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Characterization factor
Also known as: K factor, Watson factor, Kw, UOP characterization factor
The characterization factor is a measure of the aromaticity/paraffinicity of a crude oil or of a crude oil fraction.
The Watson K factor will range from less than 10 for highly aromatic hydrocarbons and almost 15 for highly paraffinic hydrocarbons. The range for whole crudes is 10.5 to 12.9.