Vol. 2, Issue 1, Part A (2020)

This Study focused on Characterisation of Atmospheric and vacuum oil residue samples using FTIR technique and Physico-Chemical Analysis. A total of ten Oil residues samples were used in this study, five each from atmospheric and vacuum distillation. The samples were obtained from Kaduna Petroleum and Refining Petrochemical Company (KRPC), a subsidiary of Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).The samples were characterized by FTIR, Total Nitrogen and Sulfur Content. The FTIR spectra reveal that both residual samples showed the presence of C-H stretching of aliphatic alkanes at 2925 and 2850 cm-1, the very sharp and broad peak at 3600 cm-¹ as observed in Sample of Vacuum residue is attributed to O-H stretching of alcohol which makes it distinct from other spectra. These spectra results agrees with many other studies on Nigerian crude oil residue. The result for total nitrogen and sulphur content show that both residues fall above the range for sulphur expected in Nigerian Crude oils and Products, i.e. 0.05-0.30w/% as well as the range of nitrogen normally reported for Nigerian Crude oil i.e. 0.1 to 0.7w%,therefore there is need for denitrogenation and desulfurization of these residues before refining.