Characterization of medium and heavy crude oils using thermal analysis techniques

This study focused on the characterization of heavy and medium grade crude oils in limestone matrix using differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and thermogravimetry (TG-DTG). DSC and TG-DTG curves produced for two different crude oils + limestone mixtures indicate that the crude oil undergoes two major transitions when subjected to an oxidizing and constant rate environment known as low- and high-temperature oxidation. Kinetic analysis in the low- and high-temperature oxidation regions were performed using two different kinetic methods. Throughout the study. it was observed that the activation energy values of the samples are varied between 2.40-10.62 and 42.3-181.9 kJ/mol in low- and high-temperature oxidation regions respectively. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.