A MULTIPARAMETER OIL POLLUTION SOURCE IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM

The feasibility of oil pollution source identification is demonstrated on eighty crude oils from the world's major oil fields. Measurements of fifteen diagnostic parameters were made on the 600+F fraction of the crude oil samples. Of the fifteen parameters studied it was demonstrated that six were sufficient to distinguish among the crude oils. These parameters are carbon and sulfur isotopic composition, sulfur, nitrogen, vanadium and nickel contents. A hydrocarbon gas chromatographic profile was also diagnostic for identification but its usefulness was reduced for aged samples by the effect of weathering. The other parameters studied were the saturate, aromatic and asphaltic contents and the carbon isotopic composition of each of these fractions, the n-paraffin distribution (odd-even predominance curves) and the sulfur gas chromatographic profile. The influence of weathering on the parameters was studied. A statistical procedure based on multivariate normal analysis was developed to compare an unknown with a data library and to give an unbiased match of the unknown with a known based on the precision of the measurement methods.

• Corporate Authors:

  Phillips Petroleum Company

  Research and Development Department
  Bartlesville, OK  United States  74004
• Authors:
  • MILLER, J W
• Publication Date: 1973-7

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air pollution sources; Deterioration; Gas chromatography; Identification systems; Oil spill cleanup; Oil spills; Oils; Pollution control
• Old TRIS Terms: Oil degradation; Oil spill identification; Oil spill sources
• Subject Areas: Environment; Marine Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00051205
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Phillips Petroleum Company
• Report/Paper Numbers: EPA-R2-73-221
• Contract Numbers: 68-01-0059
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Feb 28 1974 12:00AM