Use of Raman Spectroscopy in Analysis of Crude Oils, Petroleum Products, Oil-Bearing Rocks, and Petrochemical Process Catalysts (A Review)

The review deals the use of Raman spectroscopy for analysis of various objects of petroleum chemistry: crude oils, petroleum products, oil-bearing rocks, petrochemical process catalysts, etc. The Raman bands characterizing the main functional groups in crude oils and petroleum products are interpreted. The conditions for recording the Raman spectra (choice of the laser and spectrum range) to obtain high-quality spectra of objects of different chemical structure are described. The main ways to reduce the sample temperature and suppress fluorescence in recording the Raman spectra are considered. Much attention is paid to methods for mathematical processing of results in analysis of the thermal maturity of crude oil and oil-bearing rocks and in determination of the fuel mixture composition. Parameters quantitatively describing the degree of maturity of crude oils and kerogens are given. Examples of analysis of the experimental data and results of quantum-chemical modeling in determination of the structure of polycyclic hydrocarbons are described.