Analysis of Heavy Oils: Method Development and Application to Cerro Negro Heavy Petroleum Detailed Separation and Analysis of Acidic Compounds.

摘要

An HPLC method for fractionation of whole acid concentrates into nominal compound class subfractions is described. The method utilizes silica columns and gradient elution with eluents containing a strong base, tetramethyl-ammonium hydroxide. The performance of the method is evaluated through analysis of subfractions obtained from a coal liquid, Wilmington, CA, petroleum and Cerro Negro heavy oil. Methods developed specifically for analysis of whole acid concentrates and subfractions are described in detail. These include: (1) an infrared method for determination of total hydroxyl and carboxyl groups after their conversion to trifluoroacetate and 2,2,2-trifluoresters, respectively. (2) an NMR method for functional group analysis based on methylation of acidic groups with (13)C-enriched methyl iodide, (3) a nonaqueous titration procedure employing the potassium salt of dimethyl sulfoxide as a titrant for acidic compounds, (4) GC/MS analysis of hydroxyaromatic compounds after their conversion to trifluoroacetate esters, and (5) probe microdistillation high resolution mass spectrometric analysis of acid fractions exhibiting low volatility. 146 refs., 38 figs., 27 tabs.