Petroleum exhibits a wide range of physical properties. Numerous tests have been and continue to be developed to provide an indication of the means by which a particular feedstock should be processed. An initial inspection of the nature of petroleum provides deductions about the most logical means of refining and classifying. Handbook of Petroleum Analysis is a single, comprehensive source that describes the application and interpretation of data resulting from various test methods for petroleum feedstocks and products. The need for the application of analytical techniques to petroleum has increased over the past three decades due to changes in feedstock composition. Handbook of Petroleum Analysis deals with the various aspects of petroleum analysis while providing a detailed explanation of the necessary standard tests and procedures that are applicable to feedstocks. The material also reviews the application of new methods for determining instability and incompatibility, focusing on the analytical methods related to environmental regulations. Most importantly, the book provides details of the meanings of the various test results and how they might be applied to predict feedstock behavior. Where pertinent, new tests that are not yet accepted as standardized are described.

Topics covered in Handbook of Petroleum Analysis include:

- Chemical composition
- Physical, thermal, electrical, and optical property testing methods
- Spectroscopic, chemical, fractionation, and chromatographic methods
- Molecular weight
- Use of the data (i.e., mapping and predictability)

Handbook of Petroleum Analysis promotes a better understanding of the criteria affecting the quality of petroleum and petroleum products and is a valuable resource for chemists and engineers in the refining industry.