
- Because sources convert with different assumed compositions, quote nameplate against actual output, or mix mass, volume and energy. Always check which unit and which basis a figure uses before comparing it with another.