French Azerbaijani University

Sampling for Oil and Gas Analysis

Date: 27.02.2022
Speciality: Oil and Gas Engineering
Author : Anar Imamverdiyev
I – Introduction

Sampling is the process of extracting from a large quantity of material a small portion, which is
truly representative of the composition of the whole material. Sampling methods fall into three main
groups:

1. Those in which all the material is examined;

2. Casual sampling on an ad hoc basis;

3. Methods in which portions of the material are selected based upon statistical probabilities.

Procedure (1) is normally impracticable, as the majority of methods employed are destructive, and
in any case, the amount of material to be examined is frequently excessive. Even for a sample of
manageable size, the analysis would be very time-consuming, it would require large quantities of
reagents, and would monopolize instruments for long periods. Sampling according to (2) is totally
unscientific and can lead to decisions being taken on inadequate information. In this case, as the
taking of samples is entirely casual, any true form of analytical control or supervision is impossible.
For these reasons, the only reliable basis for sampling must be a mathematical one using statistical
probabilities. This means that although not every item or every part of the sample is analyzed, the
limitations of the selection are carefully calculated and known in advance.

In Sampling it is important to obtain a sample that is representative of the contents of any pipe, tank,
or other vessel. A Fundamental step is to place a sample in a container from which a representative
test specimen can be taken for analysis. The physical and chemical property tests to be performed
on a sample will dictate the sampling procedures, the sample quantity required, and many of the
sample handling requirements.

In figure below is shown a sample lifecycle. A sample lifecycle is followed by a dedicated software
that covers the journey of a sample from its induction into a laboratory till the end of its lifecycle.

Figure 1: Sample Lifecycle

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II – Project goals / State of the Art
There are a wide variety of reasons for collecting samples and various sampling strategies for
different situations. It is important that the purpose of the sampling and associated data quality
objectives be identified before fieldwork begins. For example, hydrocarbon samples may be
collected to provide the owners, sellers and buyers of the product with a portion of that product that
after analysis, can be used as a basis for determining cost or component make-up.

Samples may be collected to determine the existence and/or to define the extent of contamination at
a site, to allow waste characterization and classification for disposal or recovery, or to determine
compliance with existing regulations. Once the objective is known, decisions about analytical
parameter selection, certified laboratory selection, quality control samples, sample location and
frequency; etc. can be made more confidently.

Defining sampling and data quality objectives is important to assure that the sampling plan is
complete. Environmental sampling is often conducted to gather data that will be the basis for
remedial decisions. Because of the potential threat to health and environment and high costs
usually associated with site remediation, strict adherence to quality assurance measure is strongly
recommended. In such a case, the objective of the sampling helps to dictate what should be
prescribed in the sampling plan. An integral part of any sampling program is planning. The purpose
of developing a sampling plan is to detail a “plan of action.”

The person writing the plan must be very familiar with the site-specific conditions and those
implementing the plan must be very familiar with the plan’s contents. A properly prepared
sampling plan that is correctly implemented will allow the sampling objectives to be met, help
avoid confusion in the field, preserve health and safety, and ultimately save time and money. In the
development of the sampling plan other pre-sampling activities must be heavily relied upon.

The goal of this project is to demonstrate the lifecycle of the sample, to explain how the process
works and which equipment it includes. All listed above requires budget and risk analysis which
will be illustrated during this project.

III – Project methodology

III.I – Methodology part

Sampling Stages

The sampling procedure may involve a number of stages prior to the analysis of the material. The
sampling stages are outlined in the Figure 2.

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For the most part, bulk materials are non-homogeneous, e.g., minerals, sediments, and foodstuffs.
They may contain particles of different composition, which are not uniformly distributed within the
material. In this case, several increments are taken in a random manner from points in the bulk
material, so that each part has an equal chance of being selected. The combination of these
increments then forms the gross sample. The gross sample is often too large for direct analysis and
must be divided further to produce a sub-sample. The sub-sample may require treatment, for
example reduction in particle size or thorough mixing, before the analytical sample can be obtained.

Figure 2 : Sampling Stages

Sampling Equipment

The use of different kinds of sampling equipment dictates that different factors must be considered
for each type of sample collected. Thorough preparation before the initiation of a sampling event is
undoubtedly one of the most important steps in the sampling process. Additional costs can be
incurred if sampling must be continued on another day or completely re-done due to inadequate or
improper preparation. In cases where it is questionable which type of sampling device will work
best, several should be on hand. Lab-cleaned sample containers of the proper size and composition
provided by the laboratory performing the analysis; Quality control samples (e.g., field and/or trip
blanks, duplicates, performance evaluation samples); Bound field logbook, and camera; Appropriate
paperwork (e.g., Chain of Custody, Logging and Calibration forms); Sample labels; Reagents,
preservatives, coolers and a means to maintain sample temperature at 4ºC; Portable instrumentation
(e.g., Geiger counter, explosimeter, oxygen level monitor, photo ionization detector, flame
ionization detector, flow through cell); Narrow range pH paper, that is within the “Use By” time
frame indicated by the manufacturer, to check the pH of preserved samples; Appropriate personal
safety equipment (e.g., disposable gloves, eye protection, and respirators); Decontamination
equipment for personnel and/or equipment; Absorbent pads; Plastic bags for containerizing
contaminated items; Packaging materials for sample shipment and custody seals for shuttles.

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Sampling and physical state

Many of the problems occurring during sampling arise from the physical nature of the materials to
be studied. Liquids can and do present difficulties. In most cases, general stirring or mixing is
sufficient to ensure homogeneity prior to sampling. Where separate phases exist, it is necessary to
determine the relative volumes of each phase in order to compare correctly the composition of one
phase with the other. The phases should in any case be individually sampled as it is not possible to
obtain a representative sample of the combined materials even after vigorously shaking the separate
phases together. Mechanical methods also exist for dividing up particulate material into suitably
sized samples. Samples obtained by these means are usually representative of the bulk material
within limits of less than ± 1 per cent and are usually based upon the requirements established by
the British Standards Institution.

Sampling for Oil Analysis

The purpose of a crude oil sampling system is to withdraw from a pipeline a small representative
portion of the product that contains the water, oil, and contaminants in the same proportion as is
flowing in the stream. When sampling crude oil, three major items must be present:

1. The pipeline must be conditioned so that the point of sample is representative of the
composition of the pipeline.

2. A sampling device must be able to sample the product under pipeline conditions (pressure,
temperature, viscosity and contaminants) and also take a complete sample while not
destroying the benefits of the conditioning system.

3. Properly designed sample receiver, capable of remixing the contents of the container and
providing for the field or laboratory testing.

The collected samples are usually stored in the Sample Bottles. The Sample Bottles can be made of
different materials (most common one is plastic) and can be in different sizes depending on the
capacity of the bottle.

The received samples are usually collected using of Oil Sampling Panels. The properties are the
follows: provide a representative sample of a pipeline transfer; determinate bulk properties; needed
for fiscal calculations, allocations and loss control.

Sampling for Gas Analysis

The objective of the sampling procedures is to obtain a representative sample of the gas phase
portion of the flowing stream under investigation. The amount of hydrocarbon product that is
transported between producer, processor, distributor and user is significant. To be able to verify the
exact composition of the product is important from an economic and product treatment standpoint.
The importance of properly determining hydrocarbon gas composition benefits all parties involved
and will achieve greater significance as this precious commodity becomes less plentiful and more
expensive.

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Collection of Hydrocarbon Samples

The collection of hydrocarbon samples is necessary to provide the owners, sellers and buyers of the
product with a portion of that product that after analysis, can be used as a basis for determining cost
or component make-up. The order for determination of the sample composition is:

1. Accurate analysis. A large amount of money is spent on analytical instruments that will
give the user, compositions and BTU values to the best limits science can provide.
2. Extraction of a representative sample from tile line. Only when it is discovered that
spot samples taken from the wall of the pipe have severe short-comings, will some
organizations see the value of taking their samples a little more carefully.
3. Maintenance of the sample between the collection point and the point of analysis.
The best sampler and the best analyzer will be of little value if the sample is not presented at
the point of analysis in the same condition as it was initially extracted from the line.

The various collection methods for hydrocarbons are detailed in published and standards. One of
them is a basic standard sample and a cylinder commonly known as a sample bomb. Typically, it
has openings at each end or sometimes at one end. It has to purged or filled with an inert fluid or
gas before the sample can be taken, it is primarily suitable for spot sampling only.

IV – Risk analysis
The handling of many materials is fraught with hazards, and this is no less so when sampling
materials in preparation for chemical analysis. The sampler must always wear adequate protective
clothing and, if possible, have detailed prior knowledge of the material being sampled. When
dangers from toxicity exist the necessary antidotes and treatment procedures should be available
and established before sampling commences. In no instances should naked flames be allowed
anywhere near the sampling area. Apart from the toxic nature of many gases, the additional hazards
are those of excessive release of gas due to pressure changes, spontaneous ignition of flammable
gases and sudden vaporization of liquefied gases.

Of course, any unexpected accidents during the sampling will led to the loss of materials,
equipment chemicals, and even human life losses. All of this will affect on budget. Therefore,
sampling should have two main rules:

1. Obtain a representative portion of the material for analysis

2. Prevent the occurrence of accidents when sampling hazardous materials

V – Conclusion and Results

In conclusion, the most implemented phase in the oil analysis is sampling. No relevant inferences
can be taken from the oil analysis data if the sample in the container does not give exact the
lubricant and the state of the machine from which it was obtained. In this report we explained how
to create a sampling system and get a sample in commercial environment. And some beneficial
ideas and guidelines supplied to guarantee that oil analysis fulfills of the project management
information in favor of enhanced asset reliability were discussed. When collecting samples for more

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testing, a number of considerations must be taken into account, along with not sampling
immediately since changing the oil and utilizing clean tools.

VI – References

1. FRANK O. REUDElHUBER, Sampling Procedures for Oil Reservoir Fluids , JOURNAL

OF PETROLEUM TECHNOLOGY
2. February (1998), Recommended Practices for Core Analysis, 2nd edn., American Petroleum
Institude
3. Directorate General of Hydrocarbons, Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas Government of
India, (2016), Good International Petroleum Industry Practices (GIPIP), India
4. Dake L.P., Fundamentals of Reservoir Engineering, Developments in Petroleum Science, 8th
edn., Shell Learning and Development
5. Institute of Petroleum, Petroleum Measurement Manual, Guide to Automatic Sampling of
Liquids from Pipelines.
6. American Petroleum Institute, Manual of Petroleum Measurement Standards, Standard
Practice for Automatic Sampling of Liquid Petroleum and Petroleum Products.
7. (1988), Petroleum Liquids, Automatic Pipeline Sampling
8. Troyer D., September (2008), The Importance of Sampling For Oil Analysis Succes,
Machinery Lubrication