Petroleum Refinery

Engineering

CHAPTER 5: CRUDE OILS

( CLASSIFICATION AND PROPERTIES)
Prepared by: Mr Ali Abbas
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Important characterization properties

• API gravity
• - Watson Characterization factor
• - Viscosity
• - Sulfur content
• - True boiling point (TBP) curve
• - Pour point
• - Flash and fire point
• - ASTM distillation curve
• - Octane number
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1.1API gravity
oAPI = 141.5/specific gravity – 131.5

Where specific gravity is measured at 60 oF.

The more API gravity the more light components the crude
oil contains.
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1.2.Watson characterization factor

The Watson characterization factor is usually expressed as

K = (TB)1/3/specific gravity

Where TB is the average boiling point in degrees R taken

from five temperatures corresponding to 10, 30, 50, 70 and
90 volume % vaporized. Typically Watson characterization
factor varies between 10.5 and 13 for various crude
streams.
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1.3. Sulfur content

Since crude oil is obtained from petroleum reservoirs,

sulphur is present in the crude oil. Usually, crude oil has
both organic and inorganic sulphur in which the inorganic
sulphur dominates the composition. Typically, crude oils
with high sulphur content are termed as sour crude. On the
other hand, crude oils with low sulphur content are termed
as sweet crude. Typically, crude oil sulphur content consists
of 0.5 – 5 wt % of sulphur. Crudes with sulphur content
lower than 0.5 wt % are termed as sweet crudes. It is
estimated that about 80 % of world crude oil reserves are
sour
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1.4. TBP/ASTM distillation curves

The most important characterization properties of the
crude/intermediate/product streams are the TBP/ASTM
distillation curves. Both these distillation curves are
measured at 1 atm pressure. In both these cases, the
boiling points of various volume fractions are being
measured
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1.5. Viscosity
Viscosity is a measure of the flow properties of the refinery
stream. Typically in the refining industry, viscosity is
measured in terms of centistokes (termed as cst) or saybolt
seconds or centipoises (cp). Usually, the viscosity
measurements are carried out at 100 oF and 210 oF.
Viscosity is a very important property for the heavy
products obtained from the crude oil. The viscosity acts as
an important characterization property in the blending units
associated to heavy products such as bunker fuel.
Typically, viscosity of these products is specified to be
within a specified range and this is achieved by adjusting
the viscosities of the streams entering the blending unit.
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1.6. Flash and fire point

Flash and fire point are important properties that are
relevant to the safety and transmission of refinery products.
Flash point is the temperature above which the product
flashes forming a mixture capable of inducing ignition with
air. Fire point is the temperature well above the flash point
where the product could catch fire. These two important
properties are always taken care in the day to day
operation of a refinery.
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1.7. Pour point

When a petroleum product is cooled, first a cloudy

appearance of the product occurs at a certain temperature.
This temperature is termed as the cloud point. Upon further
cooling, the product will ceases to flow at a temperature.
This temperature is termed as the pour point. Both pour
and cloud points are important properties of the product
streams as far as heavier products are concerned. For
heavier products, they are specified in a desired range and
this is achieved by blending appropriate amounts of lighter
intermediate products.
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1.8. Octane number

Though irrelevant to the crude oil stream, the octane

number is an important property for many intermediate
streams that undergo blending later on to produce
automotive gasoline, diesel etc. Typically gasoline tends to
knock the engines. The knocking tendency of the gasoline
is defined in terms of the maximum compression ratio of
the engine at which the knock occurs. Therefore, high
quality gasoline will tend to knock at higher compression
ratios and vice versa. However, for comparative purpose,
still one needs to have a pure component whose
compression ratio is known for knocking
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1.8. Octane number

Iso-octane is eventually considered as the barometer for

octane number comparison. While iso-octane was given an
octane number of 100, n-heptane is given a scale of 0.
Therefore, the octane number of a fuel is equivalent to a
mixture of a iso-octane and n-heptane that provides the
same compression ratio in a fuel engine. Thus an octane
number of 80 indicates that the fuel is equivalent to the
performance characteristics in a fuel engine fed with 80 vol
% of isooctane and 20 % of n-heptane
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2.Classifications of Crude Oil

2.1 Introduction
2.2 Classification Systems
2.2.1 Classification as a Hydrocarbon Resource
2.2.2 Classification by Chemical Composition
2.2.3 Correlation Index
2.2.4 Density
2.2.5 API Gravity
2.2.6 Viscosity
2.2.7 Carbon Distribution
2.2.8 Viscosity–Gravity Constant
2.2.9 UOP Characterization Factor
2.2.10 Recovery Method
2.2.11 Pour Point
2.3 Miscellaneous Systems
2.4 Reservoir Classification
2.4.1 Identification and Quantification
2.4.2 Future
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2.1 Introduction

Composition of crude oil:

• Carbon, 83.0% to 87.0%

• Hydrogen, 10.0% to 14.0%
• Nitrogen, 0.1% to 2.0%
• Oxygen, 0.05% to 1.5%
• Sulfur , 0 .05% to 6.0%
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2.2 Classification Systems

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2.2.1 Classification as a Hydrocarbon

Resource
• FIGURE 2.2 Classification of the earth’s organic sediments according
to hydrocarbon occurrence and
• production.
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2.2.1 Classification as a Hydrocarbon Resource

Hydrocarbon resources divide into two classes:

(1) Naturally occurring hydrocarbons (petroleum, natural

gas, and natural waxes)

(2) Hydrocarbon sources (oil shale and coal)

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2.2.2 Classification by Chemical Composition

The hydrocarbons found in petroleum are

classified into the following types:

(1) Paraffins
(2) Cyclopaffins (naphthenes)
(3) Aromatics
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2.2.2 Classification by Chemical Composition

Petroleum (Crude oils) are classified as:

(1) Paraffin base - contained more than 5% wax

(2) Asphalt base - distillation residue contained less than

2% wax
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2.2.3 Correlation Index

CI = 473.7d – 456.8 + 48,640/K,
K - petroleum fraction is the average boiling point
determined by the standard Bureau of Mines distillation
method
d - specific gravity
OR
CI = 87552/TB + 473.7G – 456.8
TB - mean average boiling point,
°R G - specific gravity at 60°F
CI = 0 - straight-chain paraffins
CI = 100- benzene
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2.2.3 Correlation Index

Values for the Correlation Index:

 0-15 : predominance of paraffin hydrocarbons

in the fraction.
 15-50 : predominance of either naphthenes or of
mixtures of paraffins, naphthenes, and aromatics.
 more than 50 : predominance of aromatic
species.
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2.2.4 Density

Light: less than 870 kg/m3 (greater than

31.1°API)
Medium: 870 to 920 kg/m3 (31.1°API to
22.3°API)
Heavy: 920 to 1000 kg/m3 (22.3°API to 10°API)
Extra-heavy: greater than 1000 kg/m3 (less than
10° API)
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2.2.5 API Gravity

The API values for each “weight” are as follows:

 Light – API > 31.1
 Medium – API between 22.3 and 31.1
 Heavy – API < 22.3
 Extra Heavy – API < 10.0

Heavy oils were considered those petroleum-type

materials that had gravity somewhat less than 20° API
Tar sand bitumen falling into the 5° to 10° API range.
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2.2.6 Viscosity

 Briefly, materials having viscosity less than 10,000

centipoises (cp) are conventional petroleum and heavy
oil.

 Tar sand bitumen has a viscosity greater than 10,000 cp

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2.2.7 Carbon Distribution

A high value of %CA at 500°C (930°F) boiling
point usually indicates a high content of
asphaltenes in the residue.

A high value of %CnP at 500°C (930°F) boiling

point usually indicates a waxy residue.
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2.2.8 Viscosity–Gravity Constant

For oil types:

d is the specific gravity at 60° F

v is the Saybolt viscosity at 39°C (100°F).

For heavy oil (viscous crude oil):

 The lower the index number, the more paraffin the

feedstock.
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2.2.9 UOP (Watson)Characterization

Factor
K = (TB)1/3/d

Where:
TB is the average boiling point in degrees Rankine.
d is the specific gravity at 60° F

 Highly paraffin oils have K in the range 12.5 to 13.0

 Cyclic (naphthene) oils have K in the range 10.5 to 12.5
 Aromatics: 9.0- 10.5
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2.2.10 Recovery Method

FIGURE 2.3 Classification of petroleum, heavy oil, and bitumen by API gravity
and viscosity.
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2.2.11 Pour Point

 When the reservoir temperature exceeds the
pour point, the oil is fluid in the reservoir and
therefore mobile.
 When the reservoir temperature is lower than
the pour point, this indicates that the bitumen is
solid within the deposit and therefore immobile.
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2.3 Miscellaneous Systems

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2.3 Miscellaneous Systems

Other classification methods:

 Chromatographic data - classification of crude oil on the

basis of polarity.
 Gas chromatography, Fourier transform infrared
spectroscopy, proton magnetic resonance, urea
adduction, and solid liquid chromatograph y –
classification of petroleum wax.
 Pyrolysis–gas chromatography - classification of
kerogen.
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2.4 Reservoir Classification

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2.4.1 Identification and Quantification

Petroleum reservoir characterization is the process of identifying

and quantifying those properties of a given petroleum reservoir
which affect the distribution and migration of fluids within that
reservoir. These aspects are controlled by the geological history
of the reservoir. Further, the ultimate goal of a hydrocarbon
reservoir characterization study is the development of a
reasonable physical description of a given reservoir. This
physical description can then be used as a basis for simulation
studies, which, in turn, are used to assess the effectiveness of
various recovery strategies. An accurate physical description of
the reservoir will often lead to the maximum production of
hydrocarbons from the reservoir. The type of reservoir from
which it originates and the method of recovery appear to be the
most appropriate method for classifying petroleum, heavy oil,
and tar sand bitumen.
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2.4.2 Future

Future energy resources will be found in what are

currently considered to be unconventional
reservoirs, especially low- permeability reservoirs
in shale, siltstone, fine-grained sand, and
carbonates
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References
• The Chemistry and Technology of Petroleum Fourth
Edition (Page 68 )