Gas oil separation plant systems and methods with reduced heating demand

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12077718-B2
Application number	US-202318347178-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 5, 2023
Priority date	May 25, 2021
Publication date	Sep 3, 2024
Grant date	Sep 3, 2024

Abstract

Systems and methods for crude oil separations including degassing, dewatering, desalting, and stabilization. One method includes separating crude oil into a crude oil off-gas and a partially degassed crude oil output; compressing the crude oil off-gas; applying the compressed crude oil off-gas for indirect heating through reboilers of the partially degassed crude oil output; and directly mixing with the crude oil a compressed atmospheric pressure gas. In some embodiments, multiple reboilers are used. In some embodiments, heat exchangers are used. Aftercoolers are used after the compressor to cool the gas; knockout drums are used after the coolers to separate liquids.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An integrated gas oil separation method, the method comprising the steps of:
separating crude oil in a high pressure separator into a high pressure crude oil off-gas and a high pressure partially degassed crude oil output, where the high pressure crude oil off-gas is in a pressure range from about 135 psig to about 500 psig;
compressing the high pressure crude oil off-gas in a high pressure compressor;
introducing the high pressure partially degassed crude oil output to a low pressure separator;
separating the high pressure partially degassed crude oil in the low pressure separator into a low pressure crude oil off-gas and a low pressure partially degassed crude oil output, where the low pressure crude oil off-gas is in a pressure range from about 35 psig to about 180 psig;
compressing the low pressure crude oil off-gas to produce a compressed low pressure crude oil off-gas;
separating the low pressure partially degassed crude oil output in an atmospheric separator into an atmospheric crude oil off-gas and an atmospheric partially degassed crude oil output, where the atmospheric crude oil off-gas is in the range of about 3 psig to about 80 psig;
compressing the atmospheric crude oil off-gas to produce a compressed atmospheric crude oil off-gas;
injecting the compressed atmospheric crude oil off-gas directly into the crude oil before the low pressure separator;
desalting the atmospheric partially degassed crude oil output in a desalting vessel generating a desalted partially degassed crude oil output;
stabilizing the desalted partially degassed crude oil output in a crude stabilizer column to produce a crude oil product and a crude stabilizer column recycle stream comprising crude oil;
applying the compressed low pressure crude oil off-gas for indirect heating of the crude oil in the crude stabilizer column recycle stream through a first reboiler; and
applying the high pressure crude oil off-gas for indirect heating of the crude oil in the crude stabilizer column recycle stream through a second reboiler.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
cooling the high pressure crude oil off-gas in a high pressure cooler generating a cooled high pressure off-gas; and
separating a low total dissolved solids (TDS) water stream from the cooled high pressure off-gas, where the low total dissolved solids water stream salinity ranges from about 100 ppm to about 12,000 ppm salt.

3. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising the step of injecting the low TDS water stream into the crude stabilizer column recycle stream as the crude stabilizer column recycle stream is introduced to the first reboiler and the second reboiler.

4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
compressing the compressed low pressure crude oil off-gas in the high pressure compressor generating a compressed high pressure gas stream; and
applying the compressed high pressure gas stream for indirect heating of the crude oil in the crude stabilizer column recycle stream through the second reboiler.

5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
cooling the low pressure crude oil off-gas in a low pressure cooler; and
separating a water stream from the cooled low pressure off-gas in a low pressure knock-out drum (KOD).

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the compressed atmospheric crude oil off-gas comprises off-gas from the crude stabilizer column.

7. The method according to claim 1 , where the method is operable to refine the crude oil to produce a refined crude oil product for storage and shipment meeting the following specifications: (1) a salt concentration of not more than about 10 pound (lbs.) of salt/1000 barrels (PTB); (2) basic sediment and water (BSW) of not more than about 0.3 volume percent (V %); (3) H 2 S concentration of less than about 60 ppm; and (4) a maximum Reid vapor pressure (RVP) of about 7 pounds per square inch absolute (psia) and a maximum true vapor pressure (TVP) of about 13.5 psia at 130 degrees Fahrenheit (° F.).

8. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of recycling an export gas stream generated from the high pressure compressor and a high pressure discharge KOD is recycled to the crude stabilizer column for use as a stripping gas.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein an amount of the compressed high pressure gas used in indirect heating in the first reboiler is controlled by a high pressure bypass valve, and further wherein the high pressure bypass valve is controlled by a first temperature sensor located proximate to an outlet of the first reboiler.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein an amount of the compressed low pressure gas used in indirect heating in the second reboiler is controlled by a low pressure bypass valve, and further wherein the low pressure bypass valve is controlled by a second temperature sensor located proximate to an outlet of the second reboiler.

11. An integrated gas oil separation method, the method comprising the steps of:
separating crude oil in a low pressure separator into a low pressure crude oil off-gas and a low pressure partially degassed crude oil output, where the low pressure crude oil off-gas is in a pressure range from about 35 psig to about 180 psig;
compressing the low pressure crude oil off-gas to produce a compressed low pressure crude oil off-gas;
compressing the compressed low pressure crude oil off-gas to produce a compressed high pressure crude oil off-gas, where the compressed high pressure crude oil off-gas is in a pressure range from about 135 psig to about 500 psig;
separating the low pressure partially degassed crude oil output in an atmospheric separator into an atmospheric crude oil off-gas and an atmospheric partially degassed crude oil output, where the atmospheric crude oil off-gas is in the range of about 3 psig to about 80 psig;
compressing the atmospheric crude oil off-gas to produce a compressed atmospheric crude oil off-gas;
injecting the compressed atmospheric crude oil off-gas directly into the crude oil before the low pressure separator;
desalting the atmospheric partially degassed crude oil output in a desalting vessel generating a desalted partially degassed crude oil output;
separating off-gas from the desalted partially degassed crude oil output in a crude storage tank to produce a crude oil product;
applying the compressed low pressure crude oil off-gas for indirect heating of the crude oil before introduction into the desalting vessel through a first heat exchanger; and
applying the compressed high pressure crude oil off-gas for indirect heating of the crude oil before introduction into the desalting vessel through a second heat exchanger.

12. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising the steps of:
cooling the high pressure crude oil off-gas in a high pressure cooler generating a cooled high pressure off-gas; and
separating a low total dissolved solids (TDS) water stream from the cooled high pressure off-gas, where the low total dissolved solids (TDS) water stream ranges from about 100 ppm to about 12,000 ppm.

13. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising the steps of:
cooling the compressed low pressure crude oil off-gas in a low pressure cooler generating a cooled low pressure off-gas; and
separating a water stream from the cooled low pressure off-gas in a low pressure knockout drum (KOD).

14. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising the step of compressing the cooled low pressure off-gas in a high pressure compressor.

15. The meth

Assignees

• Saudi Arabian Oil Co

Inventors

• Soliman Mohamed
• Salu Samusideen Adewale
• Al-Zahrani Talal
• Ansari Nisar Ahmad

Classifications

• B01D19/0068

  General arrangements, e.g. flowsheets (B01D19/0063 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B01D19/0005

  with one or more auxiliary substances · CPC title

• B01D17/06

  Separation of liquids from each other by electricity · CPC title

• B01D17/0214

  with removal of one of the phases · CPC title

• C10G31/06 Primary

  by heating, cooling, or pressure treatment · CPC title