Convert Barrel (US) (bbl (US)) to Gigaliter (GL) instantly.
About these units
Barrel (US) (bbl (US))
The US barrel is a unit with multiple definitions depending on the industry, though the most common general-purpose US barrel is 31.5 US gallons, used historically for dry goods, ale, and various agricultural products. In practice, the US barrel arose from traditional cask-making, where wooden barrels of different shapes were used for storage and transport. Because their capacity varied widely, different industries standardized the barrel at different volumes. Over time, manufacturers and commercial sectors adopted specific barrel sizes for consistency. Today, the US barrel appears in brewing, winemaking, certain agricultural commodities, and historical documents describing early American commerce. Its varied legacy makes it a fascinating example of an evolving unit shaped by economic necessity and craftsmanship.
Gigaliter (GL)
A gigaliter equals one billion liters or one million cubic meters. It is widely used when discussing very large natural or artificial water systems. Countries quantify national water reserves, lake capacities, and large-scale water transfers in gigaliters. For example, major reservoirs, such as those used for hydroelectric power generation, often have volumes in the tens of gigaliters. Environmental scientists use GL to describe groundwater extraction, rainfall totals across large regions, and freshwater availability. The GL helps quantify planetary-scale hydrological processes in a manageable numerical range.