Petroleum & Petrochemical

Restek's PLOT column family is the new benchmark for performance! Our innovative bonding process minimizes particle release, reducing column blockage and protecting instrument parts. More consistent flow means stable retention times in Deans and related flow switching techniques.And outstanding peak symmetry improves impurity analysis for gases, solvents, and hydrocarbons. (PDF - 2463kB)

Rt®-XLSulfur packed and micropacked columns combine a unique, efficient porous polymer packing material and true inertness toward active analytes, to ensure excellent and reliable results in trace-level analyses of hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide, and other lightweight sulfur compounds. (PDF - 370kB)

Superior performance for DHA analysis! Rtx®-DHA columns offer 50% faster run times when used with hydrogen, improved resolution between oxygenates and hydrocarbons, and guaranteed column-to-column reproducibility. These columns also meet or exceed all ASTM and CAN/CGSB method guidelines. (PDF - 3922kB)

Rt®-Alumina BOND/MAPD columns offer higher capacity than other MAPD columns and are ideal for analyzing acetylene, propadiene, and methyl acetylene in petroleum gases. Greater capacity improves data accuracy due to better peak symmetry and a wide linear range.

This 2-column set for modified ASTM Method D3606-10 completely resolves benzene from ethanol in reformulated fuels containing ethanol. The aromatic compounds also are fully separated and can easily be quantified using sec-butanol as an internal standard. (PDF - 1852kB)

Impurity analysis of 1,3-butadiene on an Rt®-Alumina BOND/MAPD column results in good separation of both light polar impurities (methyl acetylene, propadiene) and 4-vinylcyclohexene, a heavier contaminant that often requires testing on a second column.

A ShinCarbon ST micropacked column will separate hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and methane in 10 minutes, without cryogenic cooling. This 2-page note also shows separations of light hydrocarbon/permanent gas mixtures, natural gas components, and fluorocarbons. (PDF - 228kB)

This flyer includes data demonstrating the performance of recommended GC columns for the analysis of total glycerin, fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs), and residual methanol in biodiesel. Features a comparison of metal and fused silica columns. (PDF - 1652kB)

Rt®- and MXT®-Alumina BOND/MAPD PLOT columns outperform other MAPD columns for trace analysis of methyl acetylene, acetylene, propadiene, and other polar hydrocarbons. The new deactivation results in more predictable responses, increased capacity, and higher temperature stability. (PDF - 1530kB)

Comprehensive 2D GC, also known as GCxGC, is a powerful technique with a great deal of potential for improving separations of complex petroleum and petrochemical samples that contain hundreds—or even thousands—of components. While GCxGC is still considered emerging technology and is used primarily in research and development labs, it has undergone significant growth in the past few years.

Rt^®-Alumina BOND/CFC columns provide high retention and high selectivity for volatile halogenated hydrocarbons, without the activity that is usually observed with alumina adsorbents. Chlorofluorocarbon analysis, in particular, can benefit from this new technology.

New metal MXT^® PLOT columns offer greater stability than conventional PLOT columns, making them a better choice for process GC analyzer applications. New bonding techniques result in highly reproducible flow characteristics, improved layer stability, and excellent separation efficiencies.

Chromatograms, technical tips, and products developed specifically for petrochemical testing. Details recommendations for simulated distillation, PLOT column applications, DHA, D3606, biodiesel, permanent gases and hydrocarbons. (PDF - 1573kB)

Ensure sample integrity with robust, reliable gas sampling products from Restek. This 4-page note details the benefits of Sulfinert® passivation treatment and provides product information for sample cylinders, high pressure sample cylinders, valves, and more. (PDF - 872kB)

Sulfur compounds in fuel streams can damage equipment and reduce BTU values. Sulfinert^® sample cylinders are significantly more inert than stainless steel cylinders and assure sample integrity during collection, transportation, and storage.

Rtx^®-DHA columns are highly stable and can be run with helium or hydrogen under accelerated conditions. Restek has developed a new DHA method using Rtx^®-DHA columns with hydrogen that can double refinery sample throughput.

New MXT^®-1HT SimDist GC columns outperform competitors, allowing more productive D6352 analyses. Here we demonstrate lower bleed levels and higher efficiency, improving resolution and assuring more samples can be run within method specifications.

New MXT^®-1HT SimDist GC columns are shown to outperform competitors, allowing more productive D6352 analyses. Low bleed levels ensure accurate data and longer column lifetime. High efficiency improves resolution, assuring more samples can be run within method specifications. (PDF - 348kB)

When analyzing hydrocarbon impurities in propylene by ASTM D2712, using an Rt^®-Alumina BOND Na2SO4 PLOT column instead of a packed column setup provides the greatest degree of resolution in the least amount of time. (PDF - 121kB)

Using metal columns to analyze glycerides in biodiesel offer significant performance advantages compared to fused silica columns, as shown in this evaluation.

Refinery and natural gas samples often contain trace amounts of sulfur- and mercury-containing compounds, which can interfere with reactions, poison catalysts in petrochemical processes, and damage equipment. Because these compounds quickly react with stainless steel surfaces, accurate determination of these compounds is impossible when samples are collected and stored in untreated sample cylinders. Restek's Siltek^® and Sulfinert^® passivation techniques bond an inert layer into the surface of stainless steel, preventing active compounds from reacting with or adsorbing to the steel.

When testing for impurities in ethylene using ASTM D6159-97, the combination of an Rt^®-Alumina BOND column coupled to an Rtx^®-1 column provides the best resolution of the most common hydrocarbon contaminants. (PDF - 175kB)

The high temperatures required for biodiesel analysis by gas chromatography present a considerable challenge to analytical columns. Fused silica columns, even those rated for high-temperature tolerance, breakdown relatively quickly. Restek’s new MXT^®-Biodiesel columns are more stable up to 430°C and offer excellent chromatography for glycerides. These columns are available in two configurations: factory-coupled to a 0.53mm retention gap, or with a built-in, leak-proof Integra-Gap™ retention gap.

As biodiesel fuel continues to stimulate interest worldwide as an energy source, several gas chromatographic methods have been developed to determine the quality of B100 fuel. Here we show excellent peak symmetry, resolution, and reproducibility for determining the fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) and linolenic acid methyl ester content in B100 biodiesel fuel, using European standard method EN 14103 on a Stabilwax^® fused silica GC column.

Glycerin is a notoriously difficult challenge in GC, particularly at the levels involved in biodiesel oil analysis, but an Rtx^®-Biodiesel column provides a symmetric peak that makes quantification easier and more reliable. The column performs well at elevated temperatures: peaks for glycerin and glycerides exhibit minimal tailing, and bleed is low at 370°C, as specified in European method DIN EN14105.

A Restek PLOT column can be your best solution for difficult separations of gaseous analytes. Rt-Msieve™ 5A PLOT columns offer fast, efficient separation of argon/oxygen, hydrogen/helium, and other permanent gases, including permanent gases in refinery or natural gas. You can make difficult separations without subambient temperatures, e.g.: separate oxygen from argon to baseline in approximately 4 minutes.

We challenged our Rtx^®-Biodiesel column with analysis for glycerin in biodiesel according to method ASTM D-6584-00. Excellent linearity was established for glycerin, triolein, monolein, and diolein, with r² values exceeding the method criteria for all compounds. Mono-, di-, and triglycerides resolved well from other compounds in B100 biodiesel oil. Column performance was strong at high temperatures, with low bleed even at 380°C. An Alumaseal™ connector and guard column were used to extend column life.

We evaluated our 100 meter x 0.25mm ID x 0.5df PONA column and equivalent columns from four other vendors, following ASTM D-6730 methodology (hydrogen carrier gas). Data and chromatograms presented here show that only the Restek PONA column performed to method specifications admirably. Column efficiency exceeded specification.

Recovery of a 17ppbv test standard of hydrogen sulfide exceeded 85% after 54 hours in a Sulfinert^®-treated cylinder; recoveries of methyl mercaptan, ethyl mercaptan, carbonyl sulfide, and dimethyl disulfide exceeded 90%. A Sulfinert^®-treated sampling/transfer system can assure accurate sulfur content data for natural gas, beverage-grade carbon dioxide, or other samples.

Ultra-low bleed and exceptional inertness assure complete separation of sulfur compounds (hydrogen sulfide, carbonyl sulfide, dimethyl sulfide, mercaptans) on our new column, with excellent peak shapes and reliable quantification at ppbv levels. A Sulfinert^® treated sampling/transfer system assures no adsorption losses of these very reactive compounds.

Relative to helium as the GC carrier gas, hydrogen from a gas generator reduces gas costs, cuts analysis time by 50%, and reduces temperatures needed for eluting analytes — which increases column lifetime. Parker ChromGas^® hydrogen generators are safe, convenient, reliable, and easy to use.

In process GC analyses, this material offers unique selectivity for the difficult-to-separate saturated and unsaturated C4 hydrocarbons, eluting cis-2-butene before 1,3-butadiene. Innovative bonding chemistry assures batch-to-batch reproducibility, excellent thermal stability, and long column life.

ASTM Method D-6352, a simulated distillation of petroleum distillates, requires a capillary column compatible with oven temperatures to 430°C. At temperatures above 380°C, polyimide-coated fused silica becomes brittle, and column lives are very short. MXT^®-1 HT Sim Dist columns combine the inertness of fused silica and durability of stainless steel, to meet all criteria in the method. Data for a series of 400 injections at 430°C affirm the low-bleed, long-lifetime characteristics of this column. (PDF - 97kB)

Restek has optimized molecular sieve 5A and 13X columns for trace analyses, including difficult analytes like oxygen and carbon monoxide. Example chromatograms in this 2-page note show sharp, symmetric peaks for permanent gases. (PDF - 88kB)

n-Octane on Res-Sil™ C packing provides excellent, reproducible separations of volatile hydrocarbons in petroleum products, including the difficult-to-separate saturated and unsaturated C4 compounds. An OPN on Res-Sil™ C column separates C1-C5 hydrocarbons in half the time required by alternative columns.

MXT^®-1 Sim Dist and MXT^®-500 Sim Dist columns combine the inertness of fused silica with the durability of stainless steel, meeting all ASTM Method D6352 (petroleum simulated distillation) criteria. MXT^®-500 Sim Dist columns have lower bleed and longer lifetimes, but calculated boiling points for aromatics are higher (closer to true values); MXT^®-1 Sim Dist columns offer polarity that matches published data. Includes chromatograms. (PDF - 111kB)

ASTM D2887-01a is used to monitor petroleum products, excluding gasoline, with final boiling points of less than 538°C. Metal MXT^®-2887 columns and fused silica Rtx^®-2887 columns offer lower bleed, faster analysis times, and longer column lifetimes. (PDF - 76kB)

The stationary phase in Rtx^®-1 Sim Dist columns is bonded to a highly deactivated silica support, ensuring inertness, stability, and column lifetime characteristics superior to conventional packed columns for Sim Dist analysis (ASTM Methods D2887, D3710). (PDF - 136kB)

Two methods are used to quantify individual alcohols and ethers in gasoline: a single column OFID method (e.g., ASTM Method D5599-94) and dual-column ASTM Method D4815-93. Restek offers columns, calibration mixtures, and inert capillary tubing for both approaches. 4-page note. (PDF - 76kB)

Restek's new D3606 column set outperforms TCEP columns for gasoline testing. The D3606 set has higher thermal stability and reliably resolves benzene from ethanol, resulting in more accurate quantitation.

Res-Sil^® support is an excellent replacement for discontinued Poracil^® C. Stringent testing of the bonded packing ensures reproducible separations and retention times for C1-C5 hydrocarbons, including difficult-to-separate saturated and unsaturated C4 compounds. (PDF - 99kB)