Comparative Analysis of Offshore and Onshore Nigeria Crude Oil

Abstract

Comparative study of offshore and onshore crude oil in terms of its physicochemical properties such as; API gravity, viscosity and Basic sediment & water has not been carried out, hence in this study samples were obtained from Atala onshore oil well and Clough Creek and Tubing offshore oil wells, both in Bayelsa state. Crude oil from both offshore and onshore locations using ASTM methods and a combination of analytical techniques to determine the API gravity, viscosity and BS&W. The crude oil investigated was found to have of API gravity of 28.40 and 35.20 API, for both offshore and onshore crude respectively. The offshore crude contains 2.5% water content while the onshore was nil. Offshore crude exhibited higher viscosity than the onshore, and the amount of oil from emulsion stability for the offshore crude was more compared to the onshore. These results provide an understanding of the major properties of these two types of crude.