Characterization of crude:
Crude Oil Properties
Crude of petroleum is very complex except for the low
boiling components, no attempt is made by the refiner to
analyze for the pure components that contained in the
crude oil. Relatively simple analytical tests are run on the
crude and the results of these are used with empirical
correlations to evaluate the crude oils as feedstocks for the
particular refinery. Each crude is compared with the other
feedstocks available and, based upon the operating cost
and product realization, is assigned a value. The useful
properties are discussed.
API Gravity:The density of petroleum oils is expressed in
the United States in terms of API gravity rather than
specific gravity; it is related to specific gravity in such a
fashion that an increase in API gravity corresponds to a
decrease in specific gravity. The units of API gravity are API
and can be calculated from specific gravity (sp. Gr.) by the
following:
API=141.5/Sp.Gr131.5
Sp. Gr. of rude oil may vary from less than 10oAPI to over
50oAPI but most crudes fall in the 20 to 45o API range. API
gravity always refers to the liquid sample at 60 oF
(15.6 oC). API gravities are not linear and, therefore,
cannot be averaged. For example, a gallon of 20o API
gravity hydrocarbons when mixed with a gallon of 30oAPI
hydrocarbons will not yield two gallons of 25o API
hydrocarbons, but will give two gallons of hydrocarbons
with an API gravity different from 250 API. On the other
hand Specific gravities of different oils can be averaged.
Sulfur Content, wt%[20]
Sulfur content and API gravity are two properties which
have the greatest influence on the value of crude oil,
although nitrogen and metals contents are increasing in
importance. The sulfur content is expressed as percent of
sulfur by weight and varies from less than 0.1% to greater
than 5%. Crudes with greater than 0.5% sulfur generally
require more extensive processing than those with lower
sulfur content.
Pour Point[20]
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The pour point of the crude oil, in oF or oC, is a rough
indicator of the relative paraffinicity and aromaticity of the
crude. The lower the pour point, the lower the paraffin
content and the greater the content of aromatics.
Carbon Residue[20]
Carbon residue is determined by distillation to a coke
residue in the absence of air. The carbon residue is roughly
related to the asphalt content of the crude and to the
quantity of the lubricating oil fraction that can be
recovered. In most cases the lower the carbon residue, the
more valuable the crude. This is expressed in terms of the
weight percent carbon residue by either the Ramsbottom
(RCR) or Conradson (CCR) .
Salt Content[20]
If the salt content of the crude, when expressed as NaCl, is
greater than 10 lb/ 1000 bbl, it is generally necessary to
desalt the crude before processing. If the salt is not
removed, severe corrosion problems may be encountered.
If residua are processed catalytically, desalting is desirable
at even lower salt contents of the crude. Although it is not
possible to have an accurate conversion unit between
lb/1000 bbl and ppm by weight because of the different
densities of crude oils, 1 lb/1000 bbl is approximately 3
ppm.
Characterization Factors[20]
There are several correlations between yield and the
aromaticity and paraffinicity of crude oils, but the two most
widely used are the UOP or Watson ‘‘characterization
factor’’ (KW) and the U.S. Bureau of Mines ‘‘correlation
index’’ (CI).
KW= TB1/3/ G , Where,TB is the mean average boiling
point, R and G is the specific gravity at 60 oF.
The Watson characterization factor :KW ~15 for highly
paraffinic compounds , KW <10 for highly aromatic
materials and KW vary from 10.5 to 12.9. For a highly
naphthenic crude it is 10.5 to 12.9 for a paraffinic base
crude.
The correlation index is useful in evaluating individual
fractions from crude oils. The CI scale is based upon
straightchain paraffins having a CI value of 0 and benzene
having a CI value of 100 and is defined as follows:
C.I = 87552/TB + 473.7 G – 456.8
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The CI values are not quantitative, but the lower the CI
value, the greater the concentration of paraffin
hydrocarbons in the fraction; and higher the CI value,
greater the concentration of naphthenes and aromatics.
Nitrogen Content, wt%
High nitrogen content is undesirable in crude oils because
organic nitrogen compounds cause severe poisoning of
catalysts used in processing and cause corrosion problems.
Crudes containing nitrogen more than 0.25% by weight
require special processing to remove the nitrogen.[19,20]
Distillation Range
The boiling range of the crude gives an indication of the
quantities of the various products present. The most useful
type of distillation is known as a true boiling. point (TBP)
distillation and generally refers to a distillation performed in
equipment that accomplishes a reasonable degree of
fractionation. There is no specific test procedure called a
TBP distillation, but the U.S. Bureau of Mines Hempel and
ASTM D285 distillations are the tests most commonly
used. Neither of these specify either the number of
theoretical plates or the reflux ratio used and, as a result,
there is a trend toward using the results of a 15:5
distillation (D 2892) rather than the TBP. The 15:5
distillation is carried out using 15 theoretical plates at a
reflux ratio of 5: 1. The crude distillation range has to be
correlated with ASTM distillations because product
specifications are generally based on the simple ASTM
distillation tests like D86 and D1160 etc.[20]
Metals Content, ppm
The metals content metals (nickel, vanadium, and copper)
of crude oils vary from a few parts per million to more than
1000 ppm. Minute quantities of some of these metals can
severely affect the activities of catalysts and result in a
lower value product distribution. Vanadium concentrations
above 2 ppm in fuel oils can lead to severe corrosion to
turbine blades and deterioration of refractory furnace
linings and stacks. Distillation concentrates the metallic
constituents of crude in the residues, but some of the
organometallic compounds are actually volatilized at
refinery distillation temperatures and appear in the higher
boiling distillates. The metallic content may be reduced by
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UOP Characterization Factor/ Waston
Characterization Fator[23]
Characterization factors: K=(TB)1/3/d
(Correlates boiling point with sp.Gr.)
where TB is the average boiling point in degrees Rankine (=
F + 460) and d is the specific gravity 60 oF/60 oF. (Also
Kuop= (Tk)3/0.827 G, if T in K)
K:additive on a weight basis.
Highly paraffin oils:K : 12.5 to 13.0
Cyclic (naphthenes) oils have K : 10.5 to 12.5.
Aromatics: 9.0 10.5
Correlation Index (C.I.)[23]
According to the chemical composition of the 250 oC to
300 oC fraction has been used.
But the difficulty is that in the fractions boiling above
200oC (390 oF) the molecules can no longer be placed
in one group, because most of them are of a typically
mixed nature.
More direct chemical information is desirable and can
be supplied by means of the correlation index (CI).
The CI, developed by the U.S. Bureau of Mines, is
based on the plot of specific gravity vs the reciprocal
of the boiling point in Kelvin .
For pure hydrocarbons,the normal paraffin series is given
value of CI=0 and for benzene CI = 100.
CI= 473.7d 456.8 + 48,640/TK
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