Based on a sample taken Aug. 31, 2022, Equinor ASA on Oct. 27 issued an updated commercial assay of Aasta Hansteen condensate to better represent the quality of this blend to its customers.
The natural gas and condensate field, 300 km from Norway in water depths of 1,300 m, was developed with Norway’s first floating spar platform and is designed as a hub to support other discoveries in the area via subsea tiebacks to increase field life and use of Aasta Hansteen’s infrastructure. This includes production from Snefrid Nord natural gas field—the first discovery tied back to Aasta Hansteen—which Equinor and partners brought online in September 2019 (OGJ Online, Sept. 9, 2019). The Asterix discovery, about 80 km west of the Aasta Hansteen spar in 1,350 m of water, is a second subsea development the partnership is maturing as a tie-in to extend field life, which will drop below plateau production in 2026 when Asterix is to be phased in (OGJ Online, Nov. 23, 2021).
Aasta Hansteen’s recoverable resources, including Snefrid Nord, are estimated at 55.6 billion standard cu m of gas and 600,000 cu m of condensate (353 MMboe).
Gas from Aasta Hansteen and surrounding fields in the Vøring basin is transported via the 482-km Polarled pipeline to the Nyhamna terminal in Norway before export to the UK. Produced condensate is loaded onto tankers and shipped to market.
Equinor Energy AS, operator, holds a 51% interest. Other interests are Wintershall Dea Norge AS, 24%; OMV (Norge) AS, 15%; and ConocoPhillips Scandinavia AS, 10%.
Whole crude
Density at 15° C., kg/l.: 0.801
API gravity at 60/60° F.: 45.0
UOP K factor: 11.6
Total sulfur, wt %: 0.018
Mercaptan sulfur, ppm: 2.0
Total nitrogen, ppm: 8
Basic nitrogen, ppm: 4.000
Total acid no., mg KOH/g: 0.01
Reid vapor pressure, psi: 4.9
Vis. at 20° C., cst: 1.29
Vis. at 40° C., cst: 0.98
Vis. at 50° C., cst: 0.86
Paraffins, wt %: 37.8
Naphthenes, wt %: 38.6
Aromatics, wt %: 23.5
Pour point, °C.: -70
Wax, wt %: 1.0
Propane, wt %: 0.22
iso-Butane, wt %: 0.31
n-Butane, wt %: 0.52
iso-Pentane, wt %: 0.86
n-Pentane, wt %: 0.75
Cyclopentane, wt %: 0.27
C6 paraffins, wt %: 2.66
C6 naphthenes, wt %: 4.60
Benzene, wt %: 0.21
C7 paraffins, wt %: 2.93
C7 naphthenes, wt %: 8.31
Toulene, wt %: 1.54
Atmospheric distillation
Pentanes to 65° C.
Yield on crude, wt %: 3.4
Yield on crude, vol %: 4.1
Cumulative yield, wt %: 4.4
Density at 15° C., kg/l.: 0.651
API gravity at 60/60° F.: 85.8
Mercaptan sulfur, ppm: 0.2
RON (clear): 80.4
MON (clear): 79.1
Paraffins, wt %: 92.0
Naphthenes, wt %: 8.0
Hydrogen, wt %: 16.4
65 - 100° C.
Yield on crude, wt %: 10.7
Yield on crude, vol %: 11.7
Cumulative yield, wt %: 15.1
Density at 15° C., kg/l.: 0.733
API gravity at 60/60° F.: 61.4
Mercaptan sulfur, ppm: 0.7
RON (clear): 67.1
MON (clear): 63.3
Paraffins, wt %: 38.4
Naphthenes, wt %: 59.7
Aromatics, wt %: 1.9
Hydrogen, wt %: 14.9
100 - 150° C.
Yield on crude, wt %: 26.2
Yield on crude, vol %: 27.1
Cumulative yield, wt %: 41.3
Density at 15° C., kg/l.: 0.774
API gravity at 60/60° F.: 51.3
UOP K factor: 11.5
Sulfur, ppm: 0.002
Mercaptan sulfur, ppm: 1.6
RON (clear): 63.8
MON (clear): 60.9
Paraffins, wt %: 29.8
Naphthenes, wt %: 51.3
Aromatics, wt %: 18.9
Aniline point, °C.: 44.6
Hydrogen, wt %: 13.8
150 - 200° C.
Yield on crude, wt %: 23.6
Yield on crude, vol %: 23.3
Cumulative yield, wt %: 64.9
Density at 15° C., kg/l.: 0.809
API gravity at 60/60° F.: 43.4
UOP K factor: 11.5
Sulfur, ppm: 0.008
Mercaptan sulfur, ppm: 3.1
Vis. at 20° C., cst: 1.27
Vis. at 40° C., cst: 0.98
RON (clear): 44.8
MON (clear): 42.1
Paraffins, wt %: 34.6
Naphthenes, wt %: 40.8
Aromatics, wt %: 24.7
Freeze point, °C.: -67
Smoke point, mm: 19
Cetane index: 30
Naphthalenes, vol %: 0.2
Aniline point, °C.: 43.5
Hydrogen, wt %: 13.6
200 - 250° C.
Yield on crude, wt %: 17.5
Yield on crude, vol %: 16.5
Cumulative yield, wt %: 82.4
Density at 15° C., kg/l.: 0.848
API gravity at 60/60° F.: 35.2
UOP K factor: 11.3
Sulfur, ppm: 0.019
Mercaptan sulfur, ppm: 3.5
Total nitrogen, ppm: 2
Basic nitrogen, ppm: 1.607
Vis. at 40° C., cst: 1.70
Vis. at 50° C., cst: 1.46
Pour point, °C.: -56
Cloud point, °C.: -54
Freeze point, °C.: -50
Smoke point, mm: 16
Cetane index: 33
Naphthalenes, vol %: 3.8
Aniline point, °C.: 46.4
Hydrogen, wt %: 13.1
250 - 300° C.
Yield on crude, wt %: 10.7
Yield on crude, vol %: 9.7
Cumulative yield, wt %: 93.1
Density at 15° C., kg/l.: 0.883
API gravity at 60/60° F.: 28.7
UOP K factor: 11.3
Sulfur, ppm: 0.051
Mercaptan sulfur, ppm: 3.0
Total nitrogen, ppm: 14
Basic nitrogen, ppm: 6.672
Total acid no., mg KOH/g: 0.01
Vis. at 40° C., cst: 3.08
Vis. at 50° C., cst: 2.51
Pour point, °C.: -35
Cloud point, °C.: -35
Freeze point, °C.: -30
Smoke point, mm: 12
Cetane index: 35
Naphthalenes, vol %: 9.7
Aniline point, °C.: 49.9
Hydrogen, wt %: 12.8
300 - 350° C.
Yield on crude, wt %: 4.8
Yield on crude, vol %: 4.3
Cumulative yield, wt %: 97.9
Density at 15° C., kg/l.: 0.899
API gravity at 60/60° F.: 25.9
UOP K factor: 11.4
Sulfur, ppm: 0.085
Total nitrogen, ppm: 40
Basic nitrogen, ppm: 22.210
Total acid no., mg KOH/g: 0.02
Vis. at 40° C., cst: 6.88
Vis. at 50° C., cst: 5.24
Pour point, °C.: -7
Cloud point, °C.: -7
Cetane index: 43
Naphthalenes, vol %: 15.6
Aniline point, °C.: 60.4
Hydrogen, wt %: 12.7
350 - 370° C.
Yield on crude, wt %: 0.9
Yield on crude, vol %: 0.8
Cumulative yield, wt %: 98.8
Density at 15° C., kg/l.: 0.904
API gravity at 60/60° F.: 24.9
UOP K factor: 11.5
Sulfur, ppm: 0.107
Total nitrogen, ppm: 102
Basic nitrogen, ppm: 48.510
Total acid no., mg KOH/g: 0.03
Vis. at 40° C., cst: 15.30
Vis. at 50° C., cst: 10.80
Pour point, °C.: 10
Cetane index: 51
Aniline point, °C.: 71.1
Hydrogen, wt %: 12.7
370° + C.
Yield on crude, wt %: 1.2
Yield on crude, vol %: 1.1
Cumulative yield, wt %: 100.0
Density at 15° C., kg/l.: 0.910
API gravity at 60/60° F.: 23.9
UOP K factor: 11.7
Sulfur, ppm: 0.121
Total nitrogen, ppm: 230
Basic nitrogen, ppm: 94.480
Total acid no., mg KOH/g: 0.06
Vis. at 50° C., cst: 25.70
Vis. at 60° C., cst: 17.4
Vis. at 100° C., cst: 5.60
Pour point, °C.: 25
Wax, wt %: 20.6
Micro carbon residue, wt %: 0.2
Rams. carbon residue, wt %: 0.1
Vacuum distillation
370 - 450° C.
Yield on crude, wt %: 1.1
Yield on crude, vol %: 1.0
Density at 15° C., kg/l.: 0.909
API gravity at 60/60° F.: 24.0
UOP K factor: 11.7
Sulfur, ppm: 0.119
Total nitrogen, ppm: 214
Basic nitrogen, ppm: 87.730
Total acid no., mg KOH/g: 0.05
Vis. at 50° C., cst: 22.50
Vis. at 60° C., cst: 15.4
Vis. at 100° C., cst: 5.14
Pour point, °C.: 23
Aniline point, °C.: 81.2
Hydrogen, wt %: 12.8
Wax, wt %: 20.9
450 - 500° C.
Yield on crude, wt %: 0.1
Yield on crude, vol %: 0.1
Density at 15° C., kg/l.: 0.916
API gravity at 60/60° F.: 22.8
UOP K factor: 12.0
Sulfur, ppm: 0.133
Total nitrogen, ppm: 341
Basic nitrogen, ppm: 154.000
Total acid no., mg KOH/g: 0.10
Vis. at 50° C., cst: 106.00
Vis. at 60° C., cst: 61.9
Vis. at 100° C., cst: 13.20
Pour point, °C.: 39
Aniline point, °C.: 90.7
Hydrogen, wt %: 13.0
Wax, wt %: 19.3
Micro carbon residue, wt %: 0.8
Rams. carbon residue, wt %: 0.4
500 - 550° C.
Density at 15° C., kg/l.: 0.928
API gravity at 60/60° F.: 20.9
UOP K factor: 12.1
Sulfur, ppm: 0.151
Total nitrogen, ppm: 542
Basic nitrogen, ppm: 182.700
Total acid no., mg KOH/g: 0.13
Vis. at 50° C., cst: 395.00
Vis. at 60° C., cst: 199.0
Vis. at 100° C., cst: 28.60
Pour point, °C.: 47
Aniline point, °C.: 88.0
Hydrogen, wt %: 13.0
Wax, wt %: 14.9
Micro carbon residue, wt %: 4.6
Rams. carbon residue, wt %: 3.4
550° + C.
Density at 15° C., kg/l.: 0.954
API gravity at 60/60° F.: 16.7
UOP K factor: 12.1
Sulfur, ppm: 0.204
Total nitrogen, ppm: 1,025
Basic nitrogen, ppm: 286.320
Total acid no., mg KOH/g: 0.13
Vis. at 100° C., cst: 92.20
Vis. at 130° C., cst: 27.40
Pour point, °C.: 44
Wax, wt %: 9.3
C7 asphaltenes, wt %: 0.3
Micro carbon residue, wt %: 10.9
Rams. carbon residue, wt %: 9.8
Vanadium, ppm (wt): 2.6
Nickel, ppm (wt): 10.4