Studies of Thermal and Physical Properties of Hydrocarbons

Author: Sage, Bruce Hornbrook

Year: 1934

Degree: Dissertation (Ph.D.)

Advisor: Lacey, William Noble

Committee Member: Unknown, Unknown

Option: Chemistry

DOI: 10.7907/3SFC-Y308

Abstract

The work reported in this thesis was carried out during the last three years at the California Institute of Technology as part of Research Project 37 of the American Petroleum Institute. The general purpose of the investigation is the study of the fundamental properties of hydrocarbon mixtures which control their retention in underground formations.

The work of earlier investigators had indicated that rather large changes in the physical properties from those observed at atmospheric pressure took place when natural hydrocarbon mixtures were at equilibrium under the pressures and temperatures found in many natural reservoirs. As the physical properties such as viscosity, density, etc. have a large effect on the retention of the oil in a natural reservoir, a study of the more important of them was undertaken by the American Petroleum Institute. The work of Project 37 has been restricted to measurements of the composition, rate of solution, density, change in volume, specific heat, viscosity of hydrocarbon mixtures as a function of pressure and temperature. The derived thermal properties are of interest in the determination of the available energy of a natural reservoir.

The work reported in this thesis consists of a description of the apparatus used in the general study of the physical properties of hydrocarbon mixtures under equilibrium conditions, and of complete equilibrium data on the system composed of methane and propane, and of complete pressure-volume-temperature and thermal data on pure propane. Both studies covered most of the pressure and temperature ranges encountered in underground formations.

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