Patent ID: 9581581
Date: 2017-02-28
CPC Classifications: C10G,G01N,Y10T

Claim:
1. A method for determining a stability of a crude oil to control a process for refining a crude oil comprising: measuring a first refractive index (RI) value of the crude oil that does not comprise a solvent; wherein the first RI value is used to determine a first solubility parameter; measuring a second RI value of the crude oil at a point of asphaltene flocculation during a turbidimetric flocculation titration; wherein the second RI value is used to determine a second solubility parameter; and controlling a process for refining crude oil by maintaining the process or implementing a change to the process based on a ratio of the first solubility parameter to the second solubility parameter; wherein implementing a change to the process is selected from the group consisting of: