Research on a TOPSIS energy efficiency evaluation system for crude oil gathering and transportation systems based on a GA-BP neural network

As the main link of ground engineering,crude oil gathering and transportation systems require huge energy consumption and complex structures.It is necessary to establish an energy efficiency evaluation system for crude oil gathering and transportation systems and identify the energy efficiency gaps.In this paper,the energy efficiency evaluation system of the crude oil gathering and transportation system in an oilfield in western China is established.Combined with the big data analysis method,the GA-BP neural network is used to establish the energy efficiency index prediction model for crude oil gathering and transportation systems.The comprehensive energy consumption,gas consumption,power consumption,energy utilization rate,heat utilization rate,and power utilization rate of crude oil gathering and transportation systems are predicted.Considering the efficiency and unit consumption index of the crude oil gathering and transportation system,the energy efficiency evaluation system of the crude oil gathering and transportation system is established based on a game theory combined weighting method and TOPSIS evaluation method,and the subjective weight is determined by the triangular fuzzy analytic hierarchy process.The entropy weight method determines the objective weight,and the combined weight of game theory combines subjectivity with objectivity to comprehensively evaluate the comprehensive energy efficiency of crude oil gathering and transportation systems and their subsystems.Finally,the weak links in energy utilization are identified,and energy conservation and consumption reduction are improved.The above research provides technical support for the green,efficient and intelligent development of crude oil gathering and transportation systems.

The organic geochemistry of crude oil in the Saltpond Basin(Ghana):Organic source input,depositional environment,and thermal maturity

The Saltpond Basin,situated within the South Atlantic margin of Ghana,is a significant area for petro-leum exploration but has received relatively limited research attention.Previous studies have examined source rock com-position,but data on crude oil organic chemistry are lack-ing,hindering understanding of the basin’s petroleum system and evolution.To address this gap,we analyzed biomarkers and stable carbon-isotope ratios in Saltpond Basin crude oil using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and gas chromatography–isotope ratio mass spectrometry to eluci-date organic matter source,depositional environment,and thermal maturity.Findings were compared with oils from the West African segment of the South Atlantic margin,namely the Tano Basin and the Niger Delta Basin,to iden-tify potential correlations and gain insights into regional variations.Molecular and isotopic results unveiled a sig-nificant prevalence of organic matter derived from lower marine organisms.Patterns of organic matter deposition and preservation in Saltpond oil samples suggested a suboxic marine transitional environment,contradicting conventional understanding of terrestrial dominance in such settings.Moreover,the potential for degradation processes to obscure differentiation between terrestrial and marine organic mat-ter origins underscores the complex nature of organic mat-ter dynamics in transitional marine environments.Analysis of molecular thermal maturity indices suggested Saltpond oils were expelled from source rocks exhibiting thermal maturity at the early maturity stage.Correlation analysis unveiled genetic disparities among crude oils sourced from the Saltpond Basin and those from the Tano and Niger Delta Basin,primarily due to variations in source input and depo-sitional environment conditions.Saltpond oil exhibits lower terrestrial organic input than Tano Basin’s crude oils,which also have less terrestrial input than Niger Delta Basin crude oils.Additionally,its paleodepositional environment nota-bly differs from oils in the Tano Basin(anoxic transitional marine-lacustrine settings)and the Niger Delta Basin(sub-oxic–oxic terrigenous deltaic or marine or lacustrine envi-ronments).Thermal maturity range of Saltpond oil is com-parable to oils in the Tano Basin but lower than oils in the Niger Delta Basin.Thesefindings provide valuable insights into petroleum generation history and unique organic geo-chemical characteristics within the Saltpond Basin,essen-tial for exploration,production,and environmental manage-ment efforts in the region.Furthermore,correlation studies provide evidence that distinct biological,geological,and paleoenvironmental conditions shaped various oil types in the West African segment of the South Atlantic margin.

Data-driven Wasserstein distributionally robust chance-constrained optimization for crude oil scheduling under uncertainty

Crude oil scheduling optimization is an effective method to enhance the economic benefits of oil refining.But uncertainties,including uncertain demands of crude distillation units(CDUs),might make the production plans made by the traditional deterministic optimization models infeasible.A data-driven Wasserstein distributionally robust chance-constrained(WDRCC)optimization approach is proposed in this paper to deal with demand uncertainty in crude oil scheduling.First,a new deterministic crude oil scheduling optimization model is developed as the basis of this approach.The Wasserstein distance is then used to build ambiguity sets from historical data to describe the possible realizations of probability distributions of uncertain demands.A cross-validation method is advanced to choose suitable radii for these ambiguity sets.The deterministic model is reformulated as a WDRCC optimization model for crude oil scheduling to guarantee the demand constraints hold with a desired high probability even in the worst situation in ambiguity sets.The proposed WDRCC model is transferred into an equivalent conditional value-at-risk representation and further derived as a mixed-integer nonlinear programming counterpart.Industrial case studies from a real-world refinery are conducted to show the effectiveness of the proposed method.Out-of-sample tests demonstrate that the solution of the WDRCC model is more robust than those of the deterministic model and the chance-constrained model.

Biomineralization of soil with crude soybean urease using different calcium salts

Calcium salt is an important contributing factor for calcium-based biomineralization.To study the effect of calcium salt on soil biomineralization using crude soybean urease,the calcium salts,including the calcium chloride (CaCl_(2)),calcium acetate ((CH_(3)COO)_(2)Ca) and calcium nitrate (Ca(NO_(3))_(2)),were used to prepare the biotreatment solution to carry out the biomineralization tests in this paper.Two series of biomineralization tests in solution and sand column,respectively,were conducted.Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were performed to determine the microscopic characteristics of the precipitated calcium carbonate (CaCO_(3)) crystals.The experimental results indicate that the biomineralization effect is the best for the CaCl2 case,followed by (CH_(3)COO)_(2)Ca,and worst for Ca(NO_(3))_(2) under the test conditions of this study (i.e.1 mol/L of calcium salt-urea).The mechanism for the effect of the calcium salt on the biomineralization of crude soybean urease mainly involves: (1) inhibition of urease activity,and (2) influence on the crystal size and morphology of CaCO_(3).Besides Ca^(2+) ,the anions in solution can inhibit the activity of crude soybean urease,and NO_(3)− has a stronger inhibitory effect on the urease activity compared with both CH_(3)COO^(−) and Cl^(−) .The co-inhibition of Ca^(2+) and NO_(3)− on the activity of urease is the key reason for the worst biomineralization of the Ca(NO_(3))_(2) case in this study.The difference in biomineralization between the CaCl_(2) and (CH_(3)COO)_(2) Ca cases is strongly correlated with the crystal morphology of the precipitated CaCO_(3).

Low crude protein formulation with supplemental amino acids for its impacts on intestinal health and growth performance of growing-finishing pigs

Background Low crude protein(CP)formulations with supplemental amino acids(AA)are used to enhance intestinal health,reduce costs,minimize environmental impact,and maintain growth performance of pigs.However,extensive reduction of dietary CP can compromise growth performance due to limited synthesis of non-essential AA and limited availability of bioactive compounds from protein supplements even when AA requirements are met.Moreover,implementing a low CP formulation can increase the net energy(NE)content in feeds causing excessive fat deposition.Additional supplementation of functional AA,coupled with low CP formulation could further enhance intestinal health and glucose metabolism,improving nitrogen utilization,and growth performance.Three experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of low CP formulations with supplemental AA on the intestinal health and growth performance of growing-finishing pigs.Methods In Exp.1,90 pigs(19.7±1.1 kg,45 barrows and 45 gilts)were assigned to 3 treatments:CON(18.0%CP,supplementing Lys,Met,and Thr),LCP(16.0%CP,supplementing Lys,Met,Thr,Trp,and Val),and LCPT(16.1%CP,LCP+0.05%SID Trp).In Exp.2,72 pigs(34.2±4.2 kg BW)were assigned to 3 treatments:CON(17.7%CP,meeting the requirements of Lys,Met,Thr,and Trp);LCP(15.0%CP,meeting Lys,Thr,Trp,Met,Val,Ile,and Phe);and VLCP(12.8%CP,meeting Lys,Thr,Trp,Met,Val,Ile,Phe,His,and Leu).In Exp.3,72 pigs(54.1±5.9 kg BW)were assigned to 3 treatments and fed experimental diets for 3 phases(grower 2,finishing 1,and finishing 2).Treatments were CON(18.0%,13.8%,12.7%CP for 3 phases;meeting Lys,Met,Thr,and Trp);LCP(13.5%,11.4%,10.4%CP for 3 phases;meeting Lys,Thr,Trp,Met,Val,Ile,and Phe);and LCPG(14.1%,12.8%,11.1%CP for 3 phases;LCP+Glu to match SID Glu with CON).All diets had 2.6 Mcal/kg NE.Results In Exp.1,overall,the growth performance did not differ among treatments.The LCPT increased(P<0.05)Claudin-1 expression in the duodenum and jejunum.The LCP and LCPT increased(P<0.05)CAT-1,4F2hc,and B0AT expressions in the jejunum.In Exp.2,overall,the VLCP reduced(P<0.05)G:F and BUN.The LCP and VLCP increased(P<0.05)the backfat thickness(BFT).In Exp.3,overall,growth performance and BFT did not differ among treatments.The LCPG reduced(P<0.05)BUN,whereas increased the insulin in plasma.The LCP and LCPG reduced(P<0.05)the abundance of Streptococcaceae,whereas the LCP reduced(P<0.05)Erysipelotrichaceae,and the alpha diversity.Conclusions When implementing low CP formulation,CP can be reduced by supplementation of Lys,Thr,Met,Trp,Val,and Ile without affecting the growth performance of growing-finishing pigs when NE is adjusted to avoid increased fat deposition.Supplementation of Trp above the requirement or supplementation of Glu in low CP formulation seems to benefit intestinal health as well as improved nitrogen utilization and glucose metabolism.

Effects of biodegradation on diamondoid distribution in crude oils from the Bongor Basin,Chad

The sensitivity of biodegradation on diamondoids was investigated using a series of biodegraded oil samples from the Ronier tectonic unit of Bongor Basin,Chad.The results suggest that diamondoids,including adamantanes(As)and diamantanes(Ds),are relatively resistant to biodegradation and obvious biodegradation was observed in oils with a Peters-Moldowan(PM)biodegradation rank of 6 or more.Overall,the sensibility of biodegradation on diamondoids is generally similar to hopanes and regular steranes.As biodegradation evolves,the changes in concentration and components of diamondoids show that the biodegradation process is selective and stepwise.The significant increase of MD/MA and DMD/DMA for oils with a PM ranking 6^(+) indicates that diamantanes are generally more resistant to biodegradation than adamantanes.The similar trends of DMA/MA,EA/MA,MD/D,DMD/MD and other relevant indexes,show that higher alkylation homologs are more resistant to biodegradation.The commonly used diamondoid ratios,such as MAI,EAI,MDI and DMID-1,are obviously affected by biodegradation at the stage of high-level biodegradation,which may indicate that these ratios should be used with caution in case of severely degraded oils.

Performance Evaluation of the Halophilic Crude Oildegrading Bacterial Consortium XH-1 for Oilfield Wastewater Treatment

A total of 14 halophilic hydrocarbon-degrading strains were isolated from crude oil-contaminated sites,using petroleum as the sole carbon and energy source.Among these,four highly efficient strains were selected to create the mixed bacterial agent XH-1.These four strains were identified through 16S rRNA gene-based sequencing as belonging to Acinetobacter,Bacillus paramycoides,Rhodococcus sp.,and Enterobacter sp.,respectively.The optimal cultivation time for the mixed consortium XH-1 was found to be 48 h,and a nitrogen-phosphorus molar ratio of 10:1 was determined to be beneficial for crude oil degradation.XH-1 showed notable crude oil degradation even at a salinity of up to 30 g/L,with little inhibition observed at sulfide concentrations as high as 150 mg/L and initial oil concentrations of 500 mg/L.Gas chromatography analysis revealed that XH-1 was able to efficiently degrade C9–C29 n-alkanes.Moreover,a bio-contact oxidation reactor enhanced by XH-1 showed promising results in treating oilfield wastewater.These findings suggest that XH-1 can be applied for the treatment of oilfield wastewater.

Prediction Model of Wax Deposition Rate in Waxy Crude Oil Pipelines by Elman Neural Network Based on Improved Reptile Search Algorithm

A hard problem that hinders the movement of waxy crude oil is wax deposition in oil pipelines.To ensure the safe operation of crude oil pipelines,an accurate model must be developed to predict the rate of wax deposition in crude oil pipelines.Aiming at the shortcomings of the ENN prediction model,which easily falls into the local minimum value and weak generalization ability in the implementation process,an optimized ENN prediction model based on the IRSA is proposed.The validity of the new model was confirmed by the accurate prediction of two sets of experimental data on wax deposition in crude oil pipelines.The two groups of crude oil wax deposition rate case prediction results showed that the average absolute percentage errors of IRSA-ENN prediction models is 0.5476% and 0.7831%,respectively.Additionally,it shows a higher prediction accuracy compared to the ENN prediction model.In fact,the new model established by using the IRSA to optimize ENN can optimize the initial weights and thresholds in the prediction process,which can overcome the shortcomings of the ENN prediction model,such as weak generalization ability and tendency to fall into the local minimum value,so that it has the advantages of strong implementation and high prediction accuracy.

Heavy Metal Levels and Ecological Risk in Crude Oil-Contaminated Soils from Okpare-Olomu, Niger Delta, Nigeria

Crude oil spills have inflicted extensive disruption upon the Niger Delta ecosystem, resulting in crop loss and severe environmental damage. Such spills exacerbate heavy metal concentration within soil due to the presence of metallic ions. The Okpare-Olomu community has borne the brunt of crude oil pollution from illicit bunkering, sabotage, and equipment malfunction. This study targets an evaluation of ecological hazards linked to heavy metals (HMs) in crude oil impacted agriculturally soils within Okpare-Olomu in Ughelli South LGA of Delta State. In this study, 24 topsoil samples were obtained from areas affected by crude oil pollution;the heavy metal content was evaluated through atomic absorption spectrometry. The concentration ranges for HMs (mg/kg) in soil were: 24.1 - 23,174 (Cu);0.54 - 37.1 (Cd);9.05 - 54 (Cr);12 - 174 (Ni);18.5 - 8611 (Pb);and 148 - 9078 (Zn) at a soil depth of 0 - 15 cm. Notably, metal concentrations were recorded to be above permissible World Health Organization limits. Predominantly, Zn and Pb recorded higher heavy metal concentration when compared to other heavy metals analysed, notably at sampling points PT7 through PT24. Zinc and Pb contamination exhibited highly significant contamination factors, and contamination severity was evidenced across all sample points, signifying a grave risk level. Pollution load indices indicated pervasive extreme pollution levels. Geoaccumulation indices signaled moderate to strong pollution, mainly by Pb and Zn. Ecological risk assessments revealed variable levels of heavy metal contamination, from low to very high, with potential ecological risk reflecting markedly elevated levels. This study underscores the imperative for soil remediation to rectify ecological imbalances in agriculturally affected soil constituents.

Development of a Low-Cost Prototype System for Pipeline Operational and Vandalism Spillage Detection and Validation Framework

Crude oil spillage is a major challenge in Nigeria. It affects the environment, health, life, and livelihood of residents of the Niger Delta region, where oil is explored, processed, and transported via a network of pipelines. Oil spillage is primarily caused by vandalization/sabotage and operational issues such as corrosion, equipment failure, operation, and maintenance errors. Thus, prompt response is required to mitigate the impact of oil spills. In this study, we deployed low-cost Arduino systems, including sensors (vibration and flow), modules (GPS and Wifi) and an IoT platform (ThingSpeak) to detect spillage caused by vandalism and operational inefficiencies proactively. The results demonstrate that low-cost sensors can detect changes in the flow volume between the inflow and outflow attributable to spillage, and vibration shocks caused by vandalism can be detected and linked to the cause of the spillage and communicated in real time to inform response action. Moreover, we proposed a framework for field validation utilizing KoboToolBox (a crowdsourcing/citizen science platform). The prototype system designed and programmed showed promising results, as it could detect spillage for vandalism and operational scenarios in real-time, quantify the volume of spillage, and identify the location and time of spillage occurrence;indicators relevant for response planning to minimize the impact of oil spillage. A video demonstration of the prototype system developed is accessible via: https://youtu.be/wKa9MZvYf1w. .

Optimization of Diesel and Crude Oil Degradation in a Ghanaian Soil Using Organic Wastes as Amendment

Soil contamination by hydrocarbons poses numerous environmental, health and agricultural problems. The degradation of these pollutants can occur naturally but very slowly. It is therefore generally necessary to stimulate this degradation by different means. Thus, this study aimed to improve the bio-degradation of diesel and crude oil in a Ghanaian soil by biostimulation. For this, the sampled soil was characterized by standard methods and contaminated with diesel and crude oil at a proportion of 1% (w/w). Then, contaminated soil samples were supplemented with biochar-compost, poultry manure or cow dung at the proportion of 10% (w/w). Periodically, fractions of these samples were taken to evaluate the density of hydrocarbon utilizing bacteria (HUB) and the residual quantities of diesel or crude oil. The characteristics of the soil used show the need for supplementation for better degradation of hydrocarbons. The results of the study show that supplementing the soil with organic substrates increases HUB loads in soils contaminated by diesel and crude oil. They also show that the residual quantities of diesel and crude oil are generally significantly lower in supplemented soils (p = 0.048 and p < 0.0001 respectively). In addition, the study shows that degradation was generally greater in soils contaminated by diesel compared to those contaminated by crude oil, especially at the end of the study.

Improving Supply Chain Strategies towards Mitigating the Effect of Crude Oil Theft and Pipeline Vandalism in the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry: A Case Study of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)

Generically, SCM may be said to include all activities carried out to ensure proper functioning of the supply chain. The activities included in proper management of a supply chain broadly include logistics activities, planning and control of the flow of information and materials in a firm, management of relationships with other organizations and government intervention, However, crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism are established products supply chain disruptors in Nigeria which are rendering the task of running an efficient petroleum supply chain onerous. This paper aims to establish the importance of effective supply chain strategies for companies in the oil and gas industry with special focus on the Nigerian oil and gas sector and the strategies by which the state oil and gas corporation in this sector may mitigate disruptions to its supply chain. This study investigates the enhancement of supply chain strategies towards meeting the challenge of crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism, using the Nigerian National Corporation (NNPC) as a case study. Based on this study, data were collected from two sources: A summary of incident reports obtained from NNPC and an interview with personnel in the PPMC Department. Incident report refers to a report produced when accidents such as equipment failure, injury, loss of life, or fire occur at the work site. Content analysis is utilized to evaluate data obtained from interview responses, CBN financial stability reports, NDIC annual reports, circulars, banking supervision reports and implementation guidelines. The study found out that NNPC should endeavor to sustain its value chain and ward of pipeline vandals and crude oil thieves by engaging in community partnership, detailing security outfits to ensure its pipelines’ right of way and bridging. Concluded that the oil supply chain of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has been plagued by disruptions in the form of crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism which has had debilitating effects on its value.

The impacts of gas impurities on the minimum miscibility pressure of injected CO_2-rich gas–crude oil systems and enhanced oil recovery potential

An effective parameter in the miscible-CO_2 enhanced oil recovery procedure is the minimum miscibility pressure(MMP)defined as the lowest pressure that the oil in place and the injected gas into reservoir achieve miscibility at a given temperature. Flue gases released from power plants can provide an available source of CO_2,which would otherwise be emitted to the atmosphere, for injection into a reservoir. However, the costs related to gas extraction from flue gases is potentially high. Hence, greater understanding the role of impurities in miscibility characteristics between CO_2 and reservoir fluids helps to establish which impurities are tolerable and which are not. In this study, we simulate the effects of the impurities nitrogen(N_2), methane(C_1), ethane(C_2) and propane(C_3) on CO_2 MMP. The simulation results reveal that,as an impurity, nitrogen increases CO_2–oil MMP more so than methane. On the other hand, increasing the propane(C_3)content can lead to a significant decrease in CO_2 MMP, whereas varying the concentrations of ethane(C_2) does not have a significant effect on the minimum miscibility pressure of reservoir crude oil and CO_2 gas. The novel relationships established are particularly valuable in circumstances where MMP experimental data are not available.

Effects of Different Heavy Crude Oil Fractions on the Stability of Oil-in-water Emulsions—the film properties of heavy crude functional components and water system

A series of π-A isotherms are drawn to study the film properties of the components with Langmuir-Blodgett technique. The effects of the aromaticity of spread solvents and pH value on the air/water film formed by the components are investigated. Acid fraction and asphaltene can form stable two-dimensional insoluble films on an air/water surface. The surface film pressure of acid fraction and asphaltene is higher and more stable than that of the other fractions. The surface film pressure of the fraction increases evidently under the basic condition (pH=12). The results show that the interfacial activity of acid fraction and asphaltene is superior to that of the other fractions and the basic condition is favorable to the stability of the O/W emulsion.

A Review of an Expert System Design for Crude Oil Distillation Column Using the Neural Networks Model and Process Optimization and Control Using Genetic Algorithm Framework

This paper presents a comprehensive review of various traditional systems of crude oil distillation column design, modeling, simulation, optimization and control methods. Artificial neural network (ANN), fuzzy logic (FL) and genetic algorithm (GA) framework were chosen as the best methodologies for design, optimization and control of crude oil distillation column. It was discovered that many past researchers used rigorous simulations which led to convergence problems that were time consuming. The use of dynamic mathematical models was also challenging as these models were also time dependent. The proposed methodologies use back-propagation algorithm to replace the convergence problem using error minimal method.

Pre-heating temperature induced flowability and wax deposition characteristics of crude oil adding wax inhibitors

This paper investigated the effects of pre-heating treatment temperatures(T_(pre))on the flowability and wax deposition characteristics of a typical waxy crude oil after adding wax inhibitors.It is found that there is little difference in wax precipitation exothermic characteristics of crude oils at different T_(pre),as well as the wax crystal solubility coefficient in the temperature range of 25-30℃.For the undoped crude oil,the flowability after wax precipitation gets much improved and the wax deposition is alleviated as T_(pre)increasing.At T_(pre)=50℃,the viscosity and wax deposition rate of crude oil adding wax inhibitors are higher than those of the undoped crude oil.When the T_(pre)increases to 60,70,and 80℃,the flowability of the doped crude oil are largely improved and the wax deposition is suppressed with the T_(pre)increase,but the wax content of wax deposit increases gradually.It is speculated that,on the one hand,the T_(pre)increase helps the dispersion of asphaltenes into smaller sizes,which facilitates the co-crystallization with paraffin waxes and generates more aggregated wax crystal flocs.This weakens the low-temperature gel structure and increases the solid concentration required for the crosslink to form the wax deposit.On the other hand,the decrease in viscosity increases the diffusion rate of wax molecules and accelerates the aging of wax deposits.The experimental results have important guiding significance for the pipeline transportation of doped crude oils.

Molecular composition of naphthenic acids in a Chinese heavy crude oil and their impacts on oil viscosity

Most heavy crude oils underwent biodegradation and generated a significant amount of naphthenic acids. Naphthenic acids are polar compounds with the carboxylic group and are considered as a major factor affecting the oil viscosity. However, the relationship between the molecular composition of naphthenic acids and oil viscosity is not well understood. This study examined a “clean” heavy oil with low contents of heteroatoms but had a high content of naphthenic acids. Naphthenic acids were fractionated by distillation and caustic extraction. The molecular composition was characterized by high-resolution Orbitrap mass spectrometry. It was found that the 2- and 3-ring naphthenic monoacids with 15–35 carbon atoms are dominant components of the acid fractions;the caustic extraction is capable of isolating naphthenic acids with less than 35 carbons, which is equivalent to the upper limit of the distillable components, but not those in the residue fraction;the total acid number of the heavy distillates is higher than that of the residue fraction;the viscosity of the distillation fraction increases exponentially with an increased boiling point of the distillates. Blending experiments indicates that there is a strong correlation between the oil viscosity and acids content, although the acid content is only a few percent of the total oil.

Rheo-optic in situ synchronous study on the gelation behaviour and mechanism of waxy crude oil emulsions

An improved rheo-optic in situ synchronous measurement system was employed to investigate the gelation behaviour and mechanism of waxy crude oil emulsions. By combining transmitted natural light and reflected polarized light microscopy, a multiangle composite light source was built to achieve the simultaneous observation of wax crystals and emulsified water droplets, as well as their dynamic aggregation process. Main outcomes on the microscopic mechanism were obtained by developed microscopic image processing method. It was found that the microstructure of W/O waxy crude oil emulsion has the evolution of “individual structure--homogeneous aggregate structure--heterogeneous coaggregate structure--floc structure” during the static cooling, which results in the four stages during gelation process. Different from previous studies, the aggregation of emulsified water droplets was found to be more significant and contributes to the formation and development of the wax crystals-emulsified water droplets coaggregate, which plays a decisive role in the further evolution of the gelled microstructure. Time series microscopic images show the dynamic aggregation of emulsified water droplets and wax crystals. Two different aggregation behaviours between wax crystals and water droplets were observed. That wax crystals can not only embed in gaps between adjacent water droplets and enhance the structure, but also surround the outside of the water droplets and continue to grow resulting in the interconnection of different coaggregates to form a larger floc structure. In addition, correlation between viscoelasticity and microstructure evolution of waxy crude oil emulsions of different water contents was discussed. With increasing water contents, the microstructure is changed from wax crystal flocculation structure as the main skeleton and the emulsified water droplets embedded in it, into the aggregation of emulsified water droplets occupying the main position. When the number of wax crystals and water droplets reaches a certain ratio, did wax crystals form coaggregates with emulsified water droplets, and the remaining wax crystals formed an overall flocculation structure, the viscoelasticity of the waxy crude oil emulsion is the highest.

Systematically structural identification of nitric compounds in crude oil with chemometric resolution

Aimed at the problem of classification of non-hydrocarbons of crude oil, the theoretical standpoint that the polarity of a compound depends on the whole structure and composition of molecule instead of a kind of heteroatom or its functional group was presented. A method was established for the systematically structural identification of nitric compounds in crude oil. The pre-fractionation of a crude oil sample into 7 fractions was performed by di- adsorption column chromatography with neutral aluminum oxide and silica gel. Subsequently, the individual components were obtained by using capillary column gas chromatography, and the types of compounds were detected by a mass spectrometer. In combination with a chemometric resolution, the compounds of fraction were further identified. This method can relieve the difficulty of classical analysis in identifying those species with very low contents or without being completely separated. The structures of 168 nitric compounds in a crude oil sample were determined by this method.