Analytical services

Our standardized and specialized analytical services offer support to internal/external research and development (R&D) and industrial operations.

Our areas of focus

CanmetENERGY Devon’s Analytical Services team dedicates its effort to perform standard and customized tests to support internal and external work. We make every effort to:

Provide rapid, accurate analysis to support pilot testing conducted on site.

Provide accurate analysis for external clients to support their R&D and commercial operation activities.

Provide customized solutions to analysis problems arising from R&D activities.

Analytical Services at CanmetENERGY Devon

CanmetENERGY Devon’s Analytical Services team specializes in analysis of samples related to the petroleum industry. The team performs hydrocarbon, solids and water analyses, as well as analysis of multiphase systems and geotechnical properties.

Learn more about Analytical Services

Hydrocarbons
Equipment/test	Example of use
GC-SCD	Sulphur distribution by boiling point
GCxGC-SCD	Sulphur speciation in diesel and VGO samples
GC-GC-SCD	H2S in crude oil by heartcutting GC-GC-SCD
GC-NCD	Nitrogen distribution by boiling point
GCxGC-NCD	Nitrogen speciation in diesel and VGO samples
Refinery Gas Analyser	Quantitation of fixed gasses and C1-C6 hydrocarbons
GCxGC-FID	Hydrocarbon speciation in diesel and VGO samples
GC-VUV	ASTM D8071 PIONA analysis in gasoline
GC-FID	PFT solvent composition
Detailed hydrocarbon analysis	Can/CGSB-3.0 14.3. Quantitation of species in gasoline
GCxGC-TOFMS	Hydrocarbon speciation in bio-crude samples
HPLIS-GC-FID	ASTM D8003 heated and pressurized injection of live crude oil for C1-C25 quantitation
Pyrolysis-GC-MS	Identification of thermal degradation products from biomass samples
HS-GC-MS	Determination of volatile organics
600mHz NMR	Quantitation of olefins in oil, hydrocarbon types analysis of asphaltenes
Simulated distillation	ASTM D2887 and ASTM D7169 boiling point distribution of hydrocarbon liquids
FTIR	Carbonyl content in oil
Fouling propensity	Alcor HLPS testing for fouling rate of crude oils and related products
Compatibility	Wiehe method for compatibility and stability of oils (P-Value)
C5/C7 insoluble	ASTM D4055M/ASTM D3279 asphaltene content in oil
NIR probe	Asphaltene content by near infrared detection
Toluene insoluble	ASTM D4870 Solids and coke content in oil
Micro carbon residue	ASTM D 4530 Estimated coke formation of oil
Density	ASTM D4052, ASTM D70 density of oils and residues
Softening point	ASTM D36, point at which a residue begins to flow
Penetration point	ASTM D5, measure of hardness of a pitch or residue
KF Titration	ASTM D4377 water content in hydrocarbons
Bromine number	ASTM D1159 estimate of the olefinic content of an oil
Diene number	UOP 326-08 estimate of the di-olefinic content of an oil
Molecular weight by FPD	Molecular weight of a distillate
Molecular weight by VPO	Molecular weight of a residue
TAN	ASTM D8045 total acid number of a hydrocarbon sample
Viscosity	ASTM D7042, ASTM D5018,ASTM D445 viscosity of hydrocarbons
Aniline point	ASTM D611 estimate of aromaticity in diesel samples
CHN	ASTM D5291C carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen content of combustible samples
Sulphur content (combustion)	ASTM D1552 total sulphur content of combustible samples
Sulphur content (XRF)	ASTM D4294 total sulphur content of liquid hydrocarbons
Nitrogen content (combustion)	ASTM D4629 total nitrogen content of liquid hydrocarbons
ICP-MS	ASTM D8110 metals content in hydrocarbons by dilution
Oxygen content (pyrolysis)	Total oxygen content of combustible samples
SARA	D2007M saturates, aromatics,resins asphaltenes determination by open column chromatography
Olefins content (SPE)	Separation and quantitation of olefins in a saturates fraction
Spinning band distillation	Fractionation of crude oil into fuel cuts
Pot still distillation	Fractionation of crude oil at low temperature to avoid cracking sulphur species
Short path distillation	Fractionation of atmospheric residues to cut points greater than 500°C
BS&W	ASTM D1796 bottom solids and water in oil
Ash	ASTM D482 ash content of oils
DSC	Heat capacity of hydrocarbon
Raman spectroscopy	Functional group analysis of oils

Solids/materials/polymers
Equipment/test	Example of use
Dean-Stark extraction	Determination of bitumen, solids and water in ore samples
XRF	Metals content in solids such as dry tailings
XRD	Identification and quantitation of clays in MFT
Density	Density by He pycnometry
Particle size (sieve)	Size fraction distribution of tailings by wet or dry sieve
Particle size (light scattering)	Particle size distribution of tailings
Particle size (X-Ray absorbtion)	Particle size distribution of clay
Moisture content	Oven or microwave drying to determine moisture in MFT
Methylene blue titration	Estimate of clay content
Light microscopy	Image analysis, semi-quantitative compositional analysis, correlative microscopy
Scanning electron microscopy (SEM)	Analyses of surface topography and morphology of materials and elemental composition
HS-GC-MS	Determination of volatile organics
BET	Pore size and surface area measurements
TGA	Moisture and Ash content of soil
DSC	Melting point
GPC	Polymer size analysis
ICP-MS-Digestion	Metals in soil and tailings
ICP-OES Fusion	Metals in soil and tailings
TOC	Organic carbon content in soil samples
Cryo-milling	Liquid nitrogen cooled size reduction

Water
Equipment/test	Example of use
Ion chromatography	Anion content in aqueous samples
ICP-OES	Cation content in aqueous samples
ICP-MS-MS	Major and trace metals in aqueous samples
TOC	Organic carbon content in aqueous samples
HS-GC-MS	Determination of volatile organics
Turbidity	Process water clarity
Alkalinity	Carbonate content and total alkalinity
pH/conductivity	pH and conductivity or aqueous samples
LC-QTRAP	Organic profile of aqueous samples

Multiphase systems
Equipment/test	Example of use
Rheology	Viscosity of MFT and fluid tailings
Interfacial tension	Measurement of adhesion or repulsion forces of oil with water or solids
Micro-calorimetry	Determination of enthalpy of mixing
GC-FID	Solvent content in fluid tailings
Rotovap	Solvent to bitumen ratio in PFT dil-bit

Geotechnical
Equipment/test	Example of use
Vane shear test	ASTM D4648 vane shear test for saturated fine-grained clayey soil
Fall cone test	Shear strength of soil using fall cone
One-dimensional consolidation	ASTM D2435 one-dimensional consolidation properties of soils using incremental loading
Direct shear test	ASTM D3080 direct shear test of soils under consolidated load drained conditions
Large strain consolidation	Consolidation of large volume change soils and slurries with permeability measurement using upward flow constant head
Soil water characteristic curve	ASTM D6836 determination of SWCC using pressure extractor and Tempe cell
Liquid and plastic limits	ASTM D4318 liquid limit by fall cone or Cassagrande method. Plastic limit by hand rolling