LABORATORY OPERATIONS

To ensure that products are consistent with specifications, the laboratory tests and analyses samples from all process unit streams and blended products. The results of these must meet the refinery target specification and our customer requirements. Each product batch is certified by the laboratory before being made available to Petrojam's customers. Incoming shipments of imported finished products including Gasoline, Kerosene, Automobile Diesel, Heavy Fuel Oil, LPG and Crude Oil are each sampled and analyzed to ensure that each batch meets the
specifications stated by the suppliers.

Test Methods/International Procedures

The methods used are those set by the international regulatory organizations for the petroleum industry, these include The American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM), the Institute of Petroleum Standard (IP) U.K., and others.

Petrojam has the capability to analyse waste water, ethanol and the following petroleum products butane, propane, kerosene, turbo Jet fuel, asphalt, diesel oils, residual fuel oil, motor gasoline, and lubricating oils.

The precision and accuracy of Petrojam testing is verified by comparing our laboratory test results with those of certified petroleum labs in the United States and Canada.

Test Equipment

Listed below are some of the highly specialized test which Petrojam is equipped to perform:

• Octane Testing
  These tests are carried out with two ASTM-CFR (American Society for Testing Material and Cooperative Fuels Research) engines which rate motor gasoline to determine Research Octane Number (RON) and Motor Octane Number (MON) respectively. Road Octane at the gas pump is the average of RON and MON.

  Precision and repeatability of data are maintained at high levels
  by good maintenance and regular standardization of engines.
  Measurement of octane level is critical for ensuring that there is
  optimum performance of petrol engine driven motor vehicles.

• Chromatography
  The Lab has a complement of seven gas chromatographs which are used in the analysis of Liquefied Petroleum Gases (LPG), Hydrogen, Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) and Benzene in Gasoline, and Ethanol. These units are fitted with either thermal conductivity of flame ionization detector.

• Chemical Analysis
  Instrumentation used for analyses includes an Atomic Absorption
  Spectrophotometer and a Rotating Disc Electrode Emission Spectrophotometer, X-ray Fluorescence Analyser, for metal analyses. Petrojam also has Ultra Violet Scanning Spectrophotometer for the analysis of organic compunds, boiler feed and waste water.

• Random Gasoline Tests
  The laboratory performs tests for gasolene quality and octane levels for the Bureau of Standards and, upon request, from the industry. These results are used by the Bureau of Standards, Ministry of Industry Commerce and Technology, and the Petroleum Marketing Companies to verify that the quality of petroleum purchased by the consumer is not contaminated in transit to them.

• Industrial Hygiene
  The laboratory is equipped to monitor health hazards in the work
  environment. Petrojam has skilled personnel and equipment to conduct the following analysis:

  1. noise level meters
  2. radiation monitor
  3. microwave radiation detector
  4. Poisonous gas detection,inclusive of Hydrogen Sulphide
  5. Hydrocarbon
  6. Benzene
  7. Sulphur Dioxide
  8. Carbon monoxide and other poisonous gases typical
     to the petroleum industry.

  We also have portable electronic monitors for Oxygen measurement and heat stress. Monitoring light levels
  through illumination surveys is also done at Petrojam.

The Laboratory Team

The laboratory staff is continuously being trained in new Quality Assurance procedures to ensure future accreditation with the ISO 17025 Quality Management System. This programme of continuous improvement in the Quality Assurance management for the Petrojam Laboratory has provided more reliable service to both internal and external customers of the Laboratory, and results in significant cost savings to the Refinery.

The Key Benefits of Standards Accreditation are:
• Positive International and Local recognition
• Improved Staff Skills
• Improved Quality practices
• Greater productivity and minimisation business interruption through quality failure.

Laboratory Services

As the sole petroleum laboratory in Jamaica, Petrojam offers laboratory facilities for product testing and analyses to Jamaican businesses and the scientific community. Laboratory services
are offered for a fee. Results are conditional and are based on the quality of samples submitted to the laboratory and the limits of the tests.