Low-Salinity Wash Water Recovery for Crude Oil Desalting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing crude oil processing systems face challenges in efficiently reducing salt content in crude oil to meet international specifications, particularly in arid climates where fresh water is scarce, and they often rely on non-renewable water resources and energy-intensive membrane systems.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that utilizes a side-stream from a crude oil separator to coalesce aqueous droplets, evaporate and condense water vapor, producing low-salinity wash water independently of membrane systems, leveraging intrinsic thermal energy and pressure from the crude oil processing facility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If membrane systems (osmosis, reverse osmosis) are used to produce wash water, then wash water can be produced independently, but energy consumption increases and device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies phase transitions (evaporation and condensation) to produce wash water from the aqueous phase separated from crude oil. The aqueous phase is evaporated to form vapor, which is then condensed to produce low-salinity wash water. This eliminates the need for energy-intensive membrane systems while maintaining wash water production capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical membrane separation systems with a thermal process involving evaporation and condensation. Instead of using semi-permeable membranes to separate water from oil, the system uses phase change to transfer water from the aqueous phase to vapor and back to liquid form, thereby reducing energy consumption and device complexity.
2Quantity of substance
If membrane systems are used to produce wash water, then wash water can be produced independently, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses evaporation and condensation processes to produce wash water, replacing complex membrane systems. The aqueous phase is evaporated to form vapor, which is then condensed to produce low-salinity wash water. This simplifies the overall device configuration by eliminating membranes, pumps, and complex separation equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes mechanical membrane separation with thermal processes. Instead of using semi-permeable membranes and associated mechanical components, the system employs evaporation and condensation to achieve water separation and production, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining independent wash water production capability.
3Manufacturing precision
If wash water is produced using conventional methods, then salt content in crude oil can be reduced, but fresh water resources are consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent recovers and reuses the aqueous phase containing salt by evaporating it to form vapor, which is then condensed to produce low-salinity wash water. This closed-loop process recovers water that would otherwise be wasted, reducing fresh water consumption while maintaining the capability to reduce salt content in crude oil through desalting operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs evaporation and condensation to transform the aqueous phase into vapor and back to liquid form, producing low-salinity wash water. This phase transition process allows for water recovery and reuse, thereby reducing dependence on fresh water resources while maintaining effective salt removal from crude oil.
4Manufacturing precision
If more crude oil is treated to reduce water-cut, then salt content specifications are met, but operation costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses evaporation and condensation to produce low-salinity wash water from the aqueous phase, eliminating the need to treat all crude oil through energy-intensive membrane systems. This approach allows for specification compliance with reduced operational costs by using a portion of the crude oil feedstock in a more efficient process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by treating only a portion of the crude oil feedstock rather than all of it. The aqueous phase is separated and processed through evaporation and condensation to produce wash water, which is then used in desalting operations. This partial treatment approach reduces operational costs while still meeting salt content specifications.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Reduces water-cut and produces low-salinity wash water, saving operation costs and conserving renewable water resources while meeting salt content specifications for export crude oil.
Implementation Method 1
An electric field is applied across the side-stream to coalesce aqueous droplets present in the side-stream to form an aqueous phase
Implementation Method 2
At least a portion of the aqueous phase is evaporated to form a wastewater phase and a vapor phase
Implementation Method 3
At least a portion of the vapor phase is condensed to produce a wash water
Data Source
AI summary
A side-stream is separated from an oil phase stream that is discharged from a crude oil separator in a gas-oil separation plant. The side-stream contains water and oil. At least a portion of the oil phase stream that is discharged from the crude oil separator in the gas-oil separation plant is flowed to a desalter in the gas-oil separation plant. An electric field is applied across the side-stream to coalesce aqueous droplets present in the side-stream to form an aqueous phase. The aqueous phase is separated from the oil of the side-stream. At least a portion of the aqueous phase is evaporated to form a wastewater phase and a vapor phase. At least a portion of the vapor phase is condensed to produce a wash water. The wash water is flowed to the desalter. The wash water can be referred to washing water or dilution water.