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QUALITY, SPECIFICATIONS AND YIELD OF CRUDE OIL FROM THE WELL TO THE REFINERY

QUALITY, SPECIFICATIONS AND YIELD OF CRUDE OIL FROM THE WELL TO THE REFINERY. Scott Blakely Laboratory Services Manager Central & West Coast Regions, Intertek. ENERGY CONFERENCE Miami Beach October 2014. Many Various Crude Oil Types. Ninian, North Sea 36° API. Altamont, Utah 42° API.

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QUALITY, SPECIFICATIONS AND YIELD OF CRUDE OIL FROM THE WELL TO THE REFINERY

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  1. QUALITY, SPECIFICATIONS AND YIELD OF CRUDE OIL FROM THE WELL TO THE REFINERY Scott Blakely Laboratory Services Manager Central & West Coast Regions, Intertek ENERGY CONFERENCE Miami Beach October 2014

  2. Many Various Crude Oil Types Ninian, North Sea 36° API Altamont, Utah 42° API Arabian Light 33° API • Conventional Crudes • Virgin Crudes • Blended Crudes • Unconventional Crudes • Shale Oils • Oil Sands Barrow Island, Australia 38° API Sumatran Light 35° API Boscan, Venezuela 10° API Nigerian Light 37° API Offshore California 18° API Empire Mix, Louisiana Gulf 30° API

  3. The three benchmark oil products: • North America's West Texas Intermediate crude (WTI) • North Sea Brent Crude • UAE Dubai Crude

  4. Bakken crude is described as a light sweet crude oil similar to West Texas Intermediate (WTI). What does that mean?

  5. The first quality characterization of crude oilis: API Gravity API gravity is a standard unit of density compared to water. If a product’s API gravity is greater than 10, it is lighter and floats on water. If a product’s API gravity is less than 10, it is heavier and sinks. Quantities of crude oil are often measured in metric tons.

  6. API Gravity is determined by test methods: ASTM D1298 or D287, Hydrometer ASTM D5002, Densitometer

  7. The API gravity is used to classify oils as light, medium, heavy, or extra heavy: • Light – API > 31.1 • Medium – API between 22.3 and 31.1 • Heavy – API < 22.3 • Extra Heavy – API < 10.0 WTI has an API Gravity around 40 Bakken has an API Gravity around 42 API Gravity of an oil is the largest determinant of its market value. Less dense oil or “light oil” is preferable to more dense oil as it contains greater quantities of hydrocarbons that can be converted to gasoline and diesel fuel.

  8. The second quality characterization of crude oilis: Sulfur Content The Sulfur content is used to classify oils as sweet or sour: • Sweet < 0.5 %mass • Sour >= 0.5 %mass Sour crude oil needs the sulfur to be removed before it can be refined, thereby increasing the cost of processing.

  9. Sulfur is determined by test method: ASTM D4294, X-ray Fluorescence The sample is placed in an X-ray beam and resultant excited X radiation is measured. Water and Sediment can be a significant interference as they can settle out on the cell membrane thus obscuring the X-Ray and giving falsely lower sulfur value. Centrifuging sample to remove water and sediment will remove this interference.

  10. The next quality characteristics of crude oilare: Water and Sediment When extracted from formations, crude oil will contain some amount of water and solids. Most water and sediment is separated at the field. Crude oil is typically sold under certain water and sediment specification. Refiners may also have initial dehydration and desalting process units. Obviously, at $100 per barrel, nobody wants to purchase water and sediment.

  11. Water and Sedimentare determined by various test methods: ASTM D4007, Water & Sediment by Centrifuge ASTM D4006, Water by Distillation ASTM D473, Sediment by Extraction ASTM D4807, Sediment by Membrane Filtration ASTM D4928, Water by Coulometric Karl Fischer Titration

  12. There are various specifications for Water & Sediment. The industry has always been wary of setting specs for these contaminants for fear that parties will determine it is acceptable to “blend” these in, up to those limits. These contaminants are much more expensive to remove at the refinery than disposed properly at the oilfield.

  13. Who sets Crude Oil Specifications? Refiners Terminals Transportation: Pipelines, Rail, Barges, & Ship Government agencies: EPA, DOT/PHMSA Contracts: Buyers, Commodity Exchanges such as NYMEX Refinery Barge Rail Freight Storage Truck Pipeline Wellhead

  14. Vapor Pressure EPA requirements for floating roof tank limits at terminals DOT/PHMSA limits for transportation by pipeline, rail, and truck

  15. Vapor Pressureby test methods: ASTM D323, manual cylinder ASTM D6377, automated instrument EPA has stated that D6377 result of VPCR4(100ºF) is accepted alternative to D2879. ASTM D2879, Isoteniscope ASTM Dxxxx, pending cylinder field test

  16. Critical Concerns of Vapor Pressure Sampling: Live crude oil must be sampled into Floating Piston Cylinders (FPC) FPC are current industry recommendation, but they have drawbacks. They are expensive. Cylinders are reactive to hydrogen sulfide unless treated. They usually require 30psi pressure to fill. FPC only pull spot samples which may not be representative of whole tank. Dead crude oil (stabilized to remove C1-C3 hydrocarbons) can be sampled in 1L bottles filled 70% – 80%.

  17. Hydrogen Sulfide

  18. Hydrogen Sulfide by test methods: UOP163, H2S in Liquid Phase by Potentiometric Titration ASTM D7621 / IP 570, H2S in Liquid Phase by Analyzer ASTM D5707 Modified, H2S in Vapor Phase by Drager Tube

  19. Critical Concerns of Hydrogen Sulfide: Bakken crude oil and many other types typically contain more than 2000ppm Hydrogen Sulfide in vapor phase. Hydrogen Sulfide kills and creates a major transportation and handling danger. Crude Oil containing high amounts of Hydrogen Sulfide must be additized with scavenger to remove this danger. Too much scavenger is also a concern for the refiner.

  20. Other tests required by DOT / PHMSA for rail transport of Bakken Crude Oil: Initial Boiling Point, ASTM D86 Flash Point, ASTM D56 manual preferred It can be dangerous to perform a flash point on flammable product with a theoretical flash point of -40ºC (-40ºF) • If IBP <=95oF, then PG I classification and nothing further needs to be done. • If IBP >95oF & Flash Point is <= 73oF then PG II classification • If IBP >95oF & Flash Point is >73oF and <=140oF then PG III classification, which may well still need to be transported under PG I or II requirements.

  21. Organic Chlorides Organic chlorides are not known to be naturally present in crude oils. Organic chlorides can be produced from hydrochloric acid in hydrotreating or reforming reactors. The acid accumulates in condensing regions of the refinery causing damaging corrosion.

  22. Organic Chloridesby test methods: ASTM D4929, Procedure A - Potentiometric Titration Procedure B - Combustion Microcoulometry ASTM D7536, X-ray Fluorescence

  23. Critical Concerns of Organic Chlorides: Organic Chlorides have caused detrimental effects to refiners numerous occasions. The industry is fearful of setting specifications other than at the lower detection limit of the methodologies (<1ppm) over concerns that this contaminant might be blended into product.

  24. Crude Oil Characterization NYMEX Specifications API Gravity Sulfur Sediment & Water Vapor Pressure Pour Point, ASTM D97 Viscosity, ASTM D445 ASTM D7042

  25. Crude Oil Characterization Other Typical Contract Specifications Acid Number (TAN), ASTM D664 Acidic constituents can cause corrosion. Indicates amount of inorganic metals, rust, or dirt present. Ash Content, ASTM D482 Nickel, Vanadium, and Iron, ASTM D5863 / D5708 These elements can deactivate refinery catalysts during processing and also cause corrosion. Crude oil value can be affected by high concentrations.

  26. Crude Oil Characterization Other Typical Specifications Asphaltenes, ASTM D3279, D6560 / IP143 Heptane insoluble, highest molecular mass material. They may give problems during storage and handling Microcarbon Residue Test, ASTM D4530 Indicates tendency to form carbonaceous type deposits under degradation conditions

  27. Crude Oil Characterization Other Typical Refinery Requirements Excessive chloride can result in corrosion and has detrimental effects on catalysts. Results indicate whether crude oil requires desalting. Salt, ASTM 3230 Nitrogen content, ASTM D5762 Nitrogen compounds can contaminate refinery catalysts.

  28. Light Gases Naphtha Kerosene Distillate Fuel – Gas Oil Heavy Products API 40.1 39.1 37.5 32.1 27.9 20.6 Sulfur Content Wt.% 0.13 0.35 0.40 0.93 2.85 3.34

  29. Laboratory Atmospheric Crude Oil Distillation Unit, ASTM D2892 TBP 15 / 5 Tower Crude Assay IBP to 752oF (or 400oC)

  30. Crude Assay Laboratory Vacuum Distillation Unit ASTM D5236 Vacuum Potstill 752oF to 1050oF (or 565oC)

  31. IBP Laboratory Atmospheric Crude Oil Distillation Unit, ASTM D2892 TBP 15 / 5 Tower IBP to 752o F (or 400o C) 700o F Range Laboratory Vacuum Distillation Unit ASTM D5236 Vacuum Potstill 752o F to 1050o F (or 565o C) 1050o F

  32. Pilot Plant Evaluations P84-88, fixed bed hydroprocessing pilot plants 150 Still, 150 gallon batch distillation unit

  33. Intertek “Rapid Yield Assay” ASTM D7169, High Temperature Simulated Distillation Gas Chromatography ASTM D7900, Light Hydrocarbons (C1-C9) Gas Chromatography Rapid Yield Assay is merged data from ASTM D7169 & ASTM D7900

  34. Rapid Yield Crude Quality Monitoring

  35. Intertek “Rapid Yield Assay” Benefits: Limited sample size requirement (5mls) Fast turnaround time for analysis – 24hrs Cost is much less expensive.

  36. Conclusion • Crude Quality is more than Gravity/Sulfur. • Quality can affect transportation safety. • It can be restricted by government regulations. • There can be a direct effect of commodity value. • It can give a good indication of refinery yields. www.intertek.com/petroleum

  37. This presentation has been prepared for the sole benefit of providing general comparative type information on crude oil. Intertek assumes no responsibility for the content, accuracy, or completeness of the data presented and does not in any way endorse its use or fitness for a particular purpose.

  38. References Contact Details: Scott Blakely, Laboratory Services Manager Central & West Coast Regions, Intertek Email: scott.blakely@intertek.com References: COQA.org “Crude Oil Quality Association” CCQTA.com “Canadian Crude Quality Technical Association” North Dakota Petroleum Council American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) www.osha.gov/SLTC/hydrogensulfide

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