Barrel (oil, bbl)
The oil barrel, symbol bbl, is a unit of volume commonly used in the petroleum industry. Its origins date back to the mid-19th century, when the American oil industry adopted the wooden barrel as a standard for storage and transportation. In 1866, the barrel was officially set at 42 US gallons (about 159 liters) to unify trade and pricing. Although physical barrels are no longer used, the “barrel” remains a widely recognized standard for oil production, consumption, and trading. The oil barrel is commonly referenced in discussions of energy, economics, and industrial development as a non-metric unit of volume.
Imperial Gallon (imp gal)
The imperial gallon, shown as imp gal, is a British unit equal to 4.54609 liters. It came from English wine and drink measures in the 1800s and became official in 1824. The imperial gallon was used throughout the British Empire and is still used in the UK and some other countries for fuel and beverages. The liter is now used almost everywhere, but the imperial gallon still exists because of custom and local use.