Sulfur speciation of Kuwaiti crude oils fractions using two-dimensional gas chromatography

Abstract

The main objective of this study is to develop a methodology for sulfur compounds speciation using two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with a flame ionization detector and sulfur chemiluminescence detectors. The methodology enhances the ability to detect and quantify the refractory sulfur in petroleum distillates, and it was utilized to screen the molecular differences between distillates of two Kuwaiti heavy crude oils from different reservoirs but with similar physical properties. Despite the similarity in the physical properties, the detailed comparative analysis indicated significant differences in molecular composition, which suggests substantial differences in crude oil processability based on the reactivity of the detected compounds. The distillates that have been considered in this study include heavy naphtha, kerosene, and gas oil. The compositional differences between the distillates were observed using the two-dimensional gas chromatography system with an in-house developed method. This method groups the sulfur compounds into thiols, benzothiophenes (BTs), and dibenzothiophene (DBTs), and it can handle any atmospheric distillate up 365 °C. Furthermore, the method includes the possibility of identifying and quantifying a total number of 44 sulfur species, which covers the previously mentioned sulfur groups.