This project examines the qualities of condensate in the diluent pool and their impact on producer facilties for heavy oil production.

The project's current focus is on solids contamination in the condensate streams, attempting to identify the nature of elevated particulate contents and their source.

This project is examining the ability of analytical tools to characterize difficult emulsions. An analytical protocol is to be derived that will allow the user to establish the nature of a given emulsion and its likely source/mechanism. The intent of the project is to develop a series of analytical tests to perform on any given desalter emulsion that will allow an understanding of the nature of the emulsion and its root causes. Knowledge of the root causes of an emulsion will assist a refinery, and potentially a crude oil producer, in developing an effective strategy for breaking the emulsion.

This project plans to develop a set of graphs that can be used to estimate the vapor phase concentration of H2S based on the liquid phase concentration, the temperature and vapor space ratio above the liquid, using equation of state modeling.

This project is exploring the best methdology for measuring/predicting stability issues for blends of heavy crude oil with other crude oils.

This area contains annoucements, meeting minutes and presentations related to new project proposals, prior to their establishment as a funded project.

This project was initiated with the purpose of examining the qualities of oilsands diluted bitumens and how their properties could be anticipated to impact on the ability of refineries to process them as feedstocks.

This project is intended to resolve issues with lack of detection, repeatability and reproducibility of organic chlorides measurement in crude oil samples. It is intended to screen testing methodologies, resolve discrepancies, identify optimal/referee method. It will also idenfity the nature/type of organic chloride presenting a problem at this time, and provide sufficient information to allow crude oil shippers to identify/track contamination sources.

This project was initiated in 1995, in response to fraction tower fouling observed at three Canadian refineries. Phosphorus was determined to be a significant component of the foulant and traced back to additive usage within the production industry. Since its inception, the project has dealt with various phases of contaminant and key additive identification, elucidation of the fouling mechanism, the development of both chemical and process alternatives, and the implementation of crude oil specifications.

A limit was established, effective July 1, 2005, of a maximum of 0.5 ppm voltile phosphorus in crude by the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers. Enforcement of this limit has begun effective January 1, 2007.

This project will study the impact of higher shear rates, the impact of crude oil blending on corrosivity, and study on the interaction of various types of nap acids and sulphur compunds and their impact on corrosivity. A newly designed autoclave, requiring smaller volumes of sample, will allow reduced residence times and minimal opportunity for carboxylic acid degradation. Additional work will be done on the scales produced on the test coupons surfaces, and the utility of various speciation techniques for napthenic acids and the metal scales is being explored.

This project is examining the relationship between true vapor pressure and Reid vapor pressure. The exising API nomograph was developed using weathered crude oils, whereas today all crude oils are stabilized and none are weathered. This shift in technology has rendered the API nomograph inaccurate, and a new relationship is desired to accurately reflect todays crude oil production and technology.