A Rapid Method of Crude Oil Analysis Using FT-IR Spectroscopy

Abstract

This study determines the viability of the use of Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy as a substitute to traditional petroleum geochemical methods for crude oil characterisation. IR spectra of Crude oil sample containing a mixture of both degraded (sample 151) and non-degraded (sample 145) oils at different concentrations were determined. The IR fingerprints agree with results obtained from GC analysis. Partial least square regression analysis was used to predict saturates for omitted mixtures (10 and 80% 151) and also saturates of five other samples (i.e. 145, 149, 172, H1 and AL10) within acceptable error limits. It therefore, follows, that although some improvements might still need to be made, FTIR spectroscopy can indeed be a viable, simple, cheaper and faster technique of crude oil characterisation compared with the traditional fractionation methods.

Keywords: FTIR-ATR spectroscopy; GC-MS; Partial least squares (PLSR). Rapid analysis.