Improvement of Rheological properties of fresh crude oil using Momordica balsamina Plant Extracts

Abstract

Petroleum components are complex mixture of various hydrocarbon compounds such as paraffinic, naphthenic, and aromatic compounds. As well as some inorganic components as an impurity which includes sulphur, nitrogen, oxygen, nickel, vanadium, iron and arsenic. According to its composition, oil is classified to paraffinic petrol, an asphaltic base, and a mixed base oil. Sudanese petrol belongs to the paraffinic type of petrol. It contains a high percentage of paraffin waxes, which influences its rheological properties (viscosity and flow pour point). This property affects directly the transporting process by increasing the cost. So, recently approximately the entire researcher works to find out a suitable natural improver to the rheological properties of the oil. The use of plants in the field of petrol industry, become the focus of many countries around the world. Some plant products have been used in the treatment of drilling liquids, such as using gum Arabic and guar gum in the treatment of drilling liquids. This research discusses a new approach for treating the rheological properties of the paraffin Sudanese petrol and the microbial contamination of its draining using Momordica balsamina (Cucurbitaceae) fruit and seed extracts. The authenticated plant material was extracted using two methods: cold maceration method with methanol, and hot continues extraction method using Soxhlet apparatus with different organic solvent in order to increase the polarity (petroleum ether, chloroform, and methanol). The phytoconstituents of the prepared extracts were tested. The result was reflected the presence of all phytochemical group tested in all extracts except terpenoid was not detected in some seed extract. The effect of these extracts on the rheological properties of untreated Hamra ore samples (Block B2, a mixture of OGM2 and OGM5) was tested by adding 2000 PPM of the extract to 100 ml of crude sample. Seed petroleum ether extract and fruit chloroform extract were improve best result in treating rheological properties of ore pour point of blank (39oc to 33oc). viscosity improved the sample ( plank) at the same (pour point ) for the seed extracted by ( Petroleum Ether ) the new extract production from (1474.69 cp) to 77.13 (cp) where the stored seeds improved its viscosity from (1474.69 cp to 89.79 cp ). When used fruits which produced from extracting chloroform newly produced gives the best treatment from using stored fruits where the improved newly fruits produced viscosity for the same sample from (1474.69 cp to 89.98 cp ) where the improved stored fruits viscosity from (1474.69 cp to 199.96 cp). the minimum concentration to improve the flow is 1500ppm. The antimicrobial activity of the prepared extracts was tested against four standard bacterial strains and two standard fungal strains. The result was showed the antimicrobial activity against at least one or more microbial strain tested. The result of this research was reflected a measurable improvement in the rheological properties of the paraffin Sudanese petrol natural microbial remedy to the microbial contamination of the petrol industry.