Standard Practice for Mixing and Handling of Liquid Samples of Petroleum and Petroleum Products

Abstract

4.1 Representative samples of petroleum and petroleum products are required for the determination of chemical and physical properties used to establish standard volumes, prices, and compliance with commercial and regulatory specifications. The handling of samples from the time of collection until they are analyzed requires care and effort to maintain their compositional integrity. Samples of high RVP (unstabilized) hydrocarbons are required at many measurement points, for example offshore production, at the outlets of test separators or to allow calibration of a flowmeter. This practice also describes requirements associated with handling and mixing samples held within pressurized cylinders. 4.2 Practice D4057 (API MPMS Chapter 8.1), Practice D4177 (API MPMS Chapter 8.2), Practice D5854 (API MPMS Chapter 8.3), Practice D5842 (API MPMS Chapter 8.4), and Practice D8009 (API MPMS Chapter 8.5). The primary purpose of this suite of standards, is to ensure proper sampling and handling for custody transfer applications. There are a significant number of test methods that may be used to analyze the samples taken by techniques described in API MPMS Chapter 8.1 and 8.2. For samples that are taken for test methods outside the general scope of custody transfer covered by this practice, the personnel assigned to take the sample are responsible to refer to the test methods for additional critical information that may impact the sampling process, that is, specific container selection, transport methods, storage times, etc. Those requirements should be found in the appropriate test method.