CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND CORRELATION PROPERTIES OF SARA AND PONA CONSTITUENTS IN AGBABU BITUMEN SEEPAGES, NIGERIA

Characterization and chemical analysis are essential for identifying the constituents of heavy unconventional oil (bitumen), providing guidance for its production, modification, and refining to supplement and extend the life of conventional petroleum resources. This study investigates the SARA (Saturates, Aromatics, Resins, and Asphaltenes) composition of bitumen deposits from Agbabu village in Ondo State, Nigeria, to assess their economic viability for processing, upgrading to synthetic oil, and other engineering applications. Four bitumen samples were analyzed using column chromatography extraction following ASTM D2007 and detailed hydrocarbon analysis (PONA) via gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC-FID) according to ASTM D-5134. Results show that the samples have high saturates content (36.5–72.6%), high aromatics (16.4–54.2%), low resins (6.4–12.5%), and low asphaltenes (1.8–9.5%). The predominance of saturates and aromatics indicates that the Agbabu bitumen is of good quality and suitable for processing into synthetic oil, as well as other industrial applications. These findings provide a foundation for further development and optimization of unconventional oil resources in Nigeria.