What is Condensate Oil?

Condensate is an extremely crucial component of what's coming out of wells being drilled all across America, and especially in Texas. Understanding exactly what condensate oil is helps in grasping the nature of its value, and more importantly, understanding how to safely stabilize and transport it.

What You're Looking for

Whenever you go drilling, you're looking for some type of hydrocarbon. The main ones have always been oil or gas, but there are other hydrocarbons down there that often come out during the process of drilling; and you don't always get exactly what you want out of a well.

For example, sometimes an oil well sends out methane, while a gas well finds oil. And nearly every hole that gets dug will discover some natural gas liquids like butane, propane, pentane, and ethane. Condensate is one of these hydrocarbons. The question is whether it's more like a natural gas, oil or natural gas liquid.

An Explosive Fuel

The question of what condensate oil is really entered the public mind in 2018, when an Iranian oil tanker collided with a grain freighter causing an enormous explosion in which every member of the oil tanker crew died. So one answer to the question of what condensate really is would be that is an explosive fuel that needs to be handled carefully.

Condensate is more flammable and more explosive than normal crude oil, making it a bit trickier to transport. It's also more dangerous for people to operate in areas where condensate is escaping, not only because of an explosion but also the threat of asphyxiation. When condensate spills, it is considered more dangerous than other oils because it's harder to contain the spill. On the other hand, it does break down much more easily than other oils, which means that spills cause less overall environmental damage.

The Nature of Condensate

Condensate is an oil, but an extremely light one. Condensate is, as mentioned, a byproduct of hydrocarbon drilling and it may be in either liquid or gas form, depending on the pressure and temperature at the time it's released. It is nearly transparent and almost odorless.

The base of a condensate oil is usually made of pentane, propane, butane, or hexane. There are almost always impurities present as well, most commonly hydrogen sulfide, naphthalenes, aromatics, and carbon dioxide. Until recently, the Middle East and Russia were the largest producers of the world's condensate oil. The oil and gas production uptick in the United States has changed that dynamic.

What's It Good For?

The primary use for condensate oil is to make fuels, like gasoline. In fact, in some circles it is known as natural gasoline. That is really only the beginning of its usefulness, however. It's a key element for making certain types of plastic and is an effective dilutant used to stabilize heavier crude oil and get it to the correct weight before it gets sent to the oil refinery.

What Has to Happen Before It Can Be Used?

Condensate oil has to be stabilized before it can be used or transported. This is not only because of its explosive nature but also because impurities like carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide can corrode the inside of transport infrastructure. The key to stabilizing condensate oil is to remove the impurities and optimize recovery of methane and propane, which are the most useful components.

To stabilize condensate, raw natural gas liquids must be introduced at high pressure and preheated to just the right temperature. Then the pressure of the liquid feed should be slowly dropped using a control valve, which causes the condensate to go through a liquid and gas phase. Any light gases that appear in this stage are either recovered or flashed off. Meanwhile, liquids drop to the bottom exchanger and heated before being sent on to a stabilizer tower.

Move Your Condensate Oil Safely

Condensate oil is an extremely valuable hydrocarbon useful in a variety of contexts. Stabilizing and moving it safely is key to profitability, so call BlackRock Midstream today the find out how we can help you safely transport your fuel around the world.