Crude Oil Refining

Characterize single or multi-component oils and blends for use in common refining applications.

Atmospheric and Vacuum Towers Complete Oil Characterization and Blending Three Phase Columns Side Strippers and Pumparounds Analyze operational problems Choose from Assay Types: o TBP o ASTM D86 o ASTM D1160 o ASTM D2887/SD o EFV

Characterizing Crude Oils

To model a process containing a crude oil or condensate, the properties of the oil must be known or at least estimated. Determining the exact composition of crude oils and heavy condensates is not feasible because of the enormous number of components included in these mixtures. Instead, a boiling curve analysis is usually performed by measuring the temperature of the distillate fraction at specific cumulative volume percentages. These boiling point measurements are then related to the physical properties of the oil or condensate using correlations developed by industry. The correlations estimate properties such as specific gravity, molecular weight, viscosity, critical temperature and pressure, etc. based on the crude oil analysis. A crude oil mixture may be modeled as a single

component or as a group of hypothetical components which represent the boiling curve of the crude oil mixture.

Oil Assay
A crude oil or condensate may be defined by assay using a boiling curve analysis which usually consists of temperature measurements of distillate fractions at specific cumulative volume percentages. Other properties such as molecular weight, specific gravity, or viscosity may also be determined at specific cumulative volume percentages. More commonly, molecular weight and specific gravity are supplied as "bulk properties" which are measured for the overall oil sample. These boiling curve measurements and bulk properties are then related to the physical properties of the oil or condensate using correlations. The more data available, the more accurate the characterization.

Defining a Single Oil

The Single Oil characterization is intended to model a narrow boiling mixture as a single component. A Single Oil is ideal for characterizing a C6+ or C7+ fraction of a natural gas for which the average boiling point or molecular weight and specific gravity are known. Wider boiling mixtures should be characterized using a boiling point curve.

Specifying Light Ends for Oils

Light Ends are low molecular weight organic compounds such as methane, ethane, propane, etc. which can be included as components in the oil. Light Ends can be generated from the boiling curve data, supplied from a separate analysis, or no light ends can be specified. If generated or supplied, the amount of each light end component represents the amount of the oil mixture that has an average boiling point equal to the specified light end. (The basis for Light Ends Amounts is the same as the original assay data basis). Example Pentane and Hexane are specified as light end components, and the generated (or specified) amounts are 11 and 6%, respectively. This means that 17% of the boiling curve will be replaced by these two components. If the boiling curve Volume Fraction Distilled was entered in standard liquid volumetric fraction as the Assay Fraction Basis, then 11 liquid volume % of the boiling curve will be represented by Pentane, and another 6 liquid volume % of the boiling curve will be represented by Hexane.

To specify light ends, click on the Light Ends tab of the oil specification dialog. Oil Blends may also be generated from previously defined oils.