Guide to World Crudes: Equinor issues assay for Medanito crude

June 5, 2023

Based on a sample taken Feb. 6, 2023, Equinor ASA published a commercial assay dated Apr. 12, 2023, for Medanito crude oil on Apr. 25, 2023, to better represent the quality of this blend to its customers.

Light, low-sulfur Medanito is produced from tight oil deposits in onshore blocks of the Vaca Muerta formation, in Argentina’s Neuquén province.

Whole crude

Density at 15° C., kg/l.: 0.821

API gravity at 60/60° F.: 40.8

UOP K factor: 12.2

Total sulfur, wt %: 0.146

Mercaptan sulfur, ppm: 11.0

Total nitrogen, ppm: 449

Basic nitrogen, ppm: 113.000

Total acid no., mg KOH/g: < 0.1

Reid vapor pressure, psi: 7.7

Vis. at 20° C., cst: 6.06

Vis. at 40° C., cst: 3.62

Vis. at 50° C., cst: 2.92

Paraffins, wt %: 50.2

Naphthenes, wt %: 20.3

Aromatics, wt %: 29.5

Pour point, °C.: -36

Wax, wt %: 2.9

C7 asphaltenes, wt %: 0.1

Micro carbon residue, wt %: 1.1

Rams. carbon residue, wt %: 1.0

Vanadium, ppm (wt): 1.2

Nickel, ppm (wt): 0.8

Methane + ethane, wt %: 0.01

Propane, wt %: 0.11

iso-Butane, wt %: 0.19

n-Butane, wt %: 0.92

iso-Pentane, wt %: 1.02

n-Pentane, wt %: 1.63

Cyclopentane, wt %: 0.15

C6 paraffins, wt %: 3.97

C6 naphthenes, wt %: 1.40

Benzene, wt %: 0.11

C7 paraffins, wt %: 2.41

C7 naphthenes, wt %: 0.86

Toulene, wt %: 0.39

Atmospheric distillation
Pentanes to 65° C.

Yield on crude, wt %: 5.1

Yield on crude, vol %: 6.5

Cumulative yield, wt %: 6.4

Density at 15° C., kg/l.: 0.645

API gravity at 60/60° F.: 87.8

Total sulfur, wt %: 0.001

Mercaptan sulfur, ppm: 1.5

RON (clear): 76.9

MON (clear): 76.5

Paraffins, wt %: 97.1

Naphthenes, wt %: 2.9

Hydrogen, wt %: 16.5

65 - 100° C.

Yield on crude, wt %: 6.1

Yield on crude, vol %: 7.1

Cumulative yield, wt %: 12.5

Density at 15° C., kg/l.: 0.706

API gravity at 60/60° F.: 68.9

Total sulfur, wt %: 0.001

Mercaptan sulfur, ppm: 5.3

Total acid no., mg KOH/g: 0.01

RON (clear): 52.8

MON (clear): 51.6

Paraffins, wt %: 66.9

Naphthenes, wt %: 31.2

Aromatics, wt %: 1.8

Hydrogen, wt %: 15.5

100 - 150° C.

Yield on crude, wt %: 11.4

Yield on crude, vol %: 12.5

Cumulative yield, wt %: 23.9

Density at 15° C., kg/l.: 0.747

API gravity at 60/60° F.: 57.8

UOP K factor: 12.0

Total sulfur, wt %: 0.002

Mercaptan sulfur, ppm: 6.9

Total acid no., mg KOH/g: 0.02

RON (clear): 44.3

MON (clear): 41.2

Paraffins, wt %: 68.3

Naphthenes, wt %: 21.4

Aromatics, wt %: 10.3

Aniline point, °C.: 52.0

Hydrogen, wt %: 14.8

150 - 200° C.

Yield on crude, wt %: 10.1

Yield on crude, vol %: 10.6

Cumulative yield, wt %: 34.0

Density at 15° C., kg/l.: 0.780

API gravity at 60/60° F.: 49.9

UOP K factor: 11.9

Total sulfur, wt %: 0.004

Mercaptan sulfur, ppm: 7.3

Total acid no., mg KOH/g: 0.04

Vis. at 20° C., cst: 1.36

Vis. at 40° C., cst: 1.03

RON (clear): 33.2

MON (clear): 36.0

Paraffins, wt %: 72.9

Naphthenes, wt %: 13.0

Aromatics, wt %: 14.1

Freeze point, °C.: -65

Smoke point, mm: 28

Cetane index: 44

Naphthalenes, vol %: 0.1

Aniline point, °C.: 57.5

Hydrogen, wt %: 14.6

200 - 250° C.

Yield on crude, wt %: 8.6

Yield on crude, vol %: 8.7

Cumulative yield, wt %: 42.6

Density at 15° C., kg/l.: 0.812

API gravity at 60/60° F.: 42.7

UOP K factor: 11.9

Total sulfur, wt %: 0.006

Mercaptan sulfur, ppm: 2.6

Total nitrogen, ppm: 1

Basic nitrogen, ppm: 0.982

Total acid no., mg KOH/g: 0.04

Vis. at 40° C., cst: 1.68

Vis. at 50° C., cst: 1.43

Pour point, °C.: -48

Cloud point, °C.: -44

Freeze point, °C.: -42

Smoke point, mm: 24

Cetane index: 48

Naphthalenes, vol %: 2.2

Aniline point, °C.: 65.8

Hydrogen, wt %: 14.1

250 - 300° C.

Yield on crude, wt %: 8.8

Yield on crude, vol %: 8.6

Cumulative yield, wt %: 51.4

Density at 15° C., kg/l.: 0.834

API gravity at 60/60° F.: 38.1

UOP K factor: 11.9

Total sulfur, wt %: 0.021

Mercaptan sulfur, ppm: 0.6

Total nitrogen, ppm: 7

Basic nitrogen, ppm: 3.596

Total acid no., mg KOH/g: 0.05

Vis. at 40° C., cst: 3.10

Vis. at 50° C., cst: 2.53

Pour point, °C.: -25

Cloud point, °C.: -20

Freeze point, °C.: -18

Smoke point, mm: 20

Cetane index: 57

Naphthalenes, vol %: 5.1

Aniline point, °C.: 74.1

Hydrogen, wt %: 13.7

300 - 350° C.

Yield on crude, wt %: 8.7

Yield on crude, vol %: 8.4

Cumulative yield, wt %: 60.1

Density at 15° C., kg/l.: 0.853

API gravity at 60/60° F.: 34.4

UOP K factor: 12.0

Total sulfur, wt %: 0.100

Total nitrogen, ppm: 50

Basic nitrogen, ppm: 15.400

Total acid no., mg KOH/g: 0.06

Vis. at 40° C., cst: 6.16

Vis. at 50° C., cst: 4.78

Pour point, °C.: -3

Cetane index: 64

Naphthalenes, vol %: 5.8

Aniline point, °C.: 80.9

Hydrogen, wt %: 13.5

350 - 370° C.

Yield on crude, wt %: 2.8

Yield on crude, vol %: 2.7

Cumulative yield, wt %: 63.0

Density at 15° C., kg/l.: 0.869

API gravity at 60/60° F.: 31.3

UOP K factor: 12.0

Total sulfur, wt %: 0.153

Total nitrogen, ppm: 132

Basic nitrogen, ppm: 40.760

Total acid no., mg KOH/g: 0.07

Vis. at 40° C., cst: 11.60

Vis. at 50° C., cst: 8.57

Pour point, °C.: 10

Cetane index: 68

Aniline point, °C.: 85.8

Hydrogen, wt %: 13.4

370° + C.

Yield on crude, wt %: 37.0

Yield on crude, vol %: 33.2

Cumulative yield, wt %: 100.0

Density at 15° C., kg/l.: 0.914

API gravity at 60/60° F.: 23.2

UOP K factor: 12.4

Total sulfur, wt %: 0.350

Total nitrogen, ppm: 1,188

Basic nitrogen, ppm: 297.100

Total acid no., mg KOH/g: 0.08

Vis. at 50° C., cst: 145.00

Vis. at 60° C., cst: 85.6

Vis. at 100° C., cst: 18.40

Pour point, °C.: 29

Wax, wt %: 7.0

C7 asphaltenes, wt %: 0.3

Micro carbon residue, wt %: 2.9

Rams. carbon residue, wt %: 2.6

Vanadium, ppm (wt): 3.2

Nickel, ppm (wt): 2.3

Vacuum distillation

370 - 450° C.

Yield on crude, wt %: 10.5

Yield on crude, vol %: 9.7

Density at 15° C., kg/l.: 0.886

API gravity at 60/60° F.: 28.2

UOP K factor: 12.1

Total sulfur, wt %: 0.180

Total nitrogen, ppm: 290

Basic nitrogen, ppm: 73.970

Total acid no., mg KOH/g: 0.08

Vis. at 50° C., cst: 19.40

Vis. at 60° C., cst: 13.8

Vis. at 100° C., cst: 4.98

Pour point, °C.: 27

Aniline point, °C.: 92.3

Hydrogen, wt %: 13.2

Wax, wt %: 6.8

450 - 500° C.

Yield on crude, wt %: 6.4

Yield on crude, vol %: 5.8

Density at 15° C., kg/l.: 0.898

API gravity at 60/60° F.: 26.0

UOP K factor: 12.3

Total sulfur, wt %: 0.220

Total nitrogen, ppm: 520

Basic nitrogen, ppm: 128.000

Total acid no., mg KOH/g: 0.09

Vis. at 50° C., cst: 47.10

Vis. at 60° C., cst: 30.9

Vis. at 100° C., cst: 8.91

Pour point, °C.: 42

Aniline point, °C.: 99.7

Hydrogen, wt %: 13.0

Wax, wt %: 12.7

Micro carbon residue, wt %: 0.1

Rams. carbon residue, wt %: 0.1

500 - 550° C.

Yield on crude, wt %: 5.7

Yield on crude, vol %: 5.2

Density at 15° C., kg/l.: 0.908

API gravity at 60/60° F.: 24.2

UOP K factor: 12.4

Total sulfur, wt %: 0.262

Total nitrogen, ppm: 793

Basic nitrogen, ppm: 181.400

Total acid no., mg KOH/g: 0.09

Vis. at 50° C., cst: 108.00

Vis. at 60° C., cst: 65.7

Vis. at 100° C., cst: 15.40

Pour point, °C.: 51

Aniline point, °C.: 104.1

Hydrogen, wt %: 12.8

Wax, wt %: 14.2

Micro carbon residue, wt %: 0.7

Rams. carbon residue, wt %: 0.7

550° + C.

Yield on crude, wt %: 14.4

Yield on crude, vol %: 12.5

Density at 15° C., kg/l.: 0.946

API gravity at 60/60° F.: 18.0

UOP K factor: 12.5

Total sulfur, wt %: 0.560

Total nitrogen, ppm: 2,292

Basic nitrogen, ppm: 579.600

Total acid no., mg KOH/g: 0.08

Vis. at 100° C., cst: 140.00

Vis. at 130° C., cst: 42.4

Pour point, °C.: 25

Wax, wt %: 1.7

C7 asphaltenes, wt %: 0.8

Micro carbon residue, wt %: 7.2

Rams. carbon residue, wt %: 6.3

Vanadium, ppm (wt): 8.3

Nickel, ppm (wt): 5.8

About the Author

Robert Brelsford | Downstream Editor

Robert Brelsford joined Oil & Gas Journal in October 2013 as downstream technology editor after 8 years as a crude oil price and news reporter on spot crude transactions at the US Gulf Coast, West Coast, Canadian, and Latin American markets. He holds a BA (2000) in English from Rice University and an MS (2003) in education and social policy from Northwestern University.