Table of Contents

1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................................................... 2

2.0 THEORY.................................................................................................................................... 2

2.1 Specific gravity and API gravity .................................................................................................. 2

2.2 The American Petroleum Institute gravity ................................................................................... 3

2.3 Measuring principle ...................................................................................................................... 4

3.0 EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE .......................................................................................... 4

3.1 Determination of API Gravity: ..................................................................................................... 4

3.2 Determination of Density: ............................................................................................................ 4

4.0 EXPERIMENTAL DATA AND ANLYSIS ............................................................................ 5

4.1 Determination of API Gravity ...................................................................................................... 5

4.2 Determination of Density of given fluids ..................................................................................... 5

5.0 DISCUSSION............................................................................................................................. 6

6.0 CONCLUSION .......................................................................................................................... 7

7.0 REFERENCES .......................................................................................................................... 7

8.0 APPENDICES ........................................................................................................................... 7

8.1 Appendix A: Sample of Calculations ........................................................................................... 7

8.2 Appendix B: Figures .................................................................................................................... 8

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1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In this experiment we measure and test different types of fluids to measure they conduct
to calculate API gravity. For all the fluids samples by using the method of hydro meter.
A hydrometer is an instrument that measures the specific gravity (relative density) of liquids
the ratio of the density of the liquid to the density of water.

A hydrometer is usually made of glass, and consists of a cylindrical stem and a bulb
weighted with mercury or lead shot to make it float upright. The liquid to test is poured into a
tall container, often graduated, and the hydrometer is gently lowered into the liquid until it floats
freely. The point at which the surface of the liquid touches the stem of the hydrometer correlates
to specific gravity. Hydrometers usually contain a scale inside the stem, so that the person using
it can read specific gravity. A variety of scales exist for different contexts.

In oil and gas industries, the measurement of the API gravity is very import for recording
the sample in order to study the quality of the oil in the reservoir. Through API Gravity
measurement the oil can be classified from heavy oil and light oil. In order to measure the API
Gravity of the fluids, four samples of difference fluid are being tested. The samples that were
used in this experiment were paraffin oil, diesel, palm oil and kerosene.

2.0 THEORY
Determination of density or specific gravity of petroleum liquid is important for the
calculation of volume and weight of the petroleum which consists of different types of fluids.
For crude oil, gravity also shows the quality of the crude oil. Furthermore, it is also a sign of
the composition and the heat of combustion of a particular petroleum material.

2.1 Specific gravity and API gravity

Specific gravity is defined as the ratio of the density of a given solid or liquid substance
to the density of water at a specific temperature and pressure, typically at 4°C (39°F) and 1 atm
(760.00 mmHg) , making it a dimensionless quantity. Specific gravity, SG, is expressed
mathematically as

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2.2 The American Petroleum Institute gravity
Measure of how heavy or light petroleum liquid is compared to water. If its API gravity
is greater than 10, it is lighter and floats on water; if less than 10, it is heavier and sinks. API
gravity is thus a measure of the relative density of a petroleum liquid and the density of water,
but it is used to compare the relative densities of petroleum liquids. For example, if one
petroleum liquid floats on another and is therefore less dense, it has a greater API gravity.
Although mathematically API gravity has no units (see the formula below), it is nevertheless
referred to as being in “degrees”. API gravity is graduated in degrees on a hydrometer
instrument and was designed so that most values would fall between 10 and 70 API gravity
degrees.

The formula used to obtain the API gravity of petroleum liquids is thus:

Conversely, the specific gravity of petroleum liquids can be derived from the API gravity value
as:

Thus, heavy oil with a specific gravity of 1.0 (i.e., with the same density as pure water at 60°F)
would have an API gravity of:

To derive the API gravity from the density, the density is first measured using either the
hydrometer, detailed in ASTM D1298 or with the oscillating U-tube method detailed in ASTM
D4052. Density adjustments at different temperatures, corrections for soda-lime glass
expansion and contraction and meniscus corrections for opaque oils are detailed in the
Petroleum Measurement Tables, details of usage specified in ASTM D1250. The specific
gravity is then calculated from the formula below and the API gravity calculated from the first
formula above.

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2.3 Measuring principle
This method is based on the principle that a floating body in a liquid will have part if its
body submerged in the liquid. The depth of submerged part is inversely proportional to density
or gravity of the liquid. In this principle the floating body is the API hydrometer which is a
hydrometer with API gravity scale.

3.0 EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE

3.1 Determination of API Gravity:
1. Some quantity of sample was poured into the graduated cylinder. A special care was
taken to prevent any formation of bubbles in the cylinder. Hydrometer was then put
into the sample.
2. Using thermometer the sample was stir and thermometer reading was recorded.
3. The thermometer was taking out and left the hydrometer freely in the sample. The
hydrometer was pushed into the sample for about 2 scale unit and then released it. Wait
until the thermometer was exactly stationary. The scale was read to the nearest 0.0001
for SG, and to the nearest 0.5 for oAPI.
4. The temperature was recorded again and once there is no change in the temperature,
calculate the average permeability but if the temperature difference was greater than
0.5oC then the measurement of gravity need to be repeated. Procedure to read the
hydrometer scale.
a) For transparent liquid – meniscus across the liquid surface
b) For opaque liquid above the meniscus and use meniscus correction table 1.

3.2 Determination of Density:

1. Pycnometer and stopper were thoroughly clean with a cleaning fluid, rinse well with
distilled water. Finally rinse with acetone and dry.
2. The empty pycnometer was weight with stopper at room temperature.
3. The pycnometer was filled with given liquid at the same room temperature.
4. Try to close the pycnometer with a stopper on top and make sure that there was no
gas bubble inside, and then the exterior surface dried by wiping with a lint-cloth or
paper.
5. The filled pycnometer was weighted to record the density of the given liquid.

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 6. Once finished with weighing one liquid, the pycnometer is cleansed well with the
cleaning fluid and was baked in the drying furnace, repeated the above procedure for
all the given fluids and densities were recorded.

4.0 EXPERIMENTAL DATA AND ANLYSIS

4.1 Determination of API Gravity
Table 1: API Gravity for each sample.

SG Gravity API Gravity

Temperature of API Gravity from
Sample (60/60 oF) Refer refer ASTM
Sample oF (Hydrometer)
ASTM (Table 3) (Table 5)

Palm 80 24 0.9100 22.8

Kerosene 80 46 0.7972 44.3
Paraffin 80 34 0.8550 32.6
Diesel 80 95 0.6247 91.2

4.2 Determination of Density of given fluids

Table 2: Density for each type of liquids.

Weight of Pycnometer Volume of Density of the

Weight of empty
Sample fill with the liquid the Liquid Liquid
Pycnometer (gm)
(gm) (cc) (gm/cc)
Palm 27.93 77.34 50 0.9882
Kerosene 27.97 73.01 50 0.9008
Paraffin 27.89 68.77 50 0.8176
Diesel 27.79 72.12 50 0.8866

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5.0 DISCUSSION
Measurement of API by using hydrometer is based on the principle that a floating
body in a liquid will have part of its body submerge in the liquid. The depth of the submerged
part is inversely proportional to density or gravity of the liquid. In this principle the floating
body is the API Hydrometer which is a hydrometer with API gravity scale.

There are four problems that are identified which may lead to errors in the
measurement of the experiment besides bubble problem. The problems are:

a) Sample may not be stirred in a proper way at the beginning of the experiment.
b) The sample might not be 100% pure due to impurities.
c) Volume of the sample is not approximately 50cc due to some of the sample flow
out during the stopper is put into the pycnometer.
d) The pycnometer may be contaminated because it does not clean throughly before
fill it with the sample.

API Gravity is the most important characteristic in petroleum industry. API Gravity will
determine whether which liquid is more easily to be burned. It’s also determined the quality of
the burning and the quantity of heat released. From the experiment result, Diesel has the highest
value which is 38.01, followed by cooking oil which is 24.0. Moving on, lubricating oil has a
value of 12.1 and then the lowest is water that is 9.6 at temperature of 60F.

From this experiment, the sample temperature is higher than 60F. Since API Gravity
value change with temperature, the result that we get have to be changed into the API Gravity
value at 60F by referring to the D1250 “Petroleum Measuring Table”. API Gravity determines
the heat combustion of the crude oil. The heat of combustion over weight unit will increase the
value of API Gravity, the greater the heat of combustion will be released.

Based on the experiment, Diesel has the largest value of API Gravity, so increased the
release of heat of combustion. In addition, the lowest API Gravity is relates to aromatic
hydrocarbon while the highest API Gravity indicates paraffin hydrocarbon. Percentage of
carbon in crude oil is inversely proportional to the value of API Gravity. The greater the value
of API Gravity, influence the carbon content to be decreased in crude oil but increased the
percentage of hydrogen.

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 Examine on API Gravity for a petroleum product is a method to determine the efficiency
and constancy of the transportation of that product. This is due to the loss of the vaporize
component during the transportation would left the rest with the lower API Gravity.

6.0 CONCLUSION
As a result, the API Gravity of oil by using hydrometer and pycnometer can be
measured. From the experiment, the value of API Gravity at room temperature is higher than
60.0 F and is greater than the value of API Gravity at 60.0 F. This showed that the result
followed the theory as if the temperature at the moment the readings of API Gravity is
measured is more than 60.0 F, thus the value of API Gravity obtained from Table ASTM
D1250 would be smaller than the value of API Gravity at observer's temperature and
otherwise.

7.0 REFERENCES
a) Petroleum Measurement Table, ASTM, 1987.
b) Amyx, J.W and Bass, D.M and Robert L. Whiting, (1960), Petroleum Resevoir
Engineering-Physical Properties, McGraw hill Book Company, New York, USA.

8.0 APPENDICES
8.1 Appendix A: Sample of Calculations
Calculations for Table 2:
Water :
Density of water = weight of the liquid / volume of the liquid
= (77.34-27.93 gm) / 50 cc
= 0.9882 gm/cc
Cooking Oil :

Density of Cooking Oil = weight of the liquid / volume of the liquid

= (73.01-27.97 gm) / 50cc
= 0.9008 gm/cc
Diesel :

Density of Diesel = weight of the liquid / volume of the liquid

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 = (68.77-27.89 gm) / 50cc
= 0.8176 gm/cc

Lubricant Oil :

Density of Lubricant Oil = weight of the liquid / volume of the liquid

= (72.12-27.79 gm)/ 50 cc
= 0.8866 gm/cc

8.2 Appendix B: Figures

Figure 2: Reading API Gravity using hydrometer.

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