Energy & Fuels, Vol.29, No.11, 7114-7123, 2015
Effect of Temperature and Composition on the Stability of Crude Oil Blends Studied with Chemical Imaging in Situ
Attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR): spectroscopic imaging approach has been applied in situ to investigate the behavior of crude oil blends at different conditions. The ratio between mixed Crude oils and temperature has been varied to study how these factors influence the stability of the blends. Obtained spectroscopic results have been used to correlate-the composition of the blends with respect to the incompatibility of crude oils. The chemical compositions of precipitates formed from the blends at 60 and 200 degrees C have been examined by FTIR spectroscopy. The change of asphaltene solubility in crude oil blends as-well as the precipitation of inorganic Salts, sulfates, have been observed at higher temperature: Based on available spectroscopic data, the formation of hydrogen bonds between sulfoxide groups of precipitated inorganic sulfates and hydroxy groups of,asphaltenes or similar condensed aromatic species has been proposed.