This report summarizes the project work to evaluate the sampling and testing methods commonly used for light ends characterization.

The report appendix includes the agreed upon modifications to GPA 2177 test method for suitability for crude oil.

Over the last two decades the CCQTA has completed several projects investigating plant fouling issues. Learnings from this work has identified that four crude oil components such as waxes, asphaltenes, Toluene Insoluble Organic Materials (TIOM) and inorganic solids can all play a role in fouling. Process operating conditions and crude blending practices usually establish how each contaminant may impact fouling. This document will focus primarily on the role of asphaltenes.

Asphaltenes are normally identified and measured by their solubility/insolubility properties in paraffinic solvents such as pentane (C5) and heptane (C7). Typically, all crude oils contain some level of asphaltenes, ranging from a fraction of a percent in various light oils to levels in the mid-teens in some commercially available Canadian heavy crudes. Asphaltenes may originate from the producing reservoir or may added by blending with other products. Light oils commonly contain very little asphaltenes at the source and typically have a high concentation of saturates (paraffins). This high saturate concentration favors asphaltene precipitation. This is often referred to as “self-incompatibilty”. Precipitated asphaltenes may also be aquired from other crudes via pipeline interfaces, tank heals and crude blending activities. Precipitated and unstable asphaltenes in light cudes can play a major role in fouling.

It is generally considered that the blending of light crudes with heavy crudes will reduce the asphaltene stability of the heavy fraction in the final blend. However, experience has shown that some blending operations can have the opposite effect, if blending is performed in the correct order.

The objective of the CCQTA’s Light Oil Fouling project was to investigate the potential stabilizing role of some Canadian heavy crudes on asphaltene stability of light oils and this document provides a summary of our findings.

This document has been prepared to help familiarize CCQTA members with some of the safety hazards associated with pyrophoric iron and draw attention to the potential for data misinterpretation when analyzing samples containing iron.

This document is not intended to be authoritative on to the safety hazards of pyrophoric iron. There are other publications better suited to address field/plant safety issues of pyrophoric iron in various environments. Readers are directed to read their internally published guidelines on the matter.

This document seeks to draw attention to the mechanism of pyrophoric iron formation, its subsequent reactions, and the impact this may have on analytical testing and data interpretation.

In December 2016, the issue of proper water measurement in crude surfaced and was discussed at all subsequent CCQTA Open Forum meetings during 2017. The capabilities and limitations of available methods were discussed suggesting a need to provide some direction to industry on fit-for-purpose testing and the potential use of a referee method.

This white paper has been developed by the project group to provide information to users to understand the benefits and limitations of the various methods in a fit-for-purpose framework.

This Information Bulletin has been developed with input and consultation from many of our CCQTA members from across the industry. The CCQTA is distributing this bulletin to members for information purposes to provide industry with an overview on the use of scavenger including: purpose, entry routes, application as well as the potential downstream impacts.

This document will be updated as new information become available.

Paper was developed to provide clarity on the terminologies sweet and sour as it applies to natural gas and crude oil industries.

Sample request letter was sent to all members in December 2018. Of specific interest are samples of crude containing normal quantities of tank bottoms.

This report summarizes the testing work that was performed as part of the Crude Oil Flammability project. This project was focused on laboratory scale flammability testing performed under controlled conditions. The intent of the work was to observe the flammability characteristics of various crude oils to understand how they may behave in a pool fire. There was particular focus on diluted bitumen and specifically on the ratio of diluent to bitumen in relation to the flammability behaviour.

This guideline was developed to provide the industry with an educational resource to allow consistent sampling for single-phase fluids.

It is intended to help make sampling more consistent between laboratories and field operators which in turn will provide more consistent samples for subsequent analysis of those samples.

This white paper provides a brief summary of the 14 year history of this project and findings.

The paper provides details what TAN is and how it impacts the crude oil industry. This includes testing methodologies and how TAN is often misinterpreted.

The paper goes further to highlight the specific research work undertaken by the project group and some general conclusions.

This best practice is compilation of the research, understanding and learning gained through the 5 year CCQTA TVP/RVP project and marks the close of the project.

The Best Practice is available to the public promote education around vapor pressure in crude oil.

Technical review and response to the Transport Canada regarding the proposed H2S thresholds for both rail and road transport.

This project was created to set guidelines for the best practices when preparing bitumen samples for analytical work, as well as assess the applicability of API 12.3 “Calculation of Volumetric Shrinkage Resulting from Blending Light Hydrocarbons and Crude Oil” to blends of bitumen and practical diluents.

The report provides correction factors to API 12.3 for use with bitumen blending with diluents.

Safe transport and handling of crude oil and condensate streams requires diligent monitoring of the vapor pressure of these products. Where it is not practical to have an ASTM D6377 instrument onsite such as at an oil gathering battery, trans-loading or rail-loading terminal, a field version of the method was developed as ASTM D7975. The D7975 test method utilizes the same principle of operation as the D6377 test method by expanding a sample of test fluid to a specified vapor/liquid ratio and measuring the resulting pressure. The drawback of the D7975 test method is that is does not allow for accurate temperature control of the test cell and thus results are difficult to compare to laboratory results performed using D6377 as well to operational or product specifications.

The paper provides nomographs and equations to allow easy correction of D7975 data to D6377 for field results comparison to operational or product specifications.

The Contaminant Response Protocol (CRP) is intended to provide an investigative framework that can be used by refiners, shippers and producers to identify the potential source(s) of organic chloride contamination once it has been detected.

Document describing the benefits of coupling organic chloride testing with volatile phosphorus testing to validate positive results.

In response to the many requests from the CCQTA for information/input on sampling and testing issues dealing with crude transport by rail & pipeline, some members of the Executive have prepared an information/position paper for distribution to any interested party.

Letter to laboratories regarding the appropriate method reporting of results for organic chlorides. Includes commentary on differences between detection limit terminologies.

TAN Thermometric method assessment and comparison to ASTM D664. Report includes the results of the comparison study plus the appendices include the data from two previous ASTM D664 method studies on repeatability and reproducibility on crude oils.

This document reports on the results of a project focused on a comparison of existing H2S measurement methods (ASTM D5705, UOP 163, and ASTM D5623) to an adaptation of test method IP 570. The latter method, although not currently validated for crude oil, was prototyped by Stanhope-Seta (UK) and was modified for the complexities of crude oil matrices.

Letter describing the currently acceptable test methods for performing Organic Chloride testing in crude oils and identifying items for continued investigation.

CCQTA Heavy Oil Methods Manual

One of the deliverables of the CCQTA TAN project was the identification of the necessary modifications to the existing TAN method that would allow it to be applied to bitumens and heavy oils in a precise and reproducible fashion. The results of this work have been made available for public download and it is our hope that these modifications will be applied by commerical and private laboratories performing this work.

With funding by CAPP and the hard work of Maxxam Analytics, the original release version of the olefins in crude oil by proton NMR is now available for public usage.

This project was put in place to develop the methodology necessary to detect, identify and quantify trace levels of additives commonly used in the production, transportation and refining industries. A methodology has been developed that is capable of doing this for most common additive classes. The project scope was expanded to include publication of the analytical method so that it's existence becomes known throughout the industry.