CRUDE UNIT DESALTING

Changing Crude and Properties

2nd Middle East Customer Seminar Bahrain June 23rd-25th, 2008

Overview
What makes a change in crude slate/properties
a challenge

Tank Farm & Desalting

Impact & Management

Wastewater Plant
Impact & Management

2nd Middle East Customer Seminar Bahrain June 23rd-25th, 2008

Why is it a Challenge?
Crude characterization
u
v
w
x
y
z

Solids
Conductivity
Gravity/Viscosity
Naphthenic Acids
Asphaltenes
Metals

Upstream additives
{

Production chemicals
Acids
Amines
Modifiers
2nd Middle East Customer Seminar Bahrain June 23rd-25th, 2008

u Solids
Impact on Tank Farm
Emulsion formation in
tankage
Solids settling out in tankage

Impact on Desalter
Solids stabilized emulsions
Solids settling out in desalter
Oil undercarry

Tank Farm Solutions

Tank mixers
Chemical additives
Slop blending and
pretreatment
Tank design

Desalter Solutions
Effective mudwash design
Mudwash frequency
Solids wetting aids;
enhanced removal agents
Desalter acidification

2nd Middle East Customer Seminar Bahrain June 23rd-25th, 2008

v Crude Conductivity
Impact on Tank Farm
Minimal

Desalter Solutions
Crude blending is only
solution
Rate limitation
Improve transformer

Impact on Desalter

CONDUCTIVITY PICOSIMENS/METER

Shut down of electrical

system
Loss of oil-water separation
Oil undercary
Water carryover

1400000

20% DOBA IN
ARAB HVY

1200000

10% DOBA
IN ARAB
HVY

1000000

800000

600000

DOBA
400000

ARAB HVY
200000

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

TEMPERATURE oC

2nd Middle East Customer Seminar Bahrain June 23rd-25th, 2008

w Gravity/Viscosity
Impact on Tank Farm
Tank stratification
Poor water removal
Increase
rates
Acidification Program

Impact on Desalter
Reduction in capacity
Oil undercarry
Water carryover

Tank Farm Solutions

Tank mixers
Crude blending
Diluents
Pre-treat with
demulsifiers
Slop blending and
pretreatment

Desalter Solutions

Increase wash water

Increase temperature
Demulsifier selection
Desalter acidification

2nd Middle East Customer Seminar Bahrain June 23rd-25th, 2008

x Metals

Impact on Tank Farm

Minimal

Impact on Desalter
Minimal except when bound
with other constituents
Ca-naphthenate
Na-naphthenate
FeS

Oil undercarry
Water carryover
Emulsion stabilization

Desalter Solutions

Increase wash water

Increase mixing
Desalter acidification
Metals removal additives
EC2483A (proprietary
technology)

2nd Middle East Customer Seminar Bahrain June 23rd-25th, 2008

y Asphaltene Incompatibility
Impact on Tank Farm
Poor water removal
Emulsion formation in
tankage

Asphaltenes

Tank Farm Solutions

Tank mixers
Crude blending
Pre-treat with asphaltene
stabilizers
Slop blending and
pretreatment

Desalter Solutions

Impact on Desalter
Reduction in capacity
Emulsion in desalter
Oil undercarry

Increase wash water

Increase temperature
Increase mixing
Treat with asphaltene
stabilizers

2nd Middle East Customer Seminar Bahrain June 23rd-25th, 2008

z Naphthenic Acids
Impact on Tank Farm
Poor water removal
Emulsion formation in
tankage

Impact on Desalter

Emulsion in desalter
Low pH brine (if acid treated)
Oil undercarry
Water carryover

Tank Farm Solutions

Tank mixers
Crude blending
Tankage dehydration
additives
Slop blending and
pretreatment

Desalter Solutions

Increase wash water

Increase temperature
Increase mixing
Demulsifier selection

2nd Middle East Customer Seminar Bahrain June 23rd-25th, 2008

{ Upstream Additives
Additive

Applications

Impact Crude Unit

Process

Mineral acids (HCl, HBr, KCl,

H3PO4, HF)

Well Stimulation, Emulsion

Breaking, Scale Control

Yes - corrosion, fouling

Organic Acids (Formic,

Acetic, Citric, Glycolic)

Well Stimulation, Completion

Fluids, Emulsion Breaking

Yes - corrosion, fouling

Other acids (alcoholic HCl,

EDTA, Fluroboric acid)

Well Stimulation, Completion

Fluids, Scale Control

Yes - corrosion

Gelling Polymers

Well stimulation, Completion

Fluids

No

Quantanary Amine Chloride

salts

Corrosion Control, Biocide

Potentially

Oxyalkylate resins

Emulsion Breaking

No

2nd Middle East Customer Seminar Bahrain June 23rd-25th, 2008

10

{ Upstream Additives
Impact Crude Unit
Process

Additive

Applications

Solvents

Paraffin control

Some (chlorinated solvents)

Water treating polymers

Emulsion Breaking

Low probability (water- based)

Metal salts (ZnCl2, AlCl2,

poly(aluminum) chloride)

Emulsion Breaking

Yes - corrosion

Poyldimethylsiloxane,
Fluorosilicones

Antifoam

Crude unit no; Potentially

hydroprocessing units

Methanol

Hydrate Inhibitor

No; Will impact waste

plant

Phosphate esters,
Phosphonates

Scale Control, Corrosion

Control

Yes corrosion, fouling

Acrylic acids

Scale Control

Yes - corrosion

2nd Middle East Customer Seminar Bahrain June 23rd-25th, 2008

11

{ Upstream Additives
Additive

Applications

Impact Crude Unit

Process

Filming Amines
(polysubstituted
monoamines, Diamines,
Polyamines, Imidazoline)

Corrosion Control

Potentially

Chlorine, Bromine

Biocide

Yes

Ethylene Vinyl acetate

Copolymers, Styrene/Ester
Copolymer

Wax crystal modifiers

Some (chlorinated versions)

Neutralizing Amines (MEA,

EDA, MMA)

Corrosion Control, H2S

Scavenger

Yes

Triazines

H2S Scavenger

Yes

Polyalphaolefin polymers

Drag reducers

No

2nd Middle East Customer Seminar Bahrain June 23rd-25th, 2008

12

Prescreening Methods
Updated Assays
Specs on crude
Buyers and put restrictions or
request notification

Analytical testing upon arrival

Routine

Salts
BS&W
Filterable solids
TAN

Non-routine

Blending study
Amines
Acids
Portable Electrical Desalter

Mechanical
Survey/Audit the
capabilities of the Tank
Farm, Desalter, and
Wastewater Plant

Operationally
Develop flexibility to
handle challenge crude
properties

2nd Middle East Customer Seminar Bahrain June 23rd-25th, 2008

13

Wastewater Plant
Impact & Management
Desalters, Tank Farm, Slop Oil Tanks.........
All contribute to the WWTP influent
Any change in the above will impact WW plant
The Biological section (bacteria) of the refinery can take
many days to respond to the change/overcharge of the
contaminants
RESULT effluent out of spec, penalties/legal actions,
space in buffer tks for the un-treated fluids etc.
2nd Middle East Customer Seminar Bahrain June 23rd-25th, 2008

14

WWTP Schematic
High Oil
and
Grease

High
Solids

High
COD

High
Organic
Acids

High
Amines

DAF
Equal.

Clarifier
DAF

High Oil
and
Grease

2ndry

Biox

API

Recycle

Effluent
Hg, Se,
Metals

Waste To
Belt Press

Waste To
Centrifuge

High
Solids

2nd Middle East Customer Seminar Bahrain June 23rd-25th, 2008

Change of crudes
Impacts on WWTP
WWTP Main Impact Area and
Bottlenecks

Issues
High Solids Loading

Primary Treatment, Dewatering, Incineration

High Oil and Grease

Loading

Primary Treatment, Secondary Treatment,

Sludge Dewatering

High COD

Secondary Treatment and Clarification

Metals: Hg, Se, Ca

Organic Acids

Environmental Permit Compliance

Secondary Treatment

Amines, Ammonia

Secondary Treatment, Environmental Permit

Compliance

2nd Middle East Customer Seminar Bahrain June 23rd-25th, 2008

Solutions
Issues

Solutions Engineered Processes

High Solids
Loading

Solids Management Audit, Chemical

Selection

High Oil and

Grease Loading

Lab Simulation, Oil Recovery Management,

Chemical Selection

High COD

Lab Biox Modeling, Bioaugmentation, Upset

Recovery Program

Metals: Hg, Se,

Ca

Opportunity Crude Assessment, Metals

Removal Chemical Additives

Organic Acids

Lab Biox Modeling, Bioaugmentation, Upset

Recovery Program

Amines,
Ammonia

Lab Biox Modeling, Bioaugmentation, Upset

Recovery Program
2nd Middle East Customer Seminar Bahrain June 23rd-25th, 2008

Solutions Primary
Treatment
Equipment/facilities review
Equipment optimization
Increase containment volume
Control parameters (rates, pH, etc.)

Coagulant/flocculant programs
Improved reverse emulsion breakers
(Inorganic blends)
High efficient flocculants
Automation

Additives

Upstream treatment
Slop
Desalter
Tank dewatering

DAF
Process
Effluent

Equal.

API
DAF

2nd Middle East Customer Seminar Bahrain June 23rd-25th, 2008

Solutions - Secondary Treatment

(BIOX) and Clarification
Equipment/facilities review
Develop Upset recovery/maintenance programs
Non Routine Testing
Respirometry

Chemical Application Programs

Antifoams
Bioaugmentation
Nitrifiers
Coagulants/Flocculants
Metal Removal Additives

Antifoams,
Bioaugmentation,
Polymers

API

2ndry
Clarifier

Biox
Recycle

2nd Middle East Customer Seminar Bahrain June 23rd-25th, 2008

The Surprise Amine

Example of a change
in crude slate and its impact

What Normally Happens ?

Crude tower corrodes due to build up of amine
chloride salts and hydrotreater feed/effluent
exchangers foul from ammonia chloride salts; only
warning is the reduction in ovhd neutralizer demand
and build up of pressure drop in exchangers
Desalt Aid
Refinery Tank Farm
Desalter

Brine

Atmospheric Tower

WWTP

Wastewater biological system responds by going

offspec on discharge parameters

H2S Scavenger

Terminals

2nd

H2S Scavenger is
added without
knowledge of Refiner
Middle East Customer Seminar Bahrain June 23rd-25th, 2008

21

What Could Happen?

Crude tower monitors for the potential of corrosion by
testing naphtha, diesel, and kero for chlorides;
mitigation strategies are implemented:
Reduce crude in crude slate
Monitor salt formation potential
Insure HDS water wash is operating; water
draws are monitored for chloridesDesalt Aid
Refinery Tank Farm
Desalter

Brine

Crude is isolated in a tank

and rated to the crude unit
at a safe rate

Atmospheric Tower

WWTP

Wastewater monitors the level of the amine in the

influent water; mitigation strategies are
implemented:
Because of earlier WWTP system audit and
Respirometer studies the biological system is
augmented with nitrifiers

2nd

Terminals

H2S Scavenger is added

with knowledge of Refiner
Middle East Customer Seminar Bahrain June 23rd-25th, 2008

22

Summary
There are many different containments and crude characteristics
that can have a negative impact on a Refinery
Proactive determination of a refinery limitations and development
of a mitigation strategy can minimize impacts
The management of changes in crude slate starting at the Tank
Farm and Desalting Operation can minimize downstream impacts
Opportunity crudes potential impact on Wastewater Plants can be
also managed successfully
Communication & Collaboration is the key

2nd Middle East Customer Seminar Bahrain June 23rd-25th, 2008