Arabian Crude Oil Research Articles

Study of oil sorption behaviour of esterified oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) fibre and its kinetics and isotherm studies

Oil spills concern the public as they are incredibly harmful to the environment and the economy. A collection of business frameworks has been created to control oil spills, such as the utilization of agricultural wastes as sorbents. This paper demonstrates the use of raw and modified fibre from empty bunches of palm fruit, a low-cost adsorbent material for the oil spill in the marine environment. To improve fibre’s sorption capacity, the fibre was modified by esterification using oleic acid. The modified fibre was tested to adsorb crude oil in a batch system (Tapis and Arabian). The extent of modification was given according to weight percent gain (WPG), which was calculated on the basis of difference in weight before and after the treatment. To increase the esterification productivity, an optimization study was conducted at various concentrations of oleic acid and temperature, and achieved higher WPG (with 4.32%) and subsequently higher oil sorption capacity of 5.8 and 5.96 g/g for Tapis and Arabian crude oil, respectively. Besides, this study also focused on correspondence of surface functional groups of the adsorbent using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrum, surface morphology by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and measure the contact angle using Interfacial Tension. Two well-known adsorption kinetic and isotherm models of sorbents were utilized to explain the mechanism of adsorption of oil onto the modified OPEFB fibre. The predicted result exemplified that, Pseudo-second-order model from the kinetic and Langmuir model from isotherm study were well represented to remove crude oil onto the treated OPEFB fibre regarding the highest correlation coefficient (R2) and closely of maximum crude oil adsorption in theoretical (q0) and experimental (qe) data.

Narrow distillation cuts for an improved characterisation of crude oil: an insight on heteroatoms in heavy fraction molecules

A light Arabian crude oil was separated by distillation into 27 fractions, including 25 very narrow distillation cuts, the light ends, and a vacuum residue (VR), which were extensively characterised using standard methods. Overall, the properties matched well with those predicted by H/CAMS software, indicating a successful distillation. Then, quantitative 13C NMR spectroscopy, SIMDIS, and molecular weight (MW) distribution by mass spectrometry were used to derive an improved correlation between the MW and boiling point for the entire crude oil, in particular for the VR fraction. This allowed determining the mass fractions of sulphur and nitrogen containing compounds across the crude oil boiling range, reaching up to approximately 100% in the VR fraction. The corresponding low abundance of pure hydrocarbon molecules in the VR fraction is important for modelling purposes and processing technologies. [Received: May 3, 2019; Accepted: July 24, 2019]

Saturated Compounds in Heavy Petroleum Fractions

The saturated compounds in a series of progressively higher boiling petroleum fractions, namely five vacuum gas oils (VGO) and the corresponding vacuum residue (VR) of an Arabian crude oil, were se...

The role of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and carbon particles in green enhanced oil recovery (GEOR) for Arabian crude oil in sandstone core

Green enhanced oil recovery (GEOR) is a chemical enhanced oil recovery (EOR) involving the injection of specific green chemicals (surfactants/alcohols/polymers) that effectively displace oil because of their phase-behaviour properties, which decrease the IFT between the displacing liquid and the oil. Carbon nanoparticles application in EOR has sparked interest in the last few years due to its unique characteristics. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are one of the common carbon nanomaterials with EOR potential, but they are not used with green surfactant to improve oil recovery. In addition, the recently developed Date Leaf Carbon Particle (DLCP) method has not been applied to GEOR and requires further study. The role of carbon particles in GEOR is not well understood and requires further investigation. This study was conducted to examine the effectiveness of DLCP and CNT in green surfactant alkyl polyglucoside (APG) for recovering residual oil within rock pores. The study consisted of a set of laboratory experiments. Two formulations of DLCP, CNT and green surfactant mixtures were selected for core-flood experiments based on interfacial tension measurements to examine their potential for EOR. In the first formulation, 0.08% DLCP was mixed with 0.5% APG and produced 45% of tertiary oil and 89% of oil initially in place (OIIP). This formulation produced a significant quantity of incremental oil after water flooding. Lastly, 0.5% APG was blended with 0.08% CNT; this produced about 27% tertiary oil and 77% OIIP.

Biostimulation of crude oil-polluted soils: influence of initial physicochemical and biological characteristics of soil

Biostimulation of the activity of degrading autochthonous microbiota constitutes one of the most accepted bioremediation tools for oil-polluted soils. Applications of nutrients such as nitrogen fertilizers, oleophilic fertilizers or surfactants are some of the strategies employed. Soil microcosm experiments were performed in open glass containers to compare the biological activity of two types of soils: a sandy soil with low nutrient content and low biological activity and a clay loam soil with high nutrient content and high biological activity. Arabian crude oil was used as the contaminant, applied at 10,000 mg kg−1 and 20,000 mg kg−1. Different treatments were used including natural attenuation, used as a control, and the application of different biostimulation products. The results showed that for sandy soil at high hydrocarbon pollution, amendment with oleophilic fertilizer combined with a surfactant was the best treatment, whereas at low hydrocarbon pollution no significant differences were found among the treatments. In clay loam soil, at 10,000 mg kg−1 of hydrocarbon pollution, surfactant application was the most efficient treatment for total petroleum hydrocarbons removal. However, when Arabian crude oil was supplied at 20,000 mg kg−1, nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium treatment and the oleophilic fertilizer S200C in combination with surfactant treatment presented the highest rate of total petroleum hydrocarbons removal. Thus, the suitability of biostimulation treatments was strongly influenced by the initial physicochemical and biological characteristics of the soil.

Novel Superhydrophobic Sand and Polyurethane Sponge Coated with Silica/Modified Asphaltene Nanoparticles for Rapid Oil Spill Cleanup

Superhydrophobic nanomaterials are promising in the important pursuit to alleviate the environmental pollution caused by the petroleum crude oil industry, especially to clean-up oil spills. In this work, asphaltenes isolated from crude oil were modified to act as capping agents during the synthesis of hydrophobic silica nanoparticles (HSNPs). The chemical structure, surface morphology, particle size, and surfaces charge of HSNPs were investigated. The contact angles of water droplets on HSNP film surfaces were measured to investigate their wetting properties. Finally, superhydrophobic sand and polyurethane sponge were prepared by coating them with HSNPs and applied in the cleanup of oil spills of viscous heavy Arabian crude oil.

DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW CORRELATION TO PREDICT VISCOSITY OF PETROLEUM FRACTIONS

Knowledge of temperature dependence of liquid viscosity plays an important role in a variety of engineering problems in oil and gas transportation. In this work an experimental database was established, which consists of kinematic viscosity for several petroleum fractions in kerosene and gas oil ranges. A new correlation was developed to predict the effect of temperature on Kinematic Viscosity of petroleum fractions of a wide boiling range from 30 to 200 C. This correlation is based on the correlation of viscosity of pure hydrocarbons that had been developed by Mehrotra (1995). Fitting parameters have been evaluated for 235 experimental data points from 31 true boiling point fractions of Libyan crude oils and for 144 data points Arab heavy, Arab medium, and Arab Berri crude oils. In addition, fitting parameters have also been evaluated for both Libyan and Arabian and other world crude-oil fractions. The proposed correlation fits the kinematic viscosity data with an overall average relative error of 2.7 % for the 33 Libyan crude oil fractions and 2.4 % for the 167 Arabian crude oils fractions, and 3.0 % for the 35 other world fractions.

Novel caped Pd nanoparticles-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for the identification of oxygenates in Saudi Arabian crude oil

Saudi Arabian crude oil is a super complex mixture and, up to now, there has been little research into its heteroatom-containing compounds.First, oxygenated compounds (OCs) were isolated from Saudi Arabian oil using a Pd nanoparticle exchange complex, which formed between the nano-Pds and the oxygenated ligands.Normally, polycyclic aromatic sulphur heterocycles (S-PAHs) are separated from petroleum oil via the same method.The obtained results reveal that all the OC formulations with S-PAHs can be separated from the pre-isolated aromatic fraction of crude oil via this approach.S-PAHs are mixtures of benzothiophene and dibenzothiophene congeners.The isolated OCs are composed mainly of hydroxyl compounds.The liquid chromatography (LC)/electrospray ionization (ESI) in positive ion mode ESI (+)/tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) technique was used to assign the molecular weight distribution and identify the isolated OCs.The LC/ESI (+)-MS/MS technique differentiates S-PAHs and OCs using protonated ions.Thus, LC/ESI (+)-MS/MS can be used to assign molecular weight distributions for both the groups as a single mixture.MS/MS in precursor ion mode was used for the immediate identification of the target S or O analytes.

Diffusion-Ordered Spectroscopy Nuclear Magnetic Resonance as an Alternative Technique to Improve Asphaltene Characterization

An asphaltene sample from a light Arabian crude oil was characterized using several analytical techniques, such as thermogravimetric analysis, nuclear magnetic resonance, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and elemental analysis. The results showed that the sample has a high sulfur content and highly condensed aromatic compounds and the average molecular structure is predominantly of continental/island type; however, the presence of a significant amount of methylene carbons in long alkyl chains is clear. A diffusion-ordered spectroscopy nuclear magnetic resonance experiment (DOSY-NMR) was carried out to detect the presence of asphaltene aggregates, evaluate their size, and shed light on the presence of maltenic occluded species and entrained residual solvent. In the DOSY spectrum, some sample signals were attributed to non-asphaltenic molecules, showing that it is possible to achieve key features of the sample complexity in “one shot”.

Synthesis and Application of Poly(ionic liquid) Based on Cardanol as Demulsifier for Heavy Crude Oil Water Emulsions

Amphiphilic poly(ionic liquids), PILs, derived from natural products attracted great attention as a green chemical in the field of the surface chemistry and petroleum industry. In the present work, new surface active PILs were synthesized from cardanol cashew nut oil as a hydrophobic alkyl phenol. The phenol group was etherified with diethanolamine, ethanolamine, and tetraethylene glycol using linking agent based on β,β-dicholorodiethyl ether to insert nonionic hydrophilic groups into cardanol. The amine group was quaternized with 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid to produce polymerizable ionic liquids that polymerized to obtain new PILs. The chemical structure of the prepared new PILs was elucidated from 1HNMR and elemental analysis. The surface activity of the prepared PILs was determined from the surface and interfacial tension measurements of their aqueous solution. The ability of the prepared PILs to disperse the asphaltene fractions of the heavy Arabian crude oil was studied. It was used ...

THE GREAT PATAGONIAN OIL SPILL (METULA), 41 YEARS LATER

ABSTRACT: 2017-300 On 9 August 1974, the supertanker VLCC Metula spilled over 50,000 tons of Saudi Arabian crude oil and 2000 tons of bunker oil into the eastern portion of the Strait of Magellan in southern Chile. Oil spread over 200 km of glacially derived shorelines primarily composed of mixed sand and gravel to boulder-sized material. No cleanup was performed. Initial and follow-up investigators from Chile, U.S., U.K. and Canada reported on oiled shoreline conditions and spill persistence through 2005. This report extends the analysis to February 2015 for the primary areas noted as having remaining oil, i.e. within Puerto Espora behind Espora spit and the sheltered East Espora Marsh. Both are located along the First Narrows on the Tierra del Fuego side of the Strait. Comparisons are made to previous site visits in 1975–76, 1981 and 1995. Conditions at Puerto Espora historically showed a wide band of thick asphalted gravel pavement in a slow process of breakup. This area in 2015 has been further degraded by physical processes but mineralized asphalt remnants are still evident over a discontinuous length of 180 m (maximums: width = 8 m, thickness = 10 cm). In East Espora Marsh, oil initially entered during a very high tide such that oil settled on to channel banks and upper areas dominated by salt-tolerant plants (Salicornia, Puccinellia and Sueda). In 2015, oil remains very much in evidence as weathered asphalt in thin deposits, as a high viscosity black oil with underlying brown mousse common in thicker (>4 cm) deposits, and as oil buried up to 10 cm below a layer of fine silt/clay. Vegetation has recovered to an estimated 75% in interior marsh areas and to ~35% in the outer marsh located at the entry to the marsh. The Metula site remains of great scientific interest in terms of oil spill persistence in a cool dry environment that may be compared to other high latitude habitats such as found in the newly opening Arctic Ocean area.

New correlations for prediction of saturated and undersaturated oil viscosity of Arabian oil fields

New correlations for saturated and undersaturated oil viscosity were developed for Saudi Arabian crude oil. The data consist of 79 and 71 experimental measurements of saturated and undersaturated crude oil viscosity, respectively, at reservoir conditions. Other PVT measurements above and below bubble point pressure are also included. The new correlations were developed using genetic programming approach. The new models were developed and tested using linear genetic programming (GP) technique. The models efficiency was compared to existing correlations. Average absolute relative deviation, coefficient of correlation, and crossplots were used to evaluate the proposed models, and their outputs indicate the accuracy of the GP technique and the superiority of the developed models in comparison with the commonly utilized models tested.

Sulfur transfer in the distillate fractions of Arabian crude oils under gamma-irradiation

Desulfurization of light distillation fractions including gasoline, kerosene and diesel obtained from the four Arabian crude oils (heavy, medium, light and extra light) upon γ-rays irradiation to different doses was investigated. In addition, yields vol%, FTIR analysis, kinematic viscosity and density of all distillation fractions of irradiated crude oils were evaluated. Limited radiation-induced desulfurization of those fractions was observed up to an irradiation dose of 200 kGy. FTIR analysis of those fractions indicates the absence of oxidized sulfur compounds, represented by S=O of sulfone group, indicating that γ-irradiation of the Arabian crude oils at normal conditions does not induce an oxidative desulfurization in those distillation fractions. Radiation-induced sulfur transfer decreases by 28.56% and increases in total sulfur by 16.8% in Arabian extra light oil and Arabian medium crude oil respectively.

Acetylation of oil palm empty fruit bunch fiber as an adsorbent for removal of crude oil.

Removal of oil spillage from the environment is a global concern. Various methods, including the use of fibers as sorbents, have been developed for oil spill control. Oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) fiber is a plant biomass that may be acetylated by acetic anhydride using N-bromosuccinimide (NBS) as a catalyst; here, the extent of acetylation may be calculated in terms of weight percent gain (WPG). The modified fiber was used to remove Tapis and Arabian crude oils. The optimum time, temperature, and catalyst concentration were 4h, 120°C, and 3%, respectively, and these parameters could achieve an 11.49% increase in WPG. The optimized parameters improved the adsorption capacity of OPEFB fibers for crude oil removal. The acetylated OPEFB fibers were characterized by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy to observe the functional groups available and morphology. Kinetic and isotherm studies were conducted using different contact times and oil/water ratios. The rate of oil sorption onto the OPEFB fibers can be adequately described by the pseudo-second-order equation. Adsorption studies revealed that adsorption of crude oil on treated OPEFB fiber could be best described by the Langmuir isotherm model.

Esterification of Corn Silk Fiber to Improve Oil Absorbency

Oil contamination has caused more public anxiety than other waste or spilt materials into the marine environment. Oil sorbents of high sorption capacity, biodegradable, readily available and low cost, are important for protection of water environment, especially from oil spillage. This work deals with raw and modified corn silk, an agricultural waste, as a low cost sorbent for oil-products spill cleanup in the aquatic environment. Corn silk was modified using fatty acid (oleic acid) to improve its sorption capacity. The chemical functional groups of raw and modified corn silk were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Kinetic tests were conducted with a series of contact times. The kinetic studies showed good correlation coefficients for a pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The oleic acid treated corn silk (OTCS) showed high degree of hydrophobicity and oil sorption capacity of approximately 10.7 and 11.90 g oil/g sorbent for Tapis and Arabian crude oil, respectively. Corn silk is a cheap waste material that can be treated to have an acceptable sorption capacity which can be used as an alternative to the commercial synthetic sorbents such as polypropylene.

ISOLATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF CRUDE OIL AND POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBON-DEGRADING BACTERIA FROM POLLUTED HARBOURS IN NORTH JAKARTA

Several harbours in North Jakarta have been polluted by spills of oil and their derivates. We suggest that diverse species of crude oil and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria  inhabit these harbours. An experiment was undertaken in 2007 to isolate crude oil and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-degrading bacteria from oil-polluted harbours, such as Muara Baru, Sunda Kelapa and Tanjung Priok. Sea water and sediment samples were collected twice, in March and April. Crude oil and PAH-degrading bacteria were isolated from enrichment culture of samples in an enrichment medium (SWP), using ONR7a medium with the addition of 5 types of PAH gases or Arabian Light Crude Oil 210 (ALCO 210) onto medium. This study reported that fluoranthene and crude oil-degrading bacteria were the major bacteria isolated from the three polluted harbours. In total, 109 isolates have been collected which can degrade crude oil (29% of total isolates), fluoranthene (33%), fluorene (20%), pyrene (7%), dibenzothiopene (6%), and phenantrene (5 %). Among these isolates, 5 isolates have the capability to degrade 5 types of PAH and ALCO 210. They were Alcanivorax sp. B-1084, Pseudomonas sp. D5-38b, Alcanivorax sp. TE-9, Bacillus sp. L41, Alcanivorax dieselolei strain B-5 clone 1. Culturable bacteria have been isolated mostly from the Sunda Kelapa samples, with fewer in those from Muara Baru and Tanjung Priok, respectively

Alkaline-Impregnated Activated Carbon: Synthesis and Application in Crude Oil Desulfurization

In this work, a series of solid desulfurizers were prepared via loading of an inorganic alkali on activated carbon (AC). The optimal synthetic procedure of the solid desulfurizer is to pretreat AC with nitric acid (68.0 wt %) for 4 h and then impregnate the sample in a 0.02 g/mL NaHCO3 aqueous solution at 35 °C for 2 h. Finally, this solid adsorbent desulfurizer was calcined at 500 °C for 4 h, and referred to as NC-AC. This solid desulfurizer was used to treat Saudi Arabian crude oil with a mass ratio of 30:1 (crude oil:NC-AC) at 55 °C for 3.5 h. A desulfurization efficiency as high as 32.4 wt % was achieved with optimized NC-AC. The NC-AC samples had larger pore diameters and evenly distributed alkali leading to high desulfurization efficiency. The desulfurization mechanisms of the AC supported desulfurizer were analyzed, indicating that both physical and chemical adsorption occurred on the desulfurizer. This desulfurizer also has good performance to adsorb thiophenes, alkylthiophene, and benzothiophenes...

Acetylation of corn silk and its application for oil sorption

Oil sorbents for cleanup operation should be of high sorption capacity, biodegradable, readily available, and low-cost. This is important for protection of the water environment, especially for oil spillage. Corn silk is a low-cost sorbent. In this study corn silk was treated by acetylation process to improve the sorption capacity. The process involved acetylation by acetic anhydride using N-bromosuccinimide (NBS) as a catalyst. Reaction time of 1, 3, 6, and 9 h, temperature of 90-120 °C and percentage of catalyst of 1-3 % were used in the experiment. The results showed that the highest oil sorption was 11.45 % weight percent gain (WPG). This was achieved at 3 % catalyst concentration in acetic anhydride and temperature of 120 °C for 6 h. A weight percent gain of 11.45 % was achieved. The effect of contact time on oil sorption capacity for different crude oil (Tapis and Arabian crude oils) was investigated. In general the sorption capacity reduced after the fifth cycle of sorption/ desorption. The characteristics of raw and treated corn silk were examined using FT-IR and FE-SEM. The treated corn silk as an organic waste material was found to have higher sorption capacity than that of the commercial synthetic sorbents such as polypropylene. This agriculture waste may be used to replace those of non-biodegradable oil sorbents.

An in-situ electropolymerization based sensor for measuring salt content in crude oil

Determining salt content is a vital procedure in the petroleum industry during the process of crude oil transportation, refining and production. Monitoring the salinity value using a fast and direct technique can substantially lower the cost of crude oil in its processing and its production stages. In the present work, a novel analytical method was developed to detect the amount of salt present in crude oil in a quick and reliable manner. The measurement is based on the rate of in-situ electropolymerization of a monomer such as aniline in association with the salt content in the crude oil. The salt dispersed in the hydrocarbon matrix is used as an electrolyte in the electrolytic system to induce an electropolymerization reaction upon the induction of voltages, in which the salt content is measured corresponding to the polymeric film formation on the working electrode surface. Acetonitrile and N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP) were used in the electrochemical cell as solvents, and cyclic voltammetry tests were performed for Arabian crude oil solutions in the presence of aniline. The method has shown an excellent detection response for very low concentrations of salt. Four Arabian crude oils with salt concentrations of 34.2, 28.5, 14.3 and 5.71mgL−1 have produced current intensity of 180.1, 172.6, 148.1 and 134.2µA at an applied current potential of 1.75V (vs. Ag/AgCl), respectively. A Calibration curve was obtained in the range of 5–35mgL−1, giving limits of detection and quantitation at 1.98 and 5.95mgL−1, respectively. The in-situ electropolymerization based sensor has significant advantages over the existing techniques of salt monitoring in crude oil such as fast response, temperature independency, electrode stability, and minimum sample preparation.

EROD activity and antioxidant defenses of sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) after an in vivo chronic hydrocarbon pollution followed by a post-exposure period

Chronic concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have been commonly detected in international estuaries ecosystems. Reliable indicators still need to be found in order to properly assess the impact of PAHs in fish. After an in vivo chronic exposure to hydrocarbons, the enzymatic activity of 7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) and the antioxidant defense system were assessed in sea bass, Dicentrarchus labrax. A total of 45 fish were exposed to the water-soluble fraction of Arabian crude oil, similar to a complex pollution by hydrocarbons chronically observed in situ, while 45 other control fish sustained the same experimental conditions in clean seawater. Fish samples were made after a 21-day exposure period and after a 15-day recovery period in clean fresh water. Throughout the experiment, liver EROD activity was significantly higher in contaminated fish than in control fish. In addition, nonenzymatic (total glutathione) and enzymatic (GPx, SOD, and CAT) antioxidant defense parameters measured in liver were not significantly different in fish. Furthermore, in gills, glutathione content had significantly increased while SOD activity had significantly decreased in contaminated fish compared to controls. On the other hand, CAT and GPx activities were not affected. Chronic exposure to PAHs disturbing the first step (SOD) and inhibiting the second step (GPx and CAT) could induce oxidative stress in tissues by the formation of oxygen radicals. After the postexposure period, there was no significant difference between control and contaminated fish in any of the antioxidant defense parameters measured in gills, attesting to the reversibility of the effects.