Calculate oil and water amounts from an oil-to-water mix ratio and total volume, or find the oil:water and water:oil ratio from retort readings.

Volume basis; total includes oil and water only.

Use 80:20, 4/1 or 4-1. A single number means that number : 1.

Optional settings

Oil Water Ratio Formula

The following example problem outlines the steps and information needed to calculate the Oil Water Ratio.

OWR = O / W

Variables:

  • OWR is the Oil Water Ratio (oil:water)
  • W is the percentage volume of water (%) 
  • O is the percentage volume of oil (%) 

For a numerical oil-to-water quotient, divide oil by water when water is greater than zero. For a liquid-phase ratio, normalize oil and water by their sum; exclude solids. For example, retort readings of 60% oil and 15% water give 80:20, or 4:1, within the liquid phase. A water-free sample can be written 1:0, but its oil/water quotient is undefined.

How to Calculate Oil Water Ratio?

The following steps outline how to calculate the Oil Water Ratio.

  1. First, determine the percentage volume of water (%). 
  2. Next, determine the percentage volume of oil (%). 
  3. Next, gather the formula from above = OWR = O/W.
  4. Finally, calculate the Oil Water Ratio.
  5. After inserting the variables and calculating the result, check your answer with the calculator above.

Example Problem : 

Use the following variables as an example problem to test your knowledge.

percentage volume of water (%) = 60

percentage volume of oil (%) = 40

OWR = O/W = ?