Evaluation of the Different Compatibility Indices to Model and Predict Oil Colloidal Stability and Its Relation to Crude Oil Desalting

Thirty crude oils, belonging to light, medium, heavy, and extra heavy, light sulfur, and high sulfur have been characterized and compatibility indices defined. Nine crude oil compatibility indices have been employed to evaluate the compatibility of crude blends from the thirty individual crude oils. Intercriteria analysis revealed the relations between the different compatibility indices, and the different petroleum properties. Tetra-plot was employed to model crude blend compatibility. The ratio of solubility blending number to insolubility number was found to best describe the desalting efficiency, and therefore could be considered as the compatible index that best models the crude oil blend compatibility. Density of crude oil and the n-heptane dilution test seem to be sufficient to model, and predict the compatibility of crude blends.

Automated summary

The study characterized 30 different types of crude oils for compatibility, using 9 compatibility indices to evaluate their blends. Analysis revealed the best index to describe blend compatibility, and found that crude oil density and n-heptane dilution test are sufficient to model and predict blend compatibility.