Crude Oil Testing Services & Petroleum Assay

Providing ISO/IEC 17025 accredited Crude Oil Testing Services for refineries, global petroleum traders, and forensic insurance investigations.

Composition, Quality & Forensic Crude Characterization

Crude oil quality varies widely and directly impacts refining routes, product yields, logistics, and trading. AGT Labs provides professional Crude Oil Testing Services to deliver an extensive suite of tests for characterization—from simple custody transfer panels to deep compositional fingerprinting and forensic contaminant analysis. Our Crude Oil Testing Services support traders, refiners, terminals, and insurers with objective data for acceptance, reconciliation, and process optimization.

Key Technical Parameters

Accredited analysis supporting our Crude Oil Testing Services suite for upstream, midstream, and trade operations.

Density
ASTM D4052
Sulphur Content
ASTM D4294
TAN
ASTM D664
Sediment by Extraction
ASTM D473
Water by Distillation
ASTM D4006
Water by Karl Fischer
ASTM D4928
Chlorides
ASTM D4929
Nitrogen Analysis
ASTM D5762
Metals
ASTM D5708
Salt in Crude
ASTM D3230
MCRT
ASTM D4530
API Gravity
ASTM D4052 / D5002

Industries We Serve

Providing precision technical data across the petroleum value chain utilizing our Crude Oil Testing Services.

Crude Traders & Brokers

Independent acceptance testing and dispute resolution data for high-value cargo transfers.

Refineries

Feedstock characterization to optimize product yields and support complex process planning.

Terminals & Pipelines

Ensuring custody transfer integrity, blend verification, and monitoring for batch contamination.

Marine Fuel Purchasers

Technical quality screening (Color, Carbon Residue, Piona) to evaluate supply consistency.

Insurance & Forensic

Deep analytical support for forensic source matching and root-cause contamination investigations.

Pipeline Operators

Monitoring for specification compliance and protecting infrastructure from corrosive crude slates.

Laboratory Capabilities

Analytical Systems

Our Crude Oil Testing Services utilize high-pressure GC, GC-MS, and SimDist systems for boiling-range fingerprinting. Our lab is equipped with ICP-OES/MS for trace metals, Karl Fischer titration for water, and automated viscosity monitoring.

Trade & Forensic Support

  • Custody transfer panels & Dispute workflows
  • Tamper-evident sample handling & Manifesting
  • Statistical chemometrics for source matching
  • Rapid response analytical support for lifts
Analytical lab instruments for crude oil testing services

Sampling, Handling & Chain of Custody

Precision Crude Oil Testing Services rely on representative sampling from tanks, pipelines, or tanker liftings. We provide guidance for standard protocols and accept high-pressure cylinders or jars with a completed CoC.

Download Chain of Custody Form

Containers & Handling

  • Use clean metal or glass containers; pre-cleaned for trace metals.
  • Record temperature and upstream processing (Desalter, Treater).
  • Split samples for parallel independent testing for trade resolution.

Transport & Logistics

  • Seal with tamper-evident closures and include sample manifests.
  • Expedited shipping for Houston Port and Gulf Coast liftings.
  • Samples recorded and stored per technical requirement for dispute cases.

Quality & Reporting

Reports from our Crude Oil Testing Services include a technical Certificate of Analysis (COA) with method references, results, measurement uncertainty, and interpretive advisory comments.

  • ✓ COA with analyst initials and technical authorized signatory.
  • ✓ Secure PDF delivery and raw instrument file export.
  • ✓ Feedstock routing and processing impact recommendations.
  • ✓ Detailed method logs for forensic investigations.

Frequently Asked Questions

What sample volume is required for a full crude panel?
For a comprehensive assay within our Crude Oil Testing Services (including PONA, metals, and water content), we recommend 2–3 Liters to allow for splits and repeats. For basic custody transfer panels, 500 mL–1 L is typically sufficient.
How should samples be split for trade disputes?
Collect multiple split samples at the same point using identical containers and procedures. Seal each with tamper-evident closures and document the chain-of-custody with witness signatures where required for defensible trade data.
Do you perform chemometric fingerprint matching?
Yes, we provide high-resolution GC/GC-MS fingerprinting combined with statistical matching as part of our Crude Oil Testing Services to support source identification and root-cause dispute resolution.
Why is digital density (ASTM D5002) critical?
Digital density is fundamental for determining API gravity. In our Crude Oil Testing Services, this metric establishes the commercial value and classification of the petroleum slate, ensuring accuracy in custody transfer accounting.

Certify Your Crude Asset

Need reliable accredited Crude Oil Testing Services for Houston operations? Contact our technical team today for a custom assay quote.

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