E&pT

Exchange
New Method To Read and Correct the
API Gravity of Oil From Observed
Temperatures to 60°F
Sonny V. Keaves, SPE, consultant'

This graphical interpolation method is plot-
ted directly from the American Soc. for Test-
ing and Materials (ASTM) tables. The
method, a one-step procedure and direct
reading, is easy and quick. It is difficult to
make errors. No calculations are involved,
which is not the case for the method
described in the ASTM manual. The usual
calculation method can easily and frequent-
ly cause errors, and few enjoy consulting
the manual to do the calculations for check-
ing. If you have not used the calculation
method in a while, you probably will need
to review the instructions and examples
again. Taking the time to do so is difficult
when you are busy.
'Previously with Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
The graphic chart in Fig. 1 is one of many
I created on a PC to describe the new
method. Remember, API gravity is meas-
ured from 0 to 100° API and from 0 to more
than 150°F (ASTM tables stop at 150°F).
If one chart contains 20 curves from 0 to
75°F, a total of approximately 10 charts will
be needed to cover the full temperature and
API ranges.
The following examples show how to read
the chart.
Example 1. (Same information as Exam-
ple 1 in the ASTM manual, Appendix C.)
Find the API gravity at 60°F for 38Ao o API
at an observed temperature of 76°F.
Solution. Enter the 38°API line down to
the observed temperature of 76°F, divide
the distance from this line to the next line
above it by 10 (each division is a 0.10),
mark 0040 on that scale and add 38 to make
38.40, and then read directly from there.
Point A is 37.20 0 API at 60°F of the
38.40 0 API at the observed temperature of
76°F.
Example 2. Find the API gravity at 60°F
for 41.50° API at an observed temperature
of 79°F.
Solution. Enter the 41.00° API line down
to the observed temperature of 79°F.
Repeat the next step from Example 1. You
will find that the API gravity at 60°F for
41.50 0 API at 79°F is 40.00 0 API, which is
Point B.
For more information, contact Sonny V.
Keaves by telephone at 504/361-3595.
(SPE 27593) JPT

CORRECTION OF API GRAVITY OF OIL

From observed temperatures to 6<1'F
45

44

43

42

~ 41
~
V 4()

~
0 39
g;
0::: 38
w
C/l
CO
0 37

36

35

34
45 47 49 51 53 55 57 59 61 63 65 67 69 71 73 75 77 79
46 48 50 52 54 66 58 60 62 64 66 68 70 72 74 76 78 80
OBSERVED TEMPERATIJRES
__ 6O'F API gravity lines

Fig. 1-Correction of API gravity of oil (from observed temperatures to 60°F).

Jvr • January 1994 7

 Discussion of New Method To Read
and Correct the API Gravity of Oil
From Observed Temperatures to 60°F
V.S.V. Rajan, SPE, Alberta Research Council

The recent "E&P Exchange" article "New Method To Read and
Correct the API Gravity of Oil From Observed Temperatures to
60°F (Jan. 1994 JPT, Page 7) by S.Y. Keaves is interesting and use-
ful. However, graphical interpolation could be subject to human er-
ror. A simple formula for quick estimation ofthe API gravity at 60°F
from the measured value at temperature is suggested below.
A60 =(141.5/Y60)-131.5 ........................ (D-I)
where a = volumetric thermal expansion coefficient, which may be
assumed to be reasonably the same for all API oils and constant over
the practical range of temperatures. This is consistent with Keaves'
Fig. 1, where the lines showing the temperature variation of API for
all oils are nearly parallel.
From Eqs. D-5 and D-6,
A60= [AT -131.5a(T- 60)]/[1 + a(T- 60)]. . ....... (D-7)

and AT = (1 41.5/YT) -131.5, ....................... (D-2) From an examination of the API data (45°F and above), the value
of a is estimated to be =0.00045.
where A = °API, Y= specific gravity, and the subscripts T and 60 re-
fer to temperature in OF and 60°F, respectively. A60= [AT -0.059175(T- 60)]/
From Eqs. D-l and D-2,
[1 +0.00045(T-60)]. .......................... (D-8)
A60 =AT+ 141.5[(l/Y60) - (l/YT)] ................. (D-3)
Eq. D-8 is simple enough to be programmed into a hand calcula-
From Eq. D-l,
tor. The equation checks out very well for the examples given in the
Y60 = 141.5/(A60 + 131.5). . ...................... (D-4) article.
Combining Eqs. D-3 and D-4 yields
SI Metric Conversion Factor
A60=AT+(A60+131.5) [1-(Y60!YT)] .............. (D-5)

and (l/yr) = (1/Y60)[1 + a (T - 60)], ............... (D-6) (SPE 28944) JPT

714 August 1994 • JPl'