ASPHALTENES IN CRUDE-OIL - ABSORBERS AND OR SCATTERERS IN THE NEAR-INFRARED REGION

The question of the relative magnitudes of light absorption and scattering by asphaltene particles In crude oils Is addressed for the near-infrared spectral range. The effect of dilution with carbon tetrachloride on crude oil spectra is determined for asphattic crude oils and these results are contrasted with similar measurements on crude oils with an immiscible wax phase. This comparison implies the dominance of absorption over scattering for asphaltic crude oils while scattering and absorption are found to be significant for waxy crude oils. Separation of crude oils Into asphaltenes and mattenes allows for measurement of the absorption of individual crude oil components. The comparison of the original and composite spectra clearly shows that absorption dominates over scattering in the near-IR region. The functional forms expected for absorption and scattering are examined and found to be consistent with the experimental data. © 1990, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.