Properties of Crude Oil and Common Hydrocarbon Fuels

Critical Properties of Crude Oil and Common Hydrocarbon Fuels 

Crude oil is composed primarily of hydrocarbon compounds. Organic and inorganic sulfur-, oxygen-, and nitrogen-containing species are also found in crude oil. Additionally, water, vanadium, nickel, sodium, and other metals may be present. 

The hydrocarbons present are complex, but are principally paraffinic, naphthenic, and aromatic in composition. The complexity of the compounds present increases with the boiling range of the crude oil. 

No generally accepted method of classifying crude oil exists. What is termed ultimate crude oil analysis describes the composition as a percentage of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, and sulfur. Also, a chemical analysis is performed which describes the composition as a percentage of paraffinic-, naphthenic-, and aromatic-type compounds. 

These analyses are valuable in order to formulate a general idea of the usefulness of the crude oil in producing various refined products. However, the results do not yield much information about the variety of final products which can be obtained. To gain this information, an additional evaluation termed crude oil assay is required. 

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