When dried, the BTU value increases to 15,250 BTUs per pound of coke. The low volatiles of petroleum coke make it a stable and safe fuel to handle in the pulverized form.

The 5% sulfur content is ideal for burning in a lime kiln. The sulfur combines with calcium carbonate or sodium to generally form sulfate compounds. The residual sulfur is converted into SO2 which is typically handled in the lime kiln's scrubber.

Natural gas is the main fuel which fires most lime kilns. Petroleum coke is less expensive and is a thermodynamically superior alternative to natural gas.

A petroleum coke flame is much hotter and more radiant than a natural gas flame. The emissivity of .95 versus .31 for natural gas illustrates the significant difference between the fuels. In addition, when burning natural gas the formation of water vapor further reduces its efficiency.

Due to the low percentage of volatiles, petroleum coke must be burned in conjunction with natural gas. Operating data has demonstrated coke can replace between 60% to 80% of a kiln's natural gas requirements. The exact percentage depends on the burner and operation of the kiln.