Lecture 1

Petroleum Industry:
Exploration and
Shiraz University
Production
Department of
Petroleum Engineering

Physical and Chemical

Properties of Hydrocarbons
(Part I)

Dr. J. Qajar Semester 1, 1396-97

Lecture 1: Physical & Chemical Properties of Hydrocarbons

Recommended reference

Mc Cain (1990), “The Properties of Petroleum

Fluids”, 2nd ed., PennWell Publishing Company

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Lecture 1: Physical & Chemical Properties of Hydrocarbons
Components of petroleum fluids
 Naturally occurring petroleum deposits: organic chemicals
 State of the petroleum fluids: gas or liquid

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Lecture 1: Physical & Chemical Properties of Hydrocarbons

Components of petroleum fluids

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Lecture 1: Physical & Chemical Properties of Hydrocarbons
Classification of crude oil
Crude oil is normally separated into crude fractions according
to boiling points

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Lecture 1: Physical & Chemical Properties of Hydrocarbons
Organic chemistry
 Chemistry of carbon compounds
 Two major sources of organic compounds
 Petroleum
 Coal
 Chemical bonds: forces which hold atoms together in
molecules
 Ionic bond: transfer of electrons from one atom to
another (eg NaCl)
 Covalent bond: atoms share electrons (eg H2)
 Carbon compounds are formed with four covalent bonds to
each carbon atoms.
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 Lecture 1: Physical & Chemical Properties of Hydrocarbons
Structural formulas of some common carbon compounds

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Lecture 1: Physical & Chemical Properties of Hydrocarbons
Representation of chemical compounds

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Lecture 1: Physical & Chemical Properties of Hydrocarbons
Chemical classification of petroleum fluids
 Organic compounds
 Hydrocarbons (HC): only C & H
 Non-hydrocarbons

Classification of hydrocarbons:

 Aliphatic HC

 Aromatic HC

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Lecture 1: Physical & Chemical Properties of Hydrocarbons
Aliphatic hydrocarbons
 Alkanes Parrafin HC or Parrafins

 Alkenes

 Alkynes

 Cyclic aliphatic HC

Homologue series:

Similar molecular structures like alkanes

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Lecture 1: Physical & Chemical Properties of Hydrocarbons

Classification of hydrocarbons

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Lecture 1: Physical & Chemical Properties of Hydrocarbons
Alkanes: Introduction
 CnH2n+2
 Examples:
 Methane: CH4
 Ethane: C2H6
 Propane: C3H8
 Butane: C4H10

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Lecture 1: Physical & Chemical Properties of Hydrocarbons

Alkanes: Introduction
State of alknaes at normal temperature and pressure

 CH4 to C4H10 : Gas

 C5H12 to C17H36 : Liquid

 C17H36 ... : Solid

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Lecture 1: Physical & Chemical Properties of Hydrocarbons
Alkanes: Chemical structure

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Lecture 1: Physical & Chemical Properties of Hydrocarbons
Alkanes: Chemical structure

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Lecture 1: Physical & Chemical Properties of Hydrocarbons
Alkanes: Systematic nomenclature

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 Lecture 1: Physical & Chemical Properties of Hydrocarbons
Straight-chain alkanes: Physical & Chemical Properties

 Addition of CH2 groups increases boiling and

melting points as well as sp. Gravity.
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 Lecture 1: Physical & Chemical Properties of Hydrocarbons
Straight-chain alkanes: Physical & Chemical Properties

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 Lecture 1: Physical & Chemical Properties of Hydrocarbons

Straight-chain alkanes: Physical & Chemical Properties

 Boiling & melting points are fairly low
 Highly symmetrical molecules
 Attraction between molecules (intermolecular
forces) are small
 Boiling & melting processes: overcoming
intermolecular forces
 Boiling & melting points are higher for larger
molecules

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Lecture 1: Physical & Chemical Properties of Hydrocarbons

Branched-chain alkanes: Physical & Chemical Properties

 Do not exhibit the same behavior

 Different structures cause different intermolecular

forces and hence different boiling & melting points

 Difference between isomers of a particular alkane

 Increasing in branching causes a decrease in

intermolecular attraction  lower boling point

 Chemically: alkanes are generally unreactive

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 Lecture 1: Physical & Chemical Properties of Hydrocarbons
Branched-chain alkanes: Physical & Chemical Properties

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Lecture 1: Physical & Chemical Properties of Hydrocarbons
Alkenes: Introduction
 CnH2n

 Unsaturated hydrocarbons or olefins

 Examples:

 Ethene (Ethylene): C2H4

 Propene (propylene): C3H6

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Lecture 1: Physical & Chemical Properties of Hydrocarbons
Alkenes: Chemical structure

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 Lecture 1: Physical & Chemical Properties of Hydrocarbons
Alkenes: Physical & Chemical Properties

 Similar to alkanes
 Increasing melting and boiling point with increasing
carbon content

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