Hydrocarbons

While the origins of mercury in hydrocarbon accumulations vary widely, most hydrocarbon and natural gas streams contain at least some of this poisonous and corrosive element. For many mercury contamination is limited enough that it is not an issue; however, when detectable amounts of mercury are present in production streams it can create significant problems including: aluminum heat exchanger failures, poisoned catalysts, contaminated product streams, and gas leaks. In addition, solid waste, wastewater, and gaseous emissions from the production, processing, and combustion of mercury-contaminated hydrocarbons often require costly remediation to meet environmental regulations. Accurate information about mercury concentrations is critical for anyone involved in the production, transportation, or processing of hydrocarbons and natural gas.

The difficulty of completely decomposing samples without contamination of the loss of volatile analytes has made it nearly impossible to accurately determine mercury concentrations in hydrocarbons. The concentrations of mercury in hydrocarbons have been dramatically overestimated in the past, due to the utilization of inaccurate analytical methods with insufficiently low detection limits. Through our extensive experience in research and analytical method development, we have overcome many of these difficulties and we offer rugged, robust, and precise sampling and analytical methods for measuring trace metals in various hydrocarbon matrices.

Contact us today to find out more about our methods and techniques specifically tailored for the measurement of mercury and other trace elements in hydrocarbons.