Crude Oil

SGS laboratories perform a full suite of tests on crude oil and other feedstocks for the refining, blending and petrochemical industry.

Determining the Value of Feedstocks

The value of feedstocks needs to be determined on a case-by-case basis as, unlike finished products, crude and feedstocks are “as is” purchases. This means that while some guidance will be given by typical or generic data from past cargoes, significant variations may well occur from time to time as fields are bled into a mix, drop out, or as refinery cuts are varied or plant used in a more or less aggressive manner.

Feedstocks such as vacuum gas oil, LSWR, atmospheric residue, vacuum residue, naphthas, condensates, cycle oils and similar all offer enormous opportunities to the informed trader and refiner. However, they also present significant risk which is beyond that of the well-defined finished products. SGS offers risk management tools to the trader that simply cannot be matched by any other organization.

Simple tests such as density, water content and sulfur are well known and commonplace. These days, however, new challenges such as the determination of low-level mercury, damaging metallic residues, hydrogen sulfide and exotics such as antimony may also be required.

Why SGS?

Impartial, independent analysis is critical to continued success in production and trade in the oil and gas industry. With SGS as your analytical testing partner, you can concentrate on your core business, allowing our experts to carry out the analysis in an accurate, efficient and totally independent manner.

SGS is an active member of many industry bodies, standards organizations and technical working groups, including those within ASTM, ISO, CEN, EI (The Energy Institute, formerly the Institute of Petroleum) and IFIA. The execution of any trade inspection nomination on oil gas and chemical cargoes by SGS will always be based on the accepted core petroleum and petrochemical standards such as API MPMS, ASTM, UOP, GOST, EN or IP test methods and specifications as set out by ISO, CEN or the various national and regional standards organizations.

Custom-built or client-supplied analytical methods are used when the contracting parties advise that these form part of the specifications. Where necessary, we can assist stakeholders in selecting the most appropriate standards to cite and/or use to enable reasonable risk management within a given transaction or series of transactions. Our technical support team is on hand to provide assistance on all matters linked to standards, working practices and technologies in use.

Find out more about crude oil and feedstock testing services from SGS.