The SPE San Joaquin Valley Section Invites you to attend a General Meeting in Bakersfield, California, featuring our guest speaker, Dr. Amber Krummel from Revelant and Colorado State University.
Topic: Unlocking Value in Carbon Chain Analysis: What They Probably Didn’t Teach You in School.
Abstract: Oil properties such as API gravity, cloud point, pour point, paraffin content, asphaltene content, and viscosity play an important part in the profitability of a well. Carbon Chain Analysis is a routine measurement used to determine the quality of oil vis-à-vis the distribution of light hydrocarbons to heavy hydrocarbons. Gas chromatography (GC) is often used to separate hydrocarbons and the hydrocarbons are detected by employing mass spectrometry (MS) or by flame ionization detector (FID). Unfortunately, these traditional techniques cannot typically distinguish the difference between a simple linear chain hydrocarbon like dodecane and a 1-ring hydrocarbon with 12 carbons because the difference in mass is only that of two hydrogens. Are the twelve carbons organized in a linear chain, a branched chain, a ring, or even a multi-ring configuration? This information is important because it impacts how production engineers deal with a paraffin problem, an asphaltene problem, a viscosity problem, or an emulsion problem, each of which have implications for well optimization practices and profitability. We will use multiple case studies from wells in the Mid-Con and Pacific Basins to demonstrate a non-traditional analytical approach to help production engineers understand how well optimization practices are influenced by information regarding the molecular shape of hydrocarbons.
Speaker Bio: Dr. Krummel is the Vice President of Research and Development with Revelant and an Associate Professor of Chemistry at Colorado State University. She completed her Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry at the University of Wisconsin—Madison under the supervision of Prof. Martin Zanni and was a Harvard Postdoctoral Fellow under the supervision of Prof. David Weitz. In 2010, Dr. Krummel joined the faculty of Colorado State University in the Department of Chemistry. Dr. Krummel focuses her research on probing chemical structure and dynamics in the condensed phase. Professor Krummel has been awarded a National Science Foundation CAREER award in 2013, the Department of Energy Early Career Award in 2015; in addition, Professor Krummel was named as a 2015 Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellow in recognition of her work.
Time: Doors open at 11:00AM for lunch and networking
Program begins at 11:45 AM
Registration fee: $15.00
Location: CRC Plaza, Coastal Room
900 Old River Road
Bakersfield, CA 93311
Google Maps Link
Park in any available parking spot and enter through the main entrance. Check in with the receptionist and proceed through the double doors. The Coastal Room will be immediately on your right after passing through the entrance doors.
To join SPE or to renew an expired membership, click here. Once your membership is confirmed contact the program chair to access the member links.