A study of the effect of gas condesate on the viscosity and storage stability of Omani heavy crude oil

Naoya Shigemoto, Rashid S. Al-Maamari*, Baba Y. Jibril, Akihiko Hirayama

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

24 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Heavy crude oil (density of 0.9571 g/cm3 at 288 K and kinematic viscosity of 7160 mm2/s at 303 K) and natural gas condensate (density of 0.7848 g/cm3 at 288 K and kinematic viscosity of 0.764 mm2/s at 303 K) were sampled from Omani oil fields. The oil was mixed with condensate (5-50 vol %), and the mixture viscosities were measured at the temperature range of 293-348 K. A drastic decrease in kinematic viscosity was achieved. An addition of about 12 vol % of condensate gave a viscosity of 265 mm2/s at 303 K. This made it easier to transport the heavy oil mixtures. The experimental data for the kinematic viscosity [v(mm2/s)] as a function of the gas-condensate fraction (φ) and temperature [T (K)] could be described by an equation: In(In(v)) = (k1 + k2·T) + (k3 + k4·7)·φ, with a high accuracy. Blends of the heavy oil and the gas condensate were stored to evaluate their stability. Results showed less than 0.05 wt % sludge formation after 2 months.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2504-2508
Number of pages5
JournalEnergy and Fuels
Volume20
Issue number6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Nov 2006

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Chemical Engineering
  • Fuel Technology
  • Energy Engineering and Power Technology

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