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Chemical Composition of Crude
Name: Lisa D.
Status: educator
Age: 20s
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: Sunday, December 08, 2002
Question:
What is the chemical composition of oil? I know there
could be many answers to this question. I am looking for the common
make-up of the oil we would see in an oil spill (like Exxon Valdez,
etc.).
Replies:
Lisa,
Crude oil, like that found in the spills to which you refer, is a very
complex mixture of compounds composed of (mainly) carbon, hydrogen, oxygen,
and sulfur. Of these elements, carbon and hydrogen are by far the major
components. Linked together with inter-atom bonds, these CH compounds form a
dazzling variety of different kinds of molecules of many different shapes
and sizes. Collectively, these carbon-hydrogen compounds are referred to as
"hydrocarbons."
The smallest hydrocarbons are gaseous at ordinary room temperature. The
somewhat larger hydrocarbon molecules are liquids, whereas the largest are
solids. Of course in crude oil, all these different kinds of molecules are
"dissolved" in each other -- making for a rather unpleasant looking and
smelling mess.
Transported to a refinery, the various "fractions" of the crude oil (gases,
liquids, and solids) are separated from each other (and sometimes modified
in composition) before they are distributed for use. Obviously, the liquid
fractions are primary components of gasoline, diesel fuel, and lubricating
and heating oils. The very large hydrocarbon components are solids at room
temperature and are used for roofing and road surfaces -- tar and asphalt.
Regards,
ProfHoff 540
As you suggest, the composition of crude oil is very complex. In addition,
the composition depends upon the source. This "fingerprint" can be used to
identify the origin of a crude. The following web site offers some information
regarding the composition of a "generic" crude oil.
http://www.personal.psu.edu/users/j/p/jpc184/myweb3/crude_oil1.htm
Vince Calder
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Update: June 2012
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