Guide to World Crudes: Equinor issues assay for Medanito crude
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
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.
