Sour crude: cause

The toxicity of crude oil correlates with the relative content of l osoie, naphtha, and gasoline. Dosages of 48 ml/kg (sweet crude oil), 56 ml/kg (kerosene), or 74 ml/kg (sour crude oil) over the course of 1 week cause aspiration pneunonia ai, eventuiJIy, death. 

In addition to a series of problems/ two main problems resulting from bacterial growth in offshore structures are [20] (1) hydrogen sulphide production (generated, for example, by SRB) that besides being volatile and toxic, thus serious to the personnel safety, causes corrosion and souring of the products (crude oil, for instance) which ultimately affects the quality and final price [21], and (2) the production of bacterial metabolites which could give rise to accelerated materials deterioration. 

Cracking of admiralty metal (C 44300) heat-exchanger tubes has been a recurring problem in a number of refining units and petrochemical process units. For example, ammonia is often used to neutralize acidic constituents, such as hydrogen chloride or sulfur dioxide, in overhead systems of crude distillation or alkylation units, respectively. Stripped sour water containing residual ammonia is used as desalter water at some crude distillation units. This practice causes ammonia contamination of the overhead system even if no ammonia is added intentionally. 

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