ABSTRACT
This study compared the compositional characteristics of the Nigerian Bitumen with that of some European Countries, Venezuela and Canada in order to understand the difference and suggest the most viable recovery techniques for the Nigerian Bitumen.
Samples were obtained from Agbabu, situated in Odigbo, Ondo State, Nigeria lying on the coordinates 6035ˈ0" North, 4o50ˈ0" East, Ondo State, Nigeria. The samples were collected from the surface of the vast tar sands outcrops and sealed in polythene bags to prevent the oxidation of the hydrocarbons before being taken to the laboratory.
The gas chromatography analysis showed that the samples contained 46.35% saturates and 21.63% aromatics and 32.03% resins for Agbabu. In comparison with other bitumen producing countries of world, the results gotten show that Nigeria bitumen as similarities with that of Canadian bitumen.
The assessment and comparison of these properties with the properties of bitumen from Canada reveals that any surface or subsurface crude bitumen gotten from Agbabu, Ondo State, Nigeria can be exploited using similar technologies, if not the same as the technologies being used in Athabasca, Canada.
