Sulaimani Polytechnic

University (SPU)
Oil & Energy Engineering
RESERVIOR FLUID PROPERTIES Laboratory
2st stage

American Petroleum Institute (API)

Name of Prepared
Lawand Rawf Muhamad
Mhamad Burhan
Mhamad omer
Hoshand mhamad

SUPERVISOR: Mss. Govand - Mss.zhino

YEAR: 2021-2022
OBJECTIVES:
The main purposes of this experiment are therefore:
1-.To determine the specific gravity of oil using density.
2-.To compare the specific gravity and API gravity of different oils

Abstract
The American Petroleum Institute gravity, or API gravity, is a measure of how
heavy or light a 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 an inverse measure of a petroleum liquid's density relative to
that of water (also known as specific gravity). It is used to compare densities of
petroleum liquids. For example, if one petroleum liquid is less dense than another,
it has a greater API gravity. Although API gravity is mathematically a
dimensionless quantity (see the formula below), it is referred to as being in
'degrees'. API gravity is graduated in degrees on a hydrometer instrument. API
gravity values of most petroleum liquids fall between 10 and 70 degrees.
In 1916, the U.S. National Bureau of Standards accepted the Baumé scale, which
had been developed in France in 1768, as the U.S. standard for measuring the
specific gravity of liquids less dense than water. Investigation by the U.S. National
Academy of Sciences found major errors in salinity and temperature controls that
had caused serious variations in published values. Hydrometers in the U.S. had
been manufactured and distributed widely with a modulus of 141.5 instead of the
Baumé scale modulus of 140. The scale was so firmly established that, by 1921,
the remedy implemented by the American Petroleum Institute was to create the
API gravity scale, recognizing the scale that was actually being used.
INTRODUCTION
API gravity is short for American Petroleum Institute gravity, an inverse measure that is used to
determine the weight of petroleum liquids in comparison to water. If a liquid has API gravity of
more than 10 it is considered a light oil that floats on water. If the liquid’s API gravity is less
than 10 it will sink and falls into the heavy oil category. While API gravity essentially measures
the relative density of petroleum liquid and water it is primarily used to evaluate and contrast the
relative densities of petroleum liquids.

In mathematical terms API gravity has no dimensions. However the measure is gradated in
degrees using a purpose built hydrometer instrument. Thanks to a strategic API scale design
most petroleum liquids will be categorised between 10 and 70 API gravity degrees.
Clear-cut formulas
The official formula used to derive the gravity of petroleum liquids from the
specific gravity (SG), as follows:
API gravity = 141.5/SG – 131.5
The relative density of petroleum liquids can also be uncovered by using API
gravity value:
RD at 60oF = 141.5 / (API gravity + 131.5)
A key formula for establishing barrels of crude oil per metric ton
Using the following formula, API gravity can also be used to calculate how many
barrels of crude oil can be produced per metric ton. Given that the weight of an oil
plays an integral role in establishing its market value this formula is incredibly
important!

Barrels of crude oil per metric ton = 1 / [141.5 / (API gravity + 131.5) x 0.159]
API gravity classifications and grades
In general oils with API gravity of 40 – 45 generate the highest market prices. Any
oils with API gravity of 45 or over have shorter molecular chains which are less
desirable to refineries. Below is an overview of the four major crude oil
classifications:
 Light crude oil
Any crude oil with API gravity of over 31.1 degrees falls into the light crude oil
category.
 Medium crude oil

Oils with API gravity falling between 22.3 and 31.1 degrees are classed as medium
crude oils.
 Heavy crude oil

Heavy crude oils have API gravity of under 22.3.

 Extra heavy oil

Also referred to as bitumen, extra heavy crude oils have API gravity of below 10.0
degrees.
While these are accurate classifications it’s important to note that exact
differentiations between light, medium, heavy and extra heavy will vary depending
on the region of origin. At the end of the day, fluctuations are largely based on
current oil commodity trading

THEORY
Density is defined as the ratio of a body’s mass per unit of its volume. It is represented as:

Relative density of a material is the ratio of the material’s density to the density of
some substance normally used as a reference. This reference material is usually
water. In the Engineering field, Specific Gravity is also used to refer to relative
density. The American Petroleum Institute proposed the API Gravity scale for
comparing the densities of components of petroleum products to themselves or to
water. API Gravity gives an indication of how heavy or light a component is when
compared to water. Those components having values higher than 10 are less dense
than water and will float on it, those with values less than 10 are more dense and
will sink. A petroleum component will float on another if it has a higher API value
but will sink if it has a lower value.
API Gravity like relative density or specific gravity generally has no units,
however its value is referred to as being in ‘degrees’. API gravity formulas
The formula to calculate API gravity from specific gravity (SG) is:

LAB equipment uses

1- ERLENMEYER FLASK
· Designed for easy stirring, can be swirled by hand without spilling
· Not used for measuring as they are only accurate to 5%
· Often used for titrations
· A rubber stopper fits nicely in the opening the stopper size needed is shown with
a number underneath the serial number.

2- BEAKER
· Used to hold varying volumes of liquid
· Not used for measuring volumes as it is only accurate to 5%
· The spout lines up nicely with the rim of other glassware for easy pouring
3- FUNNEL
· Used to aide in the transfer of liquids
· Be careful when using a funnel as they can cause you to add more liquid than you
intend

4- Weighing machines:
When we perform experiments in the laboratories, we deal with very small
quantities of reagents usually in the units of micro or mini grams. With a general
physical balance, it is tough to get the desired and exact amounts of the reagents
and so these weighing machines come in the picture. These machines help in
measuring very small units of substances in terms of weight.

5- Pycnometer bottles are usually made of glass and have a ground glass stopper
with a capillary tube for air bubbles to escape. It uses a balance to measure the
density in reference to a working fluid like water or mercury.
Procedure
A pecnometer 14 g weight
we add kerosene
and use Weighing machines to find the weight of the kerosene and
we find the density by having the volume
and mass
We use the density eq. p=m/v and
then we find sp.gr by eq.
Sp.gr = psub/pwater and we find the API gravity
Discussion
1-
Density, Specific Gravity and API Gravity
Density is defined as the mass of unit volume of a material at a specific
temperature. A more useful unit used by the petroleum industry isspecific gravity,
which is the ratio of the weight of a given volume of a material to the weight of the
same volume of water measured at the same temperature. Specific gravity is used
to calculate the mass of crude oils and its products. Usually, crude oils and their
liquid products are first measured on a volume basis, then changed to the
corresponding masses using the specific gravity. The API (American Petroleum
Institute) gravity is another way to express the relative masses of crude oils. The
API gravity could be calculated mathematically using the following equation:

A low API gravity indicates a heavier crude oil or a petroleum product, while a
higher API gravity means a lighter crude or product. Specific gravities of crude
oils roughly range from 0.82 for lighter crudes to over 1.0 for heavier crudes (41 -
10 °API scale).
2-
API gravity is a commonly used index of the density of a crude oil or refined
products. API stands for the American Petroleum Institute, which is the industry
organization that created this measure. A crude oil will typically have an API
between 15 and 45 degrees. Higher API indicates a lighter (lower density) crude.
REFERENCES

1- Report on the Development, Construction, Calculation and

Preparation of the ASTM – IP Petroleum Measurement Tables
(ASTM D1250; IP 200), 1960, published by the Institute of
Petroleum, 61 New Cavendish Street, London, W.1 and American
Society for Testing Materials, 1916 Race Street, Philadelphia 3, Pa.
2- "Comments on Crude Oil Gravity Adjustments". Louisiana
Department of Natural Resources. Archived from the original on 2
May 2006. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
3- Canadian Centre for Energy Information. "What is crude oil?"
Archived 2014-07-10 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved on: 2012-
09-10