Petroleum Product Testing

Petroleum, which literally means 'Rock Oil' or 'Oil from the Earth', was formed from the remains of plants & animals that lived millions of years ago (Pre-Dinosaur age) in a marine environment. Subsequent decomposition of those remains (over millions of years) by application of heat & pressure (due to burial) by deposition of sand & silt over them led to the formation of 'Crude Oil' or Petroleum. It is one of the 3 Fossil fuels, viz., Coal, Natural Gas, Petroleum, that occur in our nature, & is composed of a complex mixture of different types of hydrocarbons along-with a number of elemental impurities, like Sulfur, Nitrogen, Oxygen, etc. Due to wide variations in the origin of Petroleum products, they vary considerably in terms of their Physico-Chemical properties & appearances, from one Oilfield to other. Spectro provides an outstanding platform for carrying out tests of almost all the recognized elements of the periodic table. Whether the sample is a metal or a non metal or an alloy, we are fully equipped with all the instruments required for its quantitative as well as qualitative analysis. We practice traditional techniques like Wet Chemical Methods and also the instrumentation techniques for studying the prescribed parameters.

The separation of Crude Petroleum into its various individual fractions (called 'Petroleum Products'), like Petrol, Diesel, & Naphtha, take place in a 'Petroleum Refinery' by a process called "Refining", which consists of 3 steps: (1) Separation (2) Conversion & (3) Purification. There are 4 major types of Petroleum fractions, depending upon their Chemical Bonding patterns:

(1) Paraffins (2) Olefins (3) Naphthenes & (4) Aromati

Depending upon their usage, Petroleum Products can be broadly divided into 2 types, 'Fuel Oil' & 'Lubricants'. Characterization of these products in terms of a number of Physico-Chemical properties, like Viscosity, Octane number, Cetane number, Distillation range, is of utmost importance in determining the suitability of a particular Petroleum Product for the purpose of its intended use, transportation, storage, & other functions

Spectro Analytical Labs Ltd. has been serving its elite group of customers (in the Petroleum & Allied Industries) for well over a decade, by providing reliable & meaningful test results. It can also conduct customized tests, depending upon a client's specific needs. Spectro's credibility lies in its strict adherence to Quality Control Procedures (as per ISO 17025:2005), & its team of efficient & well-trained technicians/analysts who are well-equipped with the most sophisticated & versatile analytical instruments, to test a wide variety of Petroleum Products.

Some of the Petroleum Products Tested by Spectro are as follows:

  • bulletSolid Fuels-Coal, Coke, Wood
  • bulletDiesel-High Speed Diesel (HSD), Low Diesel Oil (LDO), Bio-diesel
  • bulletInsulating Oils-Transformer Oil, Mineral Inhibiting Oil
  • bulletLubricating Oils-Lubricating Grease, Engine Oil, Gear Oil, Spindle Oil, Turpentine Oil, Brake Fluid, Gasoline, Kerosene
  • bulletHydraulic Fluids-Hydraulic Oil, Anti-wear Hydraulic Oil, Fire Resistant Oil
  • bulletCarbon-Rich Materials-Activated Carbon, Graphite
  • bulletMetal Lube Oil-Cutting Oil, Quenching Oil, Turbine Oil
  • bulletFurnace Oils

Test Parameters of Petroleum Products (Routine & Specialized Tests)

Some of the Standard Test Methods, Protocols, & Specifications Adopted/Followed by Spectro are as follows:

  • bulletIndian Standards (IS) of BIS
  • bulletAmerican Society for Testing & Materials (ASTM)
  • bulletInternational Organization for Standardization(ISO)
  • bulletGerman Standards (DIN)
  • bulletInternational Petroleum (IP) Standards
  • bulletOther International Standards & Customer-specified Methods
Major Equipments used for Testing
  • bulletAutomatic Bomb Calorimeter (Innovated by Spectro)
  • bulletAtomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS)
  • bulletGas Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometer (GC-MS)
  • bulletGas Chromatograph (FID & ECD Detectors)
  • bulletGas Chromatograph (FID & ECD Detectors)
  • bulletProximate Analyzer
  • bulletAsh Fusion Tester
  • bulletKarl Fischer Titrator
  • bulletAniline Point Apparatus
  • bulletFlash Point Apparatus (Abel)
  • bulletFlash Point Apparatus (PMCC)
  • bulletFlash Point Apparatus (COC)
  • bulletK.Viscosity Bath
  • bulletPour Point /Cloud Point Apparatus
  • bulletRed Wood Viscometer
  • bulletOil Breakdown Voltage (BDV) Tester
  • bulletDissolved Gas Extractor
  • bulletResistivity Meter
  • bulletTan Delta Meter
  • bulletOil Testing Centrifuge
  • bulletTSS Filtration Apparatus
  • bulletCarbon Residue Apparatus
  • bulletMelting Point Apparatus
  • bulletCongealing Point Tester