[jesse_f]

Originally Posted by thecoalman

Assuming the same efficiency, these would be the equivalent prices for the same cost per BTU.

$1.60/gallon of oil

$12/mcf or $1.18/therm

People should keep in mind that new oil furnaces are 80-90% efficiency, while new gas models are 90-98% (though they cost more). Either fuel you choose, the lowest hanging fruit is be replacing an older furnace will a new high efficiency one.

[jesse_f]

WTI and Brent down 2 - 2.5% this am. Ouch!

[ocngypz]

Counting in the delivery charges, my Nov-Dec bill has a rate per therm of $1.5049.

[Cambium]

NAT Gas has gone down the past year. It also has dropped Since September. It's only gone up since end of December but its a tiny move.

You can compare Oil and Nat Gas prices here. Oil now $51. Wow!

Commodities - Oil, Silver and gold prices - CNNMoney

[InterestedOne]

Originally Posted by parentologist

With home heating oil now under $2.50/gallon, I'm curious at what point oil heat is as cheap as, or even cheaper, than gas heat in CT? Assuming young, relatively efficient furnaces/boilers. Anyone know?

I get asked this quite often. The short answer is: A btu is a btu is a btu. I have little time to do this subject justice but I'll blast through it quickly anyway.

BTU = British Thermal Unit. The energy necessary to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit = 1 Btu.

For reference /interest/comparison only to the below: Gasoline is 120,388 -*‐ 124,340 Btu/gal

For home heating:
#2 Fuel = ~139,000 - 144,000 btus/gallon
* Biodesiel (the home brew'd stuff without transportation additives) = 119,550 to 127,960 Btu/gal
Kerosene = 134,000 btu/gal
* LPG = 84,250 - 91,420 Btu/gal (Pressurized Liquid, temperature sensitive - cooler fuel temps affect rate of evaporation)
* # Compressed Nat Gas = 20,160 - 22,453Btu/lb or as utility billed by usage of Therm & Ccf = 100kbtu
Electric KwH = 1, 000 watts for one hour or 100 watts for ten hours. 1 watt = 3.412 btu; 1,000 watts =3,412 btu
(3,414 Btu/kWh)
Hydrogen = 61,013 Btu/lb

energy content varies often, I don't think it too important that propane is 91.6 this week when it was 90.2 the week prior.
* range for lower to higher heating value
# 1 CF Nat Gas ranges from 1027 - 1,100 btu; C — equals one hundred (100); Ccf — equals the volume of 100 cubic feet (cf) of natural gas; M — equals one thousand (1,000); MM — equals one million (1,000,000); Mcf — equals the volume of 1,000 cubic feet (cf) of natural gas; MMBtu — equals 1,000,000 British thermal units (Btu); Therm — One therm equals = 100cf = 1Ccf = 100,000 Btu, or 0.10 MMBtu.

Further (Nat Gas/CNG),
You can convert prices from one basis to another:
$ per Ccf divided by 1.025 = $ per therm
$ per therm multiplied by 1.025 = $ per Ccf
$ per Mcf divided by 1.025 = $ per MMBtu
$ per Mcf divided by 10.25 = $ per therm
$ per MMBtu multiplied by 1.025 = $ per Mcf
$ per therm multiplied by 10.25 = $ per Mcf

In the table below the cost of electricity seems to be the highest rate. However, a modest high efficiency heatpump with a COP of 3 for instance, then electric would be the best choice. Especially so when considering combustion efficiency of whatever fossil fuel furnace. For instance, an 80% gas boiler also mean 20% lost up the chimney without true heating work, which also means $0.20 of every dollar is spent without heating benefit. See Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE)

I am an advocate for preventing the need of fuels through effective multi-benefit thermal shell technology. Appliance efficiency serves after the fact effects. Meaning: the house has lost heat to which a thermostat then reacts. This is a basic guideline. Heating and cooling systems come is all types, each having its own unique energy demands.

Fuel Nom. Cost Cost/ Cost/ Type Btu/vol / unit
Btu
1kbtu ! Nat Gas 100,000 $ 1.43 $0.0000143317 $0.014332 #2 Fuel Oil 140,000 $ 3.20 $0.0000228571 $0.022857 Kerosene 134,000 $ 3.45 $0.0000257463 $0.025746 Propane 91,000 $ 3.11 $0.0000341758 $0.034176 Electric 3,412 $ 0.12 $0.0000351700 $0.035170
Inserted costs may be whatever the local rate may be for your area. ! = rates can vary monthly.
Hope this helps.