Influence of Gamma Radiation on the Radiofrequency Dielectric Properties of Nigerian Crude Oil

Abstract

This paper examines the relative permittivity of irradiated and non-irradiated crude oil samples in the frequency range 0.1 – 100.0MHz and room temperature regulated at 25 ± 1oC. Samples of crude oil of mean specific gravity 0.780 ± 0.015 were irradiated for periods of two, four, six, eight and ten months respectively using a gamma radiation source (Cobalt 60) at a dose rate of 0.65mSv per hour. Dielectric measurements were made by using a Boonton RX meter type 250A admittance bridge manufactured by central research Laboratories, Inc, Red, Wing, Minnesota. Analysis of the resulting dielectric data revealed that both the irradiated and non-irradiated samples exhibited dielectric dispersion over the frequency range investigated. However, the relative permittivity values of the irradiated samples were found to be higher than those of the non-irradiated sample. This difference is understandable as it can be attributed to the ionization of atoms and weakening of molecular bonds in the irradiated samples. The increase in relative permittivity for the irradiated samples was observed to be time dependent as the longer the time of irradiation of sample the higher the value of its relative permittivity. Also, in this study, it was observed that the non-irradiated crude oil sample has longer relaxation time than the irradiated ones. The relaxation time decreases gradually with increasing irradiation time. This has physical significance on the basis of the molecular theory of matter and the fact that relaxation time is inversely proportional to relaxation frequency. These results are comparable with the work of other researchers for which similar trends have been observed.