Dynamic demulsification system for use in a gas-oil separation plant

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10350515-B2
Application number	US-201715419632-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 30, 2017
Priority date	Jul 26, 2011
Publication date	Jul 16, 2019
Grant date	Jul 16, 2019

Abstract

A dynamic demulsification system to facilitate the removal of water from oil for use in a gas-oil separation plant (GOSP) which has a dehydrator vessel in fluid communication with a desalter vessel which in turn is in fluid communication with a water/oil separator vessel includes the following system components:
an in-line microwave treatment subsystem upstream of one or two of each of the dehydrator vessel, the desalter vessel and the water/oil separator vessel, each of which vessels receives a water-oil emulsion; a sensor for the real-time monitoring and transmission of data representing one or more properties of the water-oil emulsion in the respective vessel(s) and/or downstream of the respective vessel(s) with which the sensor is associated; and a processor/controller that receives the data from the sensor and transmits one or more signals to the one or both of the respective in-line microwave treatment subsystem(s) to generate and apply microwave energy of predetermined characteristics to the flowing fluid based on the properties of the emulsion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An integrated dynamic demulsification system for use in a gas-oil separation plant (GOSP) to facilitate the removal of water from oil, the GOSP including at least a dehydrator vessel in fluid communication with a desalter vessel which in turn is in fluid communication with a water/oil separator vessel, the demulsification system comprising:
an in-line microwave treatment subsystem upstream of the dehydrator vessel for receiving a water-in-oil emulsion;
a sensor for the real-time monitoring and transmission of data representing one or more properties of the water-in-oil emulsion in the dehydrator vessel or downstream of the dehydrator vessel and upstream of the desalter vessel, wherein the sensor is selected from the group consisting of a buoyant structure in the dehydrator vessel that continuously monitors the liquid surface using a high-frequency electromagnetic energy transmitter and/or receiver and an imaging system that generates images of a slipstream downstream of the dehydrator vessel and upstream of the desalter vessel; and
a processor/controller that is operably coupled to the sensor, the sensor providing data to at least one oil-separation program, wherein data from the sensor, and the at least one oil-separation program are stored in at least one memory device, the at least one oil-separation program being executable in real time by the processor/controller to:
receive the data from the sensor and transmit one or more signals to the in-line microwave treatment subsystem to generate and apply microwave energy of predetermined characteristics to the flowing fluid based on the properties of the emulsion.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a buoyant structure in the dehydrator vessel that continuously monitors the liquid surface using a high-frequency electromagnetic energy transmitter and/or receiver.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises an imaging system that generates images of a slipstream downstream of the dehydrator vessel and upstream of the desalter vessel.

4. An integrated dynamic demulsification system for use in a gas-oil separation plant (GOSP) to facilitate the removal of water from oil, the GOSP including at least a dehydrator vessel in fluid communication with a desalter vessel which in turn is in fluid communication with a water/oil separator vessel, the demulsification system comprising:
an in-line microwave treatment subsystem upstream of the desalter vessel for receiving a water-in-oil emulsion;
a sensor for the real-time monitoring and transmission of data representing one or more properties of the water-in-oil emulsion in the desalter vessel or downstream of the desalter vessel and upstream of the water/oil separator vessel, wherein the sensor is selected from the group consisting of a buoyant structure in the dehydrator vessel that continuously monitors the liquid surface using a high-frequency electromagnetic energy transmitter and/or receiver and an imaging system that generates images of a slipstream downstream of the desalter vessel and upstream of the water/oil separator vessel; and
a processor/controller that is operably coupled to the sensor, the sensor providing data to at least one oil-separation program, wherein data from the sensor, and the at least one oil-separation program are stored in at least one memory device, the at least one oil-separation program being executable in real time by the processor/controller to:
receive the data from the sensor and transmit one or more signals to the in-line microwave treatment subsystem to generate and apply microwave energy of predetermined characteristics to the flowing fluid based on the properties of the emulsion.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the sensor is a buoyant structure that continuously monitors the liquid surface using a high-frequency electromagnetic energy transmitter and/or receiver.

6. The system of claim 4 , wherein the sensor comprises an imaging system that generates images of a slipstream downstream of the desalter vessel and upstream of the water/oil separator vessel.

7. An integrated dynamic demulsification system for use in a gas-oil separation plant (GOSP) to facilitate the removal of water from oil, the GOSP including at least a dehydrator vessel in fluid communication with a desalter vessel which in turn is in fluid communication with a water/oil separator vessel, the demulsification system comprising:
an in-line microwave treatment subsystem upstream of the water/oil separator vessel for receiving a water-in-oil emulsion;
a sensor for the real-time monitoring and transmission of data representing one or more properties of the water-in-oil emulsion in the water/oil separator vessel or downstream of the water/oil separator vessel, wherein the sensor is selected from the group consisting of a buoyant structure in the water/oil separator vessel that continuously monitors the liquid surface using a high-frequency electromagnetic energy transmitter and/or receiver and an imaging system that generates images of a slipstream downstream of the water/oil separator vessel; and
a processor/controller that is operably coupled to the sensor, the sensor providing data to at least one oil-separation program, wherein data from the sensor, and the at least one oil-separation program are stored in at least one memory device, the at least one oil-separation program being executable in real time by the processor/controller to:
receive the data from the sensor and transmit one or more signals to the in-line microwave treatment subsystem to generate and apply microwave energy of predetermined characteristics to the flowing fluid based on the properties of the emulsion.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the sensor is a buoyant structure in the water/oil separator vessel that continuously monitors the liquid surface using a high-frequency electromagnetic energy transmitter and/or receiver.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the sensor is an imaging system that generates images of a slipstream downstream of the water/oil separator vessel.

10. An integrated dynamic demulsification system for use in a gas-oil separation plant (GOSP) to facilitate the removal of water from oil, the GOSP including at least a dehydrator vessel in fluid communication with a desalter vessel which in turn is in fluid communication with a water/oil separator vessel, the demulsification system comprising:
a first in-line microwave treatment subsystem upstream of the dehydrator vessel for receiving a water-in-oil emulsion;
a first sensor for the real-time monitoring and transmission of data representing one or more properties of the water-in-oil emulsion in the dehydrator vessel or downstream of the dehydrator vessel and upstream of the desalter vessel, wherein the first sensor is selected from the group consisting of a buoyant structure in the dehydrator vessel that continuously monitors the liquid surface using a high-frequency electromagnetic energy transmitter and/or receiver and an imaging system that generates images of a slipstream downstream of the dehydrator vessel and upstream of the desalter vessel;
a second in-line microwave treatment subsystem upstream of the desalter vessel for receiving a water-in-oil emulsion;
a second sensor for the real-time monitoring and transmission of data representing one or more properties of the water-in-oil emulsion in the desalter vessel or downstream of the desalter vessel and upstream of the water/oil separator vessel, wherein the second sensor is selected from the group consisting of a buoyant structure in the desalter vessel that continuously monitors the liquid surface using a high-frequency electromagnetic energy transmitter and/or receiver and an imaging

Assignees

• Saudi Arabian Oil Co

Inventors

• Al-Shafei Emad Naji
• Khan M Rashid

Classifications

• C10G33/08

  Controlling or regulating · CPC title

• C10G33/02

  with electrical or magnetic means · CPC title

• C10G31/08

  by treating with water · CPC title

• B01D17/12 Primary

  Auxiliary equipment particularly adapted for use with liquid-separating apparatus, e.g. control circuits · CPC title

• B01D17/06

  Separation of liquids from each other by electricity · CPC title