Examining the Consistency of Water Content Data in Alkanes Using the Perturbed-Chain Form of the Statistical Associating Fluid Theory Equation of State

Abstract

Experimental data available in the literature on the water content of alkanes (C5 and higher) is widely scattered. The accurate determination of water content in hydrocarbons is critical for the petroleum and natural gas industries due to corrosion and hydrate formation problems. A molecular theory with a single parameter fit to water content data is shown to accurately correlate water mole fraction in alkanes from C1 to C16 which are in equilibrium with liquid water or ice. Moreover, a list of experimental data is recommended to the reader based on its agreement with the fundamental equation of state used in this work. An empirical equation is proposed to accurately correlate water content in C5–C16 alkanes for temperatures ranging from 293.15 K to 323.15 K and as a function carbon number.