Identification and Properties of Mercury Species in Crude Oil

Wilhelm, S. M., Liang, L., Kirchgessner, D., " Identification and Properties of Mercury Species in Crude Oil", Energy and Fuel, ACS, in press.

ABSTRACT

The identities and properties of mercury species in crude oil were investigated. Dimethylmercury (DMHg) and elemental mercury (Hg⁰) were independently quantified as volatile species evaporated from a single crude oil using selective trapping. The fugacities and Henry's law constants of Hg⁰ and DMHg in toluene were determined by measuring concentrations in vapor/liquid equilibrium over a range of temperatures. Of the two, elemental mercury, as a dissolved species in the two-phase toluene liquid/vapor systems, has the higher fugacity and Henry's constant. Non-volatile forms of mercury associated with asphaltenes were identified using differential solubility methods. Asphaltene mercury was found to be a significant fraction of the total mercury concentration in the crude oils that were examined. The newly developed analytical protocols have assisted empirical models of mercury distribution in gas and petroleum processing.



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