The Structural Characterization of Saturate, Aromatic, Resin, and Asphaltene Fractions of Batiraman Crude Oil

Abstract

The structural characterization of fractions of Batiraman crude oil, which is the heavy crude oil from a field in the southeastern part of Turkey, was investigated. Batiraman crude oil and its saturate, aromatic, resin, and asphaltene (SARA) fractions were seperated. Treatment of crude oil with n-heptane provided the separation of asphaltene. Maltene was collected by evaporating the n-heptane from the filtrate. Then, maltene was separeted into saturates, aromatics, and resins by SARA technique. Maltene was separated into saturate, aromatic, and resin fractions using column chromatography. SARA fractions were quantified on a weight percent basis. Fractions of Batiraman crude oil were characterized by elemental analysis, proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) analysis, electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy techniques.