High-Temperature GCxGC Analysis of Light Crude Oil and High Boilers using Nominal and High-Resolution TOFMS

Crude oil and heavy petroleum fractions present some of the most analytically challenging matrices due to their extreme chemical complexity, wide boiling‑point range, and presence of high‑molecular‑weight compounds that exceed the limits of conventional gas chromatography. In this on‑demand webinar, Thomas Gröger of the Zimmermann Lab (Germany) demonstrates how GCxGC‑TOF MS and GCxGC‑HR‑TOF MS, combined with high‑temperature operation and complementary inlet strategies, enable detailed qualitative and quantitative analysis across the full petroleum boiling range.

The webinar begins with middle distillates—including diesel fuels, heating oils, Fischer–Tropsch products (GTL/BTL), and hydrotreated vegetable oils (HVO)—demonstrating how GCxGC‑TOF MS enables near‑complete class‑ and carbon‑number‑resolved quantification, achieving ~99.9% mass closure without full compound‑specific standards.

It then extends GCxGC analysis to light crude oils and high‑boiling components (C60+), where high‑temperature operation and high‑resolution TOF MS resolve overlapping hydrocarbon, sulfur‑, and nitrogen‑containing species based on exact mass and elemental composition.

Finally, the webinar moves beyond the GC distillation limit, introducing direct‑insertion probe (DIP) thermal analysis for vacuum gas oils, residues, and bitumen. Combined with high‑resolution TOF-MS, this approach delivers chemical fingerprints of non‑volatile fractions for source comparison, process characterization, and aging studies.

Throughout the presentation, results are correlated with established refinery methods (SIMDIS, HPLC aromatics, IR FAME), highlighting where GCxGC‑TOF-MS improves accuracy, particularly for modern fuels and unconventional feedstocks.