PhD defence by Anh Khoa Huynh Ho

• Principal supervisor: Prof. Simon Ivar Andersen
• Co-supervisor: Sr.Res. Jonas Sundberg
• Co-supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Wei Yan

Examiners:

• Assoc. Prof. Alexander Shapiro, DTU Chem.Eng.
• Prof. Dr. Ralf Zimmermann, University of Rostock, Germany
• Prof. Jan Christensen, University of Copenhagen

Chairperson at defence:

• Sr.Res. Ali Akbar Eftkhari

A copy of the PhD thesis is available for reading at the department

Popular science summary of the PhD thesis

Heteroatoms are problematic but essential in defining the characteristics of crude oil. However, it is challenging to characterize the molecules due to the natural complexity of oil composition. This project provides advanced analytical tools to shed light on heteroatoms, especially oxygen in carboxylic acids, and sulfur species.

The project provided promising strategies to simplify complex data generated and assist different methods by focusing on sample preparation. Analytical approaches with high selectivity toward compounds of interest were developed based on powerful chromatography and mass spectrometry techniques. The findings revealed more details on the molecular compositions of heteroatoms in crude oil. For the first time, the sulfur composition details of Danish crude oils were shown with the high-resolution mass spectrometry method. Moreover, the surface and partitioning behaviors of different acids between oil-rock-water phases were also examined as the interfacial interaction of acids are substantial in oil production processes. This study tried to understand the behavior of acids at immiscible interfaces in static two-phase and dynamic three-phase systems, as it is essential to control the oil production efficiency with water-flooding technologies.

The analytical developments in this project are not only beneficial for petroleum chemistry but also for environmental and other related researche.