SPECTROSCOPIC CHARACTERIZATION OF SOLVENT SOLUBLE FRACTIONS OF PETROLEUM VACUUM RESIDUES

ABSTRACT

NMR and FTIR spectroscopic techniques were used to investigate the effect of different solvent extraction schemes on the composition and chemical nature of species of vacuum residues of two Indian crude oils (namely Jodhpur and Heera) extractable into polar (ethyl acetate) and non-polar (n-pentane and n-heptane) solvents. The obtained soluble fractions were found to consist of mainly simple aliphatic and naphthenic ring structures, while insoluble fractions consisted primarily aromatic compounds. The results were used to draw inferences on the relative utility of different extraction schemes to upgrade vacuum residues as feedstocks for secondary conversion processes in petroleum industry.