“A man's thinking goes on within his consciousness in a seclusion in comparison with which any physical seclusion is an exhibition to public view.” -- Ludwig Wittgenstein
The Saudi Downstream Conference & Exhibition 2011 presents a fantastic opportunity for vendors of desulfurization technologies, not to mention all the other technologies required in the challenging downstream area of the oil and gas business.
As described in a LinkedIn group post …
“Join us on 8-9 March 2011 as we hold the first ever Saudi Downstream event supported by the Royal Commission of Jubail and Yanbu together with the patronage of the Royal Custodian of the 2 Holy Mosques King Abdullah and his son HH Prince Saud. Meet with major gatekeepers, decision makers and influencers from the downstream industry within Saudi Arabia together with diplomatic relations from ministries worldwide. Companies to send senior delegation include Sabic, Saudi Aramco, Sumitomo Corporation, Shell, Exxon Mobil, Tasnee and many more!”
For more information contact Simon Gosling, sgosling@thecwcgroup.com
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The Conference begins on 8 March 2011. However … and this is VERY important, especially if you have never travelled to Saudi Arabia … you MUST provide all necessary documentation to apply for a Saudi Arabia visa BEFORE 7 January 2011.
The Conference Web provides more detail … here is the first bit of that detail.
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Visas
It is advised that delegates book early to ensure their visa is guaranteed.
Delegates and Exhibitors needing a visa invitation letter to apply for a Saudi Arabian visa MUST provide all of the following to The CWC Group before January 7th 2011:
1.A copy of your passport identity page.
2.If you are a Conference delegate: Your completed and paid Delegate Registration Form.
3.If you are an Exhibitor: Please download and complete this form.
4.A short letter on your company letterhead with a copy of your business card confirming your company’s support of your visit. A template letter can be found below.
When we have all the information, we will send you your letter of invitation to accompany your visa application. Please contact your local Embassy for your Visa Application Form and for any further details.
Evita Dossou Yovo
Tel: +44 20 7978 0039
Email: edossouyovo@thecwcgroup.com
Visit http://www.saudidownstream.com/index.php?id=venue_info for the rest of this important information.
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If you have ANY interest in doing business in Saudi Arabia, try to attend this Conference … and begin your application process TODAY.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Monday, December 20, 2010
Bookmark This … Linda H. Hall Research Service
“Hypothetical questions get hypothetical answers.” -- Joan Baez (American Singer and Song Writer, b.1941)
Let me pose a hypothetical … let’s say a colleague sends you the following abstract …
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Liquefied petroleum gas desulfurization by HTBN/PAN composite membrane
Jian Chen, Jinxun Chen, Jiding Li, Xiaolong Han, Xia Zhan, Cuixian Chen
Email: Jiding Li (lijiding@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn)
DOI: 10.1002/app.32145
Journal of Applied Polymer Science
Volume 117, Issue 4, pages 2472–2479, 15 August 2010
Keywords:HTBN;PAN;desulfurization;liquefied petroleum gas;membranes
Abstract
Hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene/acrylonitrile (HTBN) polymer material was selected for deep desulfurization of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) according to the solubility parameter method, and then crosslinked HTBN membranes were prepared, in which asymmetric polyacrylonitrile (PAN) membranes prepared with phase inversion method acted as the microporous supporting layer in the flat-plate composite membrane. The different function compositions of composite membranes were characterized by reflection FTIR in order to investigate the crosslinking reaction. The surface and section of composite membranes were investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The composite membranes prepared in this study were used in LPG for deep desulfurization. Effects of amount of HTBN and operation pressure on the desulfurization efficiency of LPG were investigated experimentally. Experiment results demonstrated that with the membrane having a HTBN layer of 11 μm, permeability parameter of methyl mercaptan came to 17,002 Barrer and that of hydrocarbon came to 504 Barrer at 30 wt % of HTBN and 0.25 MPa, which showed that the membrane used to desulfurization in LPG can achieve high-removal efficiency. These results demonstrated that the membrane separation method could be significant in practical application for deep desulfurization of LPG. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010
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You are intrigued. You would like to find more articles describing the use of membranes to desulfurize petroleum feedstocks. But you are busy with 10 other projects. What can you do to leverage your time?
Contact your corporate librarian. That’s why your organization has a library … to leverage the time of professionals like you.
But what if your organization does not employ a librarian? Consider using an outside source, like the Linda Hall Library (LHL) (http://www.lindahall.org). The Linda Hall Library, a not-for-profit, privately funded institution, is the world's foremost independent research library devoted to science, engineering and technology. LHL Direct (http://www.lindahall.org/services/lhldirect/index.shtml offers research service at the rate of $50.00 / hour, plus online charges.
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Jean Steinhardt is an Independent Information Professional. Follow his Desulfurization Blog (http://www.desulf.blogspot.com/) for more online research tips and tricks … and invite your colleagues to do the same.
Let me pose a hypothetical … let’s say a colleague sends you the following abstract …
///////
Liquefied petroleum gas desulfurization by HTBN/PAN composite membrane
Jian Chen, Jinxun Chen, Jiding Li, Xiaolong Han, Xia Zhan, Cuixian Chen
Email: Jiding Li (lijiding@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn)
DOI: 10.1002/app.32145
Journal of Applied Polymer Science
Volume 117, Issue 4, pages 2472–2479, 15 August 2010
Keywords:HTBN;PAN;desulfurization;liquefied petroleum gas;membranes
Abstract
Hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene/acrylonitrile (HTBN) polymer material was selected for deep desulfurization of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) according to the solubility parameter method, and then crosslinked HTBN membranes were prepared, in which asymmetric polyacrylonitrile (PAN) membranes prepared with phase inversion method acted as the microporous supporting layer in the flat-plate composite membrane. The different function compositions of composite membranes were characterized by reflection FTIR in order to investigate the crosslinking reaction. The surface and section of composite membranes were investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The composite membranes prepared in this study were used in LPG for deep desulfurization. Effects of amount of HTBN and operation pressure on the desulfurization efficiency of LPG were investigated experimentally. Experiment results demonstrated that with the membrane having a HTBN layer of 11 μm, permeability parameter of methyl mercaptan came to 17,002 Barrer and that of hydrocarbon came to 504 Barrer at 30 wt % of HTBN and 0.25 MPa, which showed that the membrane used to desulfurization in LPG can achieve high-removal efficiency. These results demonstrated that the membrane separation method could be significant in practical application for deep desulfurization of LPG. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010
///////
You are intrigued. You would like to find more articles describing the use of membranes to desulfurize petroleum feedstocks. But you are busy with 10 other projects. What can you do to leverage your time?
Contact your corporate librarian. That’s why your organization has a library … to leverage the time of professionals like you.
But what if your organization does not employ a librarian? Consider using an outside source, like the Linda Hall Library (LHL) (http://www.lindahall.org). The Linda Hall Library, a not-for-profit, privately funded institution, is the world's foremost independent research library devoted to science, engineering and technology. LHL Direct (http://www.lindahall.org/services/lhldirect/index.shtml offers research service at the rate of $50.00 / hour, plus online charges.
///////
Jean Steinhardt is an Independent Information Professional. Follow his Desulfurization Blog (http://www.desulf.blogspot.com/) for more online research tips and tricks … and invite your colleagues to do the same.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Beating the drum … Site Wide Access to Online Resources
“If thine enemy wrong thee, buy each of his children a drum” -- Chinese Proverb
Too often corporate management relegates acquisition of online database subscriptions to the IT department. This is a mistake. IT expertise is essential for ensuring the technology works, but IT is not equipped by training, experience, or desire, to evaluate, monitor, and negotiate for online databases like EbscoHost, ScienceDirect, LexisNexis, Platts, Argus, Dialog, and so on.
Librarians are so equipped. Online database providers recognize this. Here, for example, is the abstract of a promising article …
Chemical Communications
Isolated Cu(I) sites supported on β-cyclodextrin: an efficient π-complexation adsorbent for thiophene capture
Xue-Lin Song, Lin-Bing Sun, Gu-Se He and Xiao-Qin Liu
Chem. Commun., 2011, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C0CC04587J , Communication
Ask your librarian to arrange site-wide access
Abstract
A novel π-complexation adsorbent is fabricated by grafting Cu(I)-containing molecule precursors onto β-cyclodextrin. The adsorbent provides a molecular-level dispersion of Cu(I), which is particularly beneficial to the adsorptive removal of aromatic sulfur thiophene, and is impossible to be realized through the conventional thermal method.
source: http://pubs.rsc.org/en/Content/ArticleLanding/2011/CC/c0cc04587j
Notice the invitation to “ask your librarian.” Why, you may wonder, do you need to involve a librarian in what appears to be a self-service situation? There are many reasons. Here is just one …
Monitoring usage
No matter how wonderful the database, if no one uses it, you are wasting your money. By monitoring usage, your librarian can determine whether to subscribe to a competing database instead. Or, he or she can decide to continue with the current database but will find ways to raise awareness of the database and to promote its use. Either way, your organization wins.
Follow the Desulfurization Blog (http://www.desulf.blogspot.com/) for more winning search tips … and let your colleagues know.
Too often corporate management relegates acquisition of online database subscriptions to the IT department. This is a mistake. IT expertise is essential for ensuring the technology works, but IT is not equipped by training, experience, or desire, to evaluate, monitor, and negotiate for online databases like EbscoHost, ScienceDirect, LexisNexis, Platts, Argus, Dialog, and so on.
Librarians are so equipped. Online database providers recognize this. Here, for example, is the abstract of a promising article …
Chemical Communications
Isolated Cu(I) sites supported on β-cyclodextrin: an efficient π-complexation adsorbent for thiophene capture
Xue-Lin Song, Lin-Bing Sun, Gu-Se He and Xiao-Qin Liu
Chem. Commun., 2011, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C0CC04587J , Communication
Ask your librarian to arrange site-wide access
Abstract
A novel π-complexation adsorbent is fabricated by grafting Cu(I)-containing molecule precursors onto β-cyclodextrin. The adsorbent provides a molecular-level dispersion of Cu(I), which is particularly beneficial to the adsorptive removal of aromatic sulfur thiophene, and is impossible to be realized through the conventional thermal method.
source: http://pubs.rsc.org/en/Content/ArticleLanding/2011/CC/c0cc04587j
Notice the invitation to “ask your librarian.” Why, you may wonder, do you need to involve a librarian in what appears to be a self-service situation? There are many reasons. Here is just one …
Monitoring usage
No matter how wonderful the database, if no one uses it, you are wasting your money. By monitoring usage, your librarian can determine whether to subscribe to a competing database instead. Or, he or she can decide to continue with the current database but will find ways to raise awareness of the database and to promote its use. Either way, your organization wins.
Follow the Desulfurization Blog (http://www.desulf.blogspot.com/) for more winning search tips … and let your colleagues know.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Copy That … The Rat’s Nest of Copyright
“It is cheering to see that the rats are still around - the ship is not sinking” -- Eric Hoffer (American Writer, 1902-1983)
Copyright is a rat’s nest of unresolved issues. And the issues that are resolved have resulted in counterintuitive resolution. For example, let’s say you found, for a colleague, an article like the following …
///////
Gasoline alkylation desulfurization over Amberlyst 35 resin: Influence of methanol and apparent reaction kinetics
Fuel, Volume 90, Issue 2, February 2011, Pages 713-718
Benshuai Guo, Rong Wang, Yonghong Liyhli@tju.edu.cn
a Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Technology, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
b National Engineering Research Center for Distillation Technology, Tianjin 300072, China
Abstract
Gasoline desulfurization is receiving attention worldwide due to the increasing stringent regulations on sulfur content for environmental protection purpose. As conventional hydrotreating technology leads to significant octane number loss and processing costs, the gasoline alkylation desulfurization process, which consists of weighing down the sulfuric compounds by catalytic alkylation with olefins present in the feed and distillation followed by, is a rather attractive way. In this paper, firstly alkylation of thiophenic compounds was researched over macroporous sulfonic resin Amberlyst 35 in methanol presence to increase the selectivity of catalyst, then kinetics of thiophenic sulfurs alkylation in FCC gasoline was researched without and with methanol. Results found that appropriate methanol (2 wt.% methanol in model gasoline and 1 wt.% methanol in FCC gasoline) could inhibit olefins oligomerization significantly without influence on the conversions of thiophenic compounds. The alkylation of thiophenic sulfurs could be described as pseudo first order reaction regardless of the existence of methanol. The introduction of methanol decreases the reaction rate constant and increases the activation energy of alkylation reactions.
Keywords: Alkylation; Desulfurization; Amberlyst 35; Thiophenic sulfurs; Kinetics///////
You purchase and download the article. Can you pass it on to your colleague, even if you yourself never intended to read it?
Maybe not. See what copyright expert Lesley Ellen Harris (http://www.copyrightlaws.com/) has to say on the matter.
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Excerpt from SLA 2010 Conference: Ask the Copyright Expert
Information Outlook, v. 14 No. 6, September 2010
"Q. I bought an electronic version of an article directly from a publisher ... is it considered individual use if I obtained the article on behalf of a fellow employee who is the end user?
"A. ... bottom line: read all agreements carefully."
///////
Or, how about this … you find, via Google or Yahoo!, the following article …
CATALYTIC CRACKING DEVELOPMENT AND ITS ROLE IN MODERN RUSSIAN REFINERY
Kovin A.S., Sitdikova A.V., Rakhimov M.N. Ufa State Petroleum Technological University
Problems of Russian refineries in face of new requirements for motor fuels considered in the article. It is made review of modern state and development plans of catalytic cracking in Russia. It is considered actual foreign and domestic technologies.
Keywords: сatalytic cracking process, FCC, ultimate gasoline, cracking catalyst, octane number
Oil and Gas Business, 2009 (http://www.ogbus.ru/eng/)
Can you include a hyperlink to the article in an inhouse newsletter distributed to colleagues within your organization? Hmmm … maybe not. Again, Ms. Harris’ take on the matter …
///////
Excerpt from SLA 2010 Conference: Ask the Copyright Expert
Information Outlook, v. 14 No. 6, September 2010
"Q. Is it acceptable to link to an internal page of a Web site?
"A. Cases settled out of court imply that linking to the home page of a site is permitted, but linking to an internal page of a site may require permission. This is a copyright risk management issue, and each organization should have its own policy governing linking to an internal page of a Web site."
///////
I believe that at some point in the distant future, the copyright concept will be replaced by some other mechanism which will standardize the way in which content consumers can access and share that content with others.
Until then, we have to rely on experts to guide us through the rats’ nest while avoiding the rats.
Ask your librarian or other information professional for help. These people grapple with copyright issues every day, and are attuned to the quirks and foibles of the system.
///////
Jean Steinhardt is an independent information professional … follow the Desulfurization Blog (http://www.desulf.blogspot.com/) for tips and tricks on how to maximize your online search effectiveness.
Copyright is a rat’s nest of unresolved issues. And the issues that are resolved have resulted in counterintuitive resolution. For example, let’s say you found, for a colleague, an article like the following …
///////
Gasoline alkylation desulfurization over Amberlyst 35 resin: Influence of methanol and apparent reaction kinetics
Fuel, Volume 90, Issue 2, February 2011, Pages 713-718
Benshuai Guo, Rong Wang, Yonghong Liyhli@tju.edu.cn
a Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Technology, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
b National Engineering Research Center for Distillation Technology, Tianjin 300072, China
Abstract
Gasoline desulfurization is receiving attention worldwide due to the increasing stringent regulations on sulfur content for environmental protection purpose. As conventional hydrotreating technology leads to significant octane number loss and processing costs, the gasoline alkylation desulfurization process, which consists of weighing down the sulfuric compounds by catalytic alkylation with olefins present in the feed and distillation followed by, is a rather attractive way. In this paper, firstly alkylation of thiophenic compounds was researched over macroporous sulfonic resin Amberlyst 35 in methanol presence to increase the selectivity of catalyst, then kinetics of thiophenic sulfurs alkylation in FCC gasoline was researched without and with methanol. Results found that appropriate methanol (2 wt.% methanol in model gasoline and 1 wt.% methanol in FCC gasoline) could inhibit olefins oligomerization significantly without influence on the conversions of thiophenic compounds. The alkylation of thiophenic sulfurs could be described as pseudo first order reaction regardless of the existence of methanol. The introduction of methanol decreases the reaction rate constant and increases the activation energy of alkylation reactions.
Keywords: Alkylation; Desulfurization; Amberlyst 35; Thiophenic sulfurs; Kinetics///////
You purchase and download the article. Can you pass it on to your colleague, even if you yourself never intended to read it?
Maybe not. See what copyright expert Lesley Ellen Harris (http://www.copyrightlaws.com/) has to say on the matter.
///////
Excerpt from SLA 2010 Conference: Ask the Copyright Expert
Information Outlook, v. 14 No. 6, September 2010
"Q. I bought an electronic version of an article directly from a publisher ... is it considered individual use if I obtained the article on behalf of a fellow employee who is the end user?
"A. ... bottom line: read all agreements carefully."
///////
Or, how about this … you find, via Google or Yahoo!, the following article …
CATALYTIC CRACKING DEVELOPMENT AND ITS ROLE IN MODERN RUSSIAN REFINERY
Kovin A.S., Sitdikova A.V., Rakhimov M.N. Ufa State Petroleum Technological University
Problems of Russian refineries in face of new requirements for motor fuels considered in the article. It is made review of modern state and development plans of catalytic cracking in Russia. It is considered actual foreign and domestic technologies.
Keywords: сatalytic cracking process, FCC, ultimate gasoline, cracking catalyst, octane number
Oil and Gas Business, 2009 (http://www.ogbus.ru/eng/)
Can you include a hyperlink to the article in an inhouse newsletter distributed to colleagues within your organization? Hmmm … maybe not. Again, Ms. Harris’ take on the matter …
///////
Excerpt from SLA 2010 Conference: Ask the Copyright Expert
Information Outlook, v. 14 No. 6, September 2010
"Q. Is it acceptable to link to an internal page of a Web site?
"A. Cases settled out of court imply that linking to the home page of a site is permitted, but linking to an internal page of a site may require permission. This is a copyright risk management issue, and each organization should have its own policy governing linking to an internal page of a Web site."
///////
I believe that at some point in the distant future, the copyright concept will be replaced by some other mechanism which will standardize the way in which content consumers can access and share that content with others.
Until then, we have to rely on experts to guide us through the rats’ nest while avoiding the rats.
Ask your librarian or other information professional for help. These people grapple with copyright issues every day, and are attuned to the quirks and foibles of the system.
///////
Jean Steinhardt is an independent information professional … follow the Desulfurization Blog (http://www.desulf.blogspot.com/) for tips and tricks on how to maximize your online search effectiveness.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Abstractions … Consider your audience
“When I examine myself and my methods of thought, I come to the conclusion that the gift of fantasy has meant more to me than any talent for abstract, positive thinking.” -- Albert Einstein (German born American Physicist, 1921. 1879-1955)
“I've been doing a lot of abstract painting lately, extremely abstract. No brush, no paint, no canvas, I just think about it.” -- Stephen Wright (American Actor and Writer, b.1955)
As an expert online researcher, a large part of my job is to filter research results for my clients so they can use their valuable time on technical research. Since my clients occupy a broad range of specialties, filtration can be a real challenge. I rely on abstracts … and many of those abstracts have been written for the cognoscenti.
The easier it is for me and other information professionals to determine whether your article fits our clients’ needs, the more likely it is to be included in the results we present to the client.
So, the next time you author an article, broaden your vision of your potential audience. Write your abstract to be accessible not only to your fellow experts, but to non-experts, as well. The extra effort will benefit them, which ultimately will benefit you.
Here, for example, are a couple of abstracts to illustrate the point …
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Organic Geochemistry
Volume 31, Issue 10, October 2000, Pages 977-1003
Abiotic oxidation of petroleum bitumens under natural conditions
A. Charrié-Duhaut (a), S. Lemoine (a), P. Adam (a), J. Connan (b) and P. Albrecht (albrecht@chimie.u-strasbg.fr)(a)
a Laboratoire de Géochimie Organique, UMR 7509 du CNRS, Institut de Chimie, Université Louis Pasteur, 1 rue Blaise Pascal, 67000 Strasbourg, France
b Centre de Recherches, Elf Exploration Production, 64000 Pau, France
Abstract
Five series of crude oil samples exposed to atmospheric conditions have been analysed at the molecular level, each series comprising several samples originating from the same crude oil but altered to different extents. The aim of our investigation was to compare the specific impact of abiotic oxidation to other alteration processes such as biodegradation, evaporation and water washing. Bulk analyses revealed that increasing alteration is accompanied by an increase in oxygen content which parallels a relative increase of the proportions, as well as of the molecular weights of the macromolecular constituents of the bitumens. Gas chromatographic–mass spectrometric analyses of polar fractions showed the presence of oxygen-containing compounds (steroid ketones, benzothiophenic acids and sulfones) which result from oxidation of petroleum lipids. The hypothesis that part of these oxygenated compounds results from abiotic oxidation processes rather than from biodegradation is supported, notably, by the fact that oxygen incorporation generally occurred without any diastereomeric discrimination. This is also supported by simulation experiments performed on petroleum lipids, which showed that abiotic oxidation induces cleavage reactions affecting C–C and C–S bonds which may intervene in the transformation of geomacromolecules in the environment by degradation (“depolymerization”). Thus abiotic oxidation may play a major role in the fate of petroleum pollutants in the environment by transforming lipidic organic matter from petroleum into more water soluble and, therefore, more biodegradable constituents. However, these can be more toxic to the environment as the water-soluble fraction may be easily taken up by biota.
Author Keywords: Abiotic oxidation; Biodegradation; Water washing; Geomacromolecules; Simulation experiments; Bitumen; Biomarkers
source: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6V7P-41CX9FY-3&_user=10&_coverDate=10%2F31%2F2000&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=search&_origin=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_searchStrId=1568249789&_rerunOrigin=scholar.google&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=a1ef395df08dad79648caf77ec11a8c3&searchtype=a
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PAPER: 2001-122
Journal of Canadian Petroleum Technology
September 2004, Volume 43, No. 9
Estimation of SARA Fraction Properties With the SRK EOS
K. AKBARZADEH
University of Calgary
S. AYATOLLAHI
Shiraz University
M. MOSHFEGHIAN
Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research
H. ALBOUDWAREJ, H.W. YARRANTON
University of Calgary
Abstract
One approach to modelling asphaltene solubility is regular solution theory. The key parameters for this approach are the molar volume and solubility parameters of each constituent. However, these parameters are largely unknown for crude oils. Some authors have used cubic equations of state (CEOS) to estimate the solubility parameters and molar volumes of solvents and C fractions, but CEOS have yet to be applied in this way to asphaltenes due to their high molar mass and unknown critical properties.
In this work, a modified Soave-Redlich-Kwong EOS with the Peneloux correction is used to estimate the molar volumes and solubility parameter of the four solubility classes (saturates, aromatics, resins, and asphaltenes) of bitumens. The EOS is modified for the asphaltenes, which are assumed to be polymeric-like compounds consisting of aggregates of monodisperse asphaltene monomers. Correlations are developed for the critical properties and acentric factor of each solubility class. The EOS-predicted properties are tested against density measurements of SARA fractions from several bitumens. The predicted parameters are used to determine the onset of asphaltene precipitation from bitumen upon the addition of heptane and the predictions are compared with measured onsets.
Source: http://home.shirazu.ac.ir/~eor/pdf/Jornals/14.j.Canadi.Petro.Technol.pdf
///////
Visit Jean’s LinkedIn Profile: www.linkedin.com/in/jeansteinhardtresearch … Invite him to join your network.
“I've been doing a lot of abstract painting lately, extremely abstract. No brush, no paint, no canvas, I just think about it.” -- Stephen Wright (American Actor and Writer, b.1955)
As an expert online researcher, a large part of my job is to filter research results for my clients so they can use their valuable time on technical research. Since my clients occupy a broad range of specialties, filtration can be a real challenge. I rely on abstracts … and many of those abstracts have been written for the cognoscenti.
The easier it is for me and other information professionals to determine whether your article fits our clients’ needs, the more likely it is to be included in the results we present to the client.
So, the next time you author an article, broaden your vision of your potential audience. Write your abstract to be accessible not only to your fellow experts, but to non-experts, as well. The extra effort will benefit them, which ultimately will benefit you.
Here, for example, are a couple of abstracts to illustrate the point …
///////
Organic Geochemistry
Volume 31, Issue 10, October 2000, Pages 977-1003
Abiotic oxidation of petroleum bitumens under natural conditions
A. Charrié-Duhaut (a), S. Lemoine (a), P. Adam (a), J. Connan (b) and P. Albrecht (albrecht@chimie.u-strasbg.fr)(a)
a Laboratoire de Géochimie Organique, UMR 7509 du CNRS, Institut de Chimie, Université Louis Pasteur, 1 rue Blaise Pascal, 67000 Strasbourg, France
b Centre de Recherches, Elf Exploration Production, 64000 Pau, France
Abstract
Five series of crude oil samples exposed to atmospheric conditions have been analysed at the molecular level, each series comprising several samples originating from the same crude oil but altered to different extents. The aim of our investigation was to compare the specific impact of abiotic oxidation to other alteration processes such as biodegradation, evaporation and water washing. Bulk analyses revealed that increasing alteration is accompanied by an increase in oxygen content which parallels a relative increase of the proportions, as well as of the molecular weights of the macromolecular constituents of the bitumens. Gas chromatographic–mass spectrometric analyses of polar fractions showed the presence of oxygen-containing compounds (steroid ketones, benzothiophenic acids and sulfones) which result from oxidation of petroleum lipids. The hypothesis that part of these oxygenated compounds results from abiotic oxidation processes rather than from biodegradation is supported, notably, by the fact that oxygen incorporation generally occurred without any diastereomeric discrimination. This is also supported by simulation experiments performed on petroleum lipids, which showed that abiotic oxidation induces cleavage reactions affecting C–C and C–S bonds which may intervene in the transformation of geomacromolecules in the environment by degradation (“depolymerization”). Thus abiotic oxidation may play a major role in the fate of petroleum pollutants in the environment by transforming lipidic organic matter from petroleum into more water soluble and, therefore, more biodegradable constituents. However, these can be more toxic to the environment as the water-soluble fraction may be easily taken up by biota.
Author Keywords: Abiotic oxidation; Biodegradation; Water washing; Geomacromolecules; Simulation experiments; Bitumen; Biomarkers
source: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6V7P-41CX9FY-3&_user=10&_coverDate=10%2F31%2F2000&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=search&_origin=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_searchStrId=1568249789&_rerunOrigin=scholar.google&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=a1ef395df08dad79648caf77ec11a8c3&searchtype=a
///////
PAPER: 2001-122
Journal of Canadian Petroleum Technology
September 2004, Volume 43, No. 9
Estimation of SARA Fraction Properties With the SRK EOS
K. AKBARZADEH
University of Calgary
S. AYATOLLAHI
Shiraz University
M. MOSHFEGHIAN
Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research
H. ALBOUDWAREJ, H.W. YARRANTON
University of Calgary
Abstract
One approach to modelling asphaltene solubility is regular solution theory. The key parameters for this approach are the molar volume and solubility parameters of each constituent. However, these parameters are largely unknown for crude oils. Some authors have used cubic equations of state (CEOS) to estimate the solubility parameters and molar volumes of solvents and C fractions, but CEOS have yet to be applied in this way to asphaltenes due to their high molar mass and unknown critical properties.
In this work, a modified Soave-Redlich-Kwong EOS with the Peneloux correction is used to estimate the molar volumes and solubility parameter of the four solubility classes (saturates, aromatics, resins, and asphaltenes) of bitumens. The EOS is modified for the asphaltenes, which are assumed to be polymeric-like compounds consisting of aggregates of monodisperse asphaltene monomers. Correlations are developed for the critical properties and acentric factor of each solubility class. The EOS-predicted properties are tested against density measurements of SARA fractions from several bitumens. The predicted parameters are used to determine the onset of asphaltene precipitation from bitumen upon the addition of heptane and the predictions are compared with measured onsets.
Source: http://home.shirazu.ac.ir/~eor/pdf/Jornals/14.j.Canadi.Petro.Technol.pdf
///////
Visit Jean’s LinkedIn Profile: www.linkedin.com/in/jeansteinhardtresearch … Invite him to join your network.
Friday, December 3, 2010
Not to Belabor the Point … More on vendor negotiation
(verb) belabor, belabour
to work at or to absurd length
"belabor the obvious"
source: http://www.definitions.net
A previous post highlighted points to consider when negotiating with online database vendors. This may seem to be a trivial point to some … negotiation is negotiation. As librarian for Aramco Services, a Saudi Aramco subsidiary, I spent a lot of time working with our contract specialists. They understood contracts and negotiation. But they were not clear on exactly what was to be negotiated. My experience with a range of online resources helped us, as a team, deliver the best value for the Saud Aramco enterprise.
So, if you want to be able to find, at a reasonable price, the full text of articles like the following …
///////
Structural Studies of Vacuum Gas Oil Distillate Fractions of Kuwaiti Crude Oil by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance
Fatima Ali,† Zahida Hameed Khan,*‡ and Nargis Ghaloum‡
Central Analytical Labrotories and Petroleum Refining Department, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, PO Box 24885, Safat 13109, Kuwait
Energy Fuels, 2004, 18 (6), pp 1798–1805
DOI: 10.1021/ef040004f
Publication Date (Web): October 15, 2004
Copyright © 2004 American Chemical Society
Abstract
Nitrogen-free vacuum gas oil (VGO) distillate was separated, using preparative column chromatography, into five hydrocarbon groups: saturates (SAs), monoaromatics (MAs), diaromatics (DAs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PCAHs), and polar hydrocarbons (POLHs). The hydrocarbon groups MA, DA, PCAH, and POLH were separated into low- and high-sulfur compounds (LSCs and HSCs, respectively) on silica gel impregnated with PdCl2 (aqueous). SAs and LSCs obtained from MAs, DAs, PACHs, and POLHs were further fractionated into subfractions using gel permeation chromatography (GPC), based on their molecular size in solution. All the GPC subfractions were analyzed for elemental carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and sulfur, and for molecular weight. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopic techniques also were applied to elucidate the average molecular structure of selected GPC subfractions, POLHs, and HSCs. The SAs had average alkyl chain lengths of n = 13−15 and two naphthenic rings, and they were free of aromatics. The average molecule in the three groups (MAs, DAs, and PCAHs) contained (i) one aromatic ring, two cyclo-paraffinic rings, two alkyl groups on aromatic rings, and no bridged aromatic carbon; (ii) two aromatic rings, two naphthenic rings, five alkyl-substituted groups, and two bridged aromatic C atoms; or (iii) three aromatic rings, one naphthenic ring, four bridged aromatic C atoms, and four alkyl-substituents attached to the aromatic or naphthenic ring(s), with an average chain length of seven C atoms. The average molecule of the POLH group contained one S atom, four aromatic rings, four naphthenic rings, five bridged aromatic C atoms and four alkyl substituents attached to the aromatic or naphthenic ring with an average chain length of seven C atoms.
source: http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/ef040004f
///////
… if, as I say, that’s what you want, you have two choices …
1) Hire a librarian or other information professional to identify resources and negotiate terms, or …
2) Do it yourself
If you choose to do it yourself, you might want to read the article below (to read the full text, follow the link at the end of the excerpt).
///////
Vendor Pitfalls in Negotiating Large Multi-Year Contracts - or How to Lose a Million Dollar Contract
By Elaine Billingslea Dockens, Published on June 21, 2009
[Excerpt]
Introduction
This article is dedicated to the many professional vendor representatives (VRs) that I've worked with over the years. These are the reps who showed up prepared to do business each time they visited. During contract negotiations they honored themselves, the companies they represented and me by "bringing their A game" and being totally prepared to fully negotiate.
Many of the products they represent are sold by multi-year contracts and are negotiated at annual intervals. During negotiations my goal is to control expenses and look for discounts (and still keep a quality product). The goal of the VRs include obtaining or retaining our business and making a reasonable profit. When we both - firm and vendor - come to the table prepared to get the very best deal for our side, then everybody wins. However, if one of the parties arrives at the table ill prepared - we both lose. The vendor will probably lose the business they could have obtained or retained and the firm loses the chance to seriously consider the vendor in comparison to other vendors.
Below are comments on selected VR behaviors that I've witnessed over the years that substantially decreased the success of the VRs to obtain or retain our business. Hopefully these comments will serve as a guide to reaching a satisfactory conclusion to multi-year contract negotiations.
Ideas to Improve Contract Negotiations
1. Come Prepared: Know your product
2. Get to know your contact at the firm
3. Know exactly what is being negotiated
4. Avoid Customer Politics
5. Playing hardball. Statements like "we will not do X" accompanied by a non-blinking demeanor and the refusal to consider new ideas can quickly sour negotiations
6. Wasting valuable time
7. Mesmerized by their own product
8. VR Misstatements - Protect your credibility
Source: http://www.llrx.com/features/vendornegotiating.htm
to work at or to absurd length
"belabor the obvious"
source: http://www.definitions.net
A previous post highlighted points to consider when negotiating with online database vendors. This may seem to be a trivial point to some … negotiation is negotiation. As librarian for Aramco Services, a Saudi Aramco subsidiary, I spent a lot of time working with our contract specialists. They understood contracts and negotiation. But they were not clear on exactly what was to be negotiated. My experience with a range of online resources helped us, as a team, deliver the best value for the Saud Aramco enterprise.
So, if you want to be able to find, at a reasonable price, the full text of articles like the following …
///////
Structural Studies of Vacuum Gas Oil Distillate Fractions of Kuwaiti Crude Oil by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance
Fatima Ali,† Zahida Hameed Khan,*‡ and Nargis Ghaloum‡
Central Analytical Labrotories and Petroleum Refining Department, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, PO Box 24885, Safat 13109, Kuwait
Energy Fuels, 2004, 18 (6), pp 1798–1805
DOI: 10.1021/ef040004f
Publication Date (Web): October 15, 2004
Copyright © 2004 American Chemical Society
Abstract
Nitrogen-free vacuum gas oil (VGO) distillate was separated, using preparative column chromatography, into five hydrocarbon groups: saturates (SAs), monoaromatics (MAs), diaromatics (DAs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PCAHs), and polar hydrocarbons (POLHs). The hydrocarbon groups MA, DA, PCAH, and POLH were separated into low- and high-sulfur compounds (LSCs and HSCs, respectively) on silica gel impregnated with PdCl2 (aqueous). SAs and LSCs obtained from MAs, DAs, PACHs, and POLHs were further fractionated into subfractions using gel permeation chromatography (GPC), based on their molecular size in solution. All the GPC subfractions were analyzed for elemental carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and sulfur, and for molecular weight. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopic techniques also were applied to elucidate the average molecular structure of selected GPC subfractions, POLHs, and HSCs. The SAs had average alkyl chain lengths of n = 13−15 and two naphthenic rings, and they were free of aromatics. The average molecule in the three groups (MAs, DAs, and PCAHs) contained (i) one aromatic ring, two cyclo-paraffinic rings, two alkyl groups on aromatic rings, and no bridged aromatic carbon; (ii) two aromatic rings, two naphthenic rings, five alkyl-substituted groups, and two bridged aromatic C atoms; or (iii) three aromatic rings, one naphthenic ring, four bridged aromatic C atoms, and four alkyl-substituents attached to the aromatic or naphthenic ring(s), with an average chain length of seven C atoms. The average molecule of the POLH group contained one S atom, four aromatic rings, four naphthenic rings, five bridged aromatic C atoms and four alkyl substituents attached to the aromatic or naphthenic ring with an average chain length of seven C atoms.
source: http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/ef040004f
///////
… if, as I say, that’s what you want, you have two choices …
1) Hire a librarian or other information professional to identify resources and negotiate terms, or …
2) Do it yourself
If you choose to do it yourself, you might want to read the article below (to read the full text, follow the link at the end of the excerpt).
///////
Vendor Pitfalls in Negotiating Large Multi-Year Contracts - or How to Lose a Million Dollar Contract
By Elaine Billingslea Dockens, Published on June 21, 2009
[Excerpt]
Introduction
This article is dedicated to the many professional vendor representatives (VRs) that I've worked with over the years. These are the reps who showed up prepared to do business each time they visited. During contract negotiations they honored themselves, the companies they represented and me by "bringing their A game" and being totally prepared to fully negotiate.
Many of the products they represent are sold by multi-year contracts and are negotiated at annual intervals. During negotiations my goal is to control expenses and look for discounts (and still keep a quality product). The goal of the VRs include obtaining or retaining our business and making a reasonable profit. When we both - firm and vendor - come to the table prepared to get the very best deal for our side, then everybody wins. However, if one of the parties arrives at the table ill prepared - we both lose. The vendor will probably lose the business they could have obtained or retained and the firm loses the chance to seriously consider the vendor in comparison to other vendors.
Below are comments on selected VR behaviors that I've witnessed over the years that substantially decreased the success of the VRs to obtain or retain our business. Hopefully these comments will serve as a guide to reaching a satisfactory conclusion to multi-year contract negotiations.
Ideas to Improve Contract Negotiations
1. Come Prepared: Know your product
2. Get to know your contact at the firm
3. Know exactly what is being negotiated
4. Avoid Customer Politics
5. Playing hardball. Statements like "we will not do X" accompanied by a non-blinking demeanor and the refusal to consider new ideas can quickly sour negotiations
6. Wasting valuable time
7. Mesmerized by their own product
8. VR Misstatements - Protect your credibility
Source: http://www.llrx.com/features/vendornegotiating.htm
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