“Bakken Shale Oil Carries High Combustion Risk - Analysis Of Crude From North Dakota Raises Further Questions About Rail Transportation” by Russell Gold (with Laura Stevens and Tom McGinty) of the Wall Street Journal, datelined Feb. 23, 2014 7:10 PM ET, as a “Business” article in the on-line version. The article appeared on Pages B-1 and B-2 - “Marketplace” section - of my local print edition of Monday, Feb. 24, 2014.
An analysis by the WSJ of data from Capline Pipeline (operated by Marathon Petroleum) discloses that the “average Reid Vapor Pressure is a common measurement of how quickly a liquid fuel evaporates and emits gases” for “North Dakota Sweet” is 8.56 psi to as high as 9.7 psi; Texas Eagle Ford Shale is also above 8 psi. Tesoro Corp., a U.S. West Coast refiner, said it has regularly received oil from North Dakota with readings up to 12 psi. The article says (or strongly implies) that this important data has been hard to come by in the public domain, even though sought by regulators and officials.
According to the article, other crudes commonly run in U.S. refineries are 6.17 psi for Brent, and 3.33 for Louisiana Light Sweet. The list and graphic has a total of 10, most of which are from around the world (and which I’d never heard of before).
Also according to the article, a higher vapor pressure means it is more likely to throw off combustible gases. The Bakken crude’s v
I would venture that not too much is available on the properties of Bakken crude because it hasn’t been on the market for a very long time. It also sounds like it’s the opposite of Venezuelan crude, which is quite heavy and contains more low-end stuff.
The most common way to generally grade crude oil is measured by API gravity (an inverse relation to density). The literature I’ve seen on Bakken crude is in the 36 to 45 range, which is typical for light crudes. Condensates I have dealt with are in the 60 to 70 range. Apparently API gravity isn’t the whole story. Like what what Paul describes of the WSJ story, I have also noticed that it is hard to find specifics on Bakken sample analysis.
One thought, a low flash point does not necessarily mean a low ignition point. Methane has a flash point in the cryogenic range (i.e. colder than any spot on earth) but has an ignition point above 1,000F. Longer chain hydrocarbons have a higher flash point than methane but a lower ignition point.
Another indicator of ignition point would be the octane number (technically performance number for numbers>100). Propane has a performance number of 105 to 115 or so, methane is at least 130. My guess is that Bakken crude would have a very low octane number.
Natural gasoline is a natural gas liquid. NGLs also includes propane and butane (and the negligible quantities of whatever unsaturated versions may be in the natural gas).
I was thinking of drawing on long ago learned knowledge to define the difference between flash point and ignition point, but I think it better that one of the petroleum experts bring precision to the task. Anyone volunteer?
Its about time the government got into this and make rules. The oil and gas companies have run rough shod over laws, rules, and common sense safety in the arrogant name of profits believing their product and business was omnipotent. Ask any body with fracked over land, stolen property, or craters where business and home used to be.
And they have been able to do so because their product is essential to much of civilized life. And when we add to their costs to produce their product, everyone, not just them, will have to pay the bill.
More lies, more promises, more broken promises, damaged roads, contaminated water, air pollution, more lies, loss of water from the aqua firma, contaminated soil, diseased animals, corrupted politicians, lies and more lies, increased earthquake activities, lies, broken contracts, greed gurgling all over the place, and more lies. That’s what you get with fracking.
Permanent warming, vs. temporary warming that’s part of a larger cycle, or due to increased solar activity, remains an open question. Man’s contribution to whatever we’re experiencing is more questionable yet. (About 3 percent of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is of our manufacture.)
What’s undeniable is the contribution petrochemicals have made in the past 40 years to lifting hundreds of millions of Third Worlders from the most abject poverty and the threat of starvation – into civilized life, if you like.