Petroleum Technology (CHE1014)

Question Bank (Module 1 & 2)

Course Coordinators
Dr. K. Sivagami
Dr. Samarshi Chakraborty

1
 Module 1: Petroleum
True and False (Marks: 1)
1. In a typical crude oil, Oxygen percentage is more than hydrogen percentage,
a) True
b) False
Answer: b) False
2. Crude oil containing more than 2 wt.% of Sulphur is called sweet crude,
a) True
b) False
Answer: b) False
3. Crude oil containing high content of paraffinic hydrocarbon display low correlation
index,
a) True,
b) False,
Answer: a) True
4. Crude oil type named Tapis blend (Malaysia) has high API Gravity and high Sulphur
content,
a) True
b) False
Answer: b) False
5. Types of aromatics present in crude oil are Cyclopentane, Cyclohexane, and
Methylcyclohexane,
a) True
b) False
Answer: b) False
6. Oil production cost in onshore drilling sites are more than the offshore drilling
operation,
a) True,
b) False,
Answer: b) False
7. Primary oil recovery is carried out based on pressure difference,
a) True,
b) False,
Answer: a) True

2
8. Factors that affect reservoir porosity: Particle sphericity and shape variation
(angularity), Packing, Sorting (variable grain sizes), Cementing materials,
Overburden stress (compaction), Grain dissolution and fractures due to higher
pressure and geological process,
a) True
b) False
Answer: a) True
9. Cheapest method of oil transport is vessel/ oil tanker-based transportation,
a) True,
b) False,
Answer: b) False
10. Tertiary oil recovery is the most effective and cheapest form of oil extraction,
a) True,
b) False,
c) Partially True
Answer: b) Partially True,
11. Compaction has no effect on reservoir porosity,
a) True,
b) False,
Answer: a) True
12. Oil reservoir having high porosity and low permeability is ideal for oil extraction
a) True
b) False
c) Partially Ture

Answer: c) Partially True

13. In an oil wet reservoir, water flooding is the most effective way of oil extraction,
a) True
b) False
Answer: b) False
14. Excess water addition is required for desalting operation using electric desalter,
a) True
b) False
Answer: b) False

3
Multiple Choice Question (Multiple or Single Correct Answer)
15. Types of oil reservoir,
a) Anticline,
b) Stratigraphic,
c) Fault,
d) Polytrophic,
e) All the options,
Answer: a) Anticline, b) Stratigraphic, c) Fault,
16. In desalting operation using electric desalter, electrical potential difference
applied between two electrodes is,
a) 5000 volts
b) 20000 volts
c) 60000 volts
d) 70000 volts
Answer: b) 20000 volts
17. Higher API gravity of crude oil means,
a) Lower crude oil density,
b) Higher crude oil density,
c) Higher carbon residue,
d) All the options
Answer: a) Lower crude oil density,
18. Unit of Porosity,
a) m2
b) m3
c) m
d) unit less
Answer: d) unit less
19. Unit of Permeability,
a) m2
b) m3
c) mD
d) unit less
Answer: a) m2, and c) mD
20. Unit of viscosity,
a) Centipoise,
b) Pa-s
c) kg/m-s
d) All the options

4
 Answer: d) All the options
21. Permeability is a property of the porous medium and is a measure to,
a) describe its fluid storage capacity.
b) describe capacity of the medium to transmit fluids,
c) Both the options
d) None of the options
Answer: b) describe capacity of the medium to transmit fluids.
22. Reaction between MgCl2 and water is,
a) Exothermic Reaction,
b) Endothermic Reaction,
c) No heat generation,
d) None of the option,
Answer: a) Exothermic Reaction
23. Hydrochloric acid is
a) Corrosive in nature,
b) Non-corrosive in nature,
c) Prevents corrosion,
d) None of the option
Answer: a) Corrosive in nature,
24. Under high temperature, effect of salt induced corrosion on refinery equipment’s,
a) Corrosion will be aggravated,
b) Corrosion will be neutralized,
c) No effect on corrosion,
d) None of the option
Answer: a) Corrosion will be aggravated,
25. Salts present in crude oil can cause,
a) Fouling,
b) Corrosion,
c) Catalyst Poisoning,
d) None of the options,
Answer: a) Fouling, b) Corrosion, and c) Catalyst Poisoning,
26. Most expensive crude oil should have,
a) Higher API Gravity,
b) Lower Sulphur Content,
c) Higher Carbon Content,
d) All the options
Answer: a) Higher API Gravity, b) Lower Sulphur Content,

5
27. Offshore oil drilling platform is classified based on,
a) movability of drilling platform,
b) depth of sea bed,
c) salinity of water,
d) none of the options,
Answer: a) movability of drilling platform, and b) depth of sea bed,
28. As per “International Energy Agency” prediction, India’s crude oil demand to
increase to _______ million tonne of oil equivalent (mtoe) by 2040 from 222 mtoe
in 2016,
a) 600 MT
b) 1000 MT
c) 300 MT
d) 450 MT
Answer: d) 450 MT
29. For detecting underground oil reservoir, geologist and geophysicist use
a) Satellite Images,
b) Magnetometer,
c) Electronic Sniffers,
d) Seismology,
e) All the options,
Answer: e) All the options
30. Target of Paris climate agreement is to limit the global temperature rise in this
century (2100) by
a) 2oC
b) 4oC
c) 5oC
d) 1oC
Answer: a) 2oC

Fill in the blanks: (2 Marks)

31. Determine the API gravity of crude oil which has a specific gravity of 0.876 at 60oF.
API Gravity of crude oil is ________.
Answer: API Gravity 30.03
32. Determine the API gravity of crude oil which has a specific gravity of 0.896 at 60oF.
API Gravity of crude oil is __________.
Answer: API Gravity 26.424
33. Determine Watson Characterization factors (Kw) of crude oil having a mean average
boiling point of 380oC, and specific gravity of 0.89 (at 60 oF). Kw = ________.
Answer: Kw = 11.86

6
 Fill in the blanks: (1 Marks)
34. Low correlation index of crude oil means high content of ___________
hydrocarbon.
Answer: Paraffinic
35. Benzene has a correlation index value of ________.
Answer: 100
36. Crude oil containing having higher aromatic percentage, display CI value close to
_______.
Answer: 100
37. Crude oil containing high percentage of aromatics has a Watson Characterization
factor (Kw) of less than _____.
Answer: 10
38. Formula for calculating correlation index ____________________.
Answer: C.I = 87552/TB + 473.7 G – 456.8

Module 2:
Fill in the Blanks

1. The feed is preheated by a ______________

Ans: heat exchanger

2. When the feed enters the tower some of the _______ components immediately
escape from the vaporizer and begin up moving the tower

Ans: lighter

3. The liquid that does not vaporize begins moving down the tower this liquid is
primarily composed of _________ components.

Ans: heavier

4. At the bottom of the tower some of the liquid is removed as bottom product the
rest is send to________ and in the ______ the vapours are cooled to form a liquid
the liquid is collector in an accumulator.

Ans: re-boiler, condenser

5. Some of the liquid is removed as overhead product the rest is returned to the tower
as _____ _____.

7
 Ans: cooling reflux

6. As the hot rising vapours bubble through the liquid they release some of their _____
to the liquid on the tray.

Ans: heat

7. The four major variables that control the distillation process are temperature,
________, liquid level and________.

Ans: pressure, flow

8. The composition of fraction is determined by the tray _________.

Ans: temperature

9. The lowest temperature in the column is at the ______ of the tower where
_________ is introduced into the system.

Ans: top, reflux

10. The highest temperature in the column is at the _______ of the tower where the
liquid is heated.

Ans: bottom

11. The downward flow of reflex and upward flow of vapour control the _________ of
the liquid on each tray.

Ans: temperature

12. The fuel you use in your car must ignite easily for the engine to start and run
properly so what gasoline is primarily made up of ------- hydrocarbons.

Ans: light

13. New boils should not contain many _____ hydrocarbons.

Ans: light

14. Different types of distillation products have ________ characteristics.

Ans: different

15. The characteristics of a distillation product are determined by the type or

__________ of hydrocarbon molecules that make up the product.

8
 Ans: different

16. The composition of this fraction is determined by the tray _________

Ans: temperature

17. The downward flow of reflux and upward flow of vapour control the
_____________ of the liquid on each tray.

Ans: temperature

18. Excessive vapour rate will sometimes carry heavy materials to the top of the
column. This is called _________.

Ans: entrainment

19. Entrainment of heavy materials may cause an overhead product to be ____ in

colour.

Ans: dark

20. At high temperature hydrocarbons will decompose and change _______

Ans: colour

21. Off-colour products may also be an indication that a tower is operating at too high a
____________.

Ans: temperature

22. The liquid that flows down from one tray to the next is called _______ ________

Ans: internal flux

23. __________ ______ does the actual cooling inside the distillation tower.

Ans: internal flux

24. The _ ___ _____ of a petroleum product is the temperature at which the first drop of
condensate is collected during a laboratory distillation test.

Ans: initial boiling point

25. The ____ ____ is the temperature at which a petroleum product generates ignitable
vapours.

9
 Ans: flash point

Multiple choice questions

1. Main constituent of natural gas is

(a) CH4
(b) C2H2
(c) C2H4
(d) C2H6

2. LPG stands for

(a) liquid petroleum gas

(b) Liquefied petrol gas
(c) liquid petrol gas
(d) liquefied petroleum gas

3. Sweetening of petroleum product means the removal of

(a) sulphur & its compounds

(b) water
(c) organic impurities
(d) wax

4. Sour crude means the..............bearing crude.

(a) asphalt
(b) sulphur compounds
(c) wax
(d) nitrogen compounds

5. Octane number of gasoline is a measure of its

(a) knocking tendency.

(b) ignition delay.
(c) ignition temperature.
(d) smoke point.

6. Octane number of n-heptane is assumed to be

(a) 100
(b) 0
(c) 70
(d) ∞

10
7. Tetra-ethyl lead is added in gasoline to

(a) increase its smoke point.

(b) reduce gum formation.
(c) reduce the pour point.
(d) increase its octane number.

8. Pick out the correct statement from below……

(a) Paraffins have higher octane number than corresponding iso-paraffin.

(b) Paraffins have lower smoke point than aromatics.
(c) Suitability of kerosene as a fuel & as an illuminant may be determined by
char value test.
(d) Aviation fuel should have very high cloud point.

9. Crude topping column operates at............. pressure.

(a) atmospheric
(b) 10 atm
(c) vacuum
(d) 3 atm.

10. The octane number of aviation gasoline may be

(a) 79
(b) 87
(c) 97
(d) >100

11. Viscosity index of a lubricating oil

(a) is the measure of its flash point.

(b) is the measure of variation of viscosity
(c) should be low.
(d) none of these.

12. Presence of sulphur in gasoline (a) leads to corrosion.

(a) ignition delay

(b) smoke point
(c) viscosity
(d) oxidation stability

11
13. Most commonly used crude heater before the fractionation tower in a refinery is the
heater.

(a) electric immersion

(b) pipestill
(c) steam coil
(d) none of these

14. Which of the following fractions of a crude oil will have the maximum gravity API (i.e.
“API)?

(a) Diesel
(b) Gasoline
(c) Atmospheric gas oil
(d) Vacuum gas oil

15. The characterisation factor of crude petroleum oil is around

(a) 3
(b) 11
(c) 22
(d) 28

16. Liquefied petroleum Gas (LPG) used for the household cooking comprises mainly of

(a) propane & butane

(b) butane & ethane
(c) methane & ethane
(d) methane & carbon monoxide

17. Which is almost absent in crude petroleum?

(a) Olefins
(b) Mercaptans
(c) Naphthenes
(d) Cycloparaffins

18. Which of the following is desirable in diesel and kerosene but is undesirable in gasoline?

(a) Aromatics
(b) Mercaptans
(c) Paraffins
(d) Naphthenic acid

12
19. Which of the following has the lowest flash point of all?

(a) Diesel
(b) Kerosene
(c) Petrol
(d) Furnace oil

20. Which of the following has the highest flash point of all?

(a) Diesel
(b) Kerosene
(c) Petrol
(d) Furnace oil

21. Which of the following has the minimum °API gravity of all ?

(a) Diesel
(b) Kerosene
(c) Petrol
(d) Furnace oil

22. Which of the following has the maximum °API gravity of all?

(a) Diesel
(b) Kerosene
(c) Petrol
(d) Furnace oil

23. With increase in density, the viscosity of petroleum products

(a) increases
(b) decreases
(c) remains same
(d) either (a) or (b

24. Which of the following has the highest viscosity of all (at a given temperature)?

(a) Naphtha
(b) Fuel oil
(c) Light diesel oil
(d) Petrol

25. Which of the following has the lowest viscosity (at a given temperature) of all?

(a) Naphtha
(b) Kerosene

13
(c) Diesel
(d) Lube oil

26. LPG when brought to atmospheric pressure & temperature will be a

(a) liquid lighter than water.

(b) liquid heavier than water.
(c) gas lighter than air.
(d) gas heavier than air.

27. The vacuum maintained in vacuum distillation unit for reduced crude is about........... mm
Hg.

(a) 1.2
(b) 12
(c) 120
(d) 700

28. The main use of heavy gas oil produced by the vacuum distillation unit is as a

(a) blending component for kerosene.

(b) blending component for petrol.
(c) feedstock for fluid catalytic cracking unit.
(d) none of these.

29. CnH2n is the general formula for

(a) olefins
(b) naphthenes
(c) both (a) and (b)
(d) neither (a) nor (b)

30. Percentage of straight run gasoline in a typical crude oil may be around

(a) 6
(b) 18
(c) 38
(d) 52

Two marks questions

1. Define Hydrocarbon.
2. Define relative volatility
3. State Raoult’s Law

14
4. Define distillation
5. Define cut point
6. Define azeotropic distillation.
7. Define extractive distillation
8. Explain the term reflux in distillation
9. Define flooding in distillation column
10. Define entrainment in distillation column

15