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Desalters: Hardware,

Operation and
Troubleshooting

Petreco Bilectric Desalter Howe-Baker EDGE Desalter


What is a desalter and how does it work?
A desalter is an oil / water settling tank, usually located in the pre-heat train of
an Atmospheric Pipestill. Desalters use an applied high voltage to coalesce
brine (salt water) droplets suspended in crude oil. Oil / water separation time
is much shorter than for gravity settlers, and smaller vessels can be used.

Oil and salt are found naturally together in geological deposits. Salts dissolve
in the water and the water is entrained in the oil during recovery. Additional
salt comes from transportation and handling; sea tankers often use sea water
for ballast and to wash out containers.
How do we measure the salt and water content?
Water soluble salts in the entrained brine consist mostly of Sodium, Calcium,
and Magnesium salts, generally in the form of chlorides. Sulphates are also
often found in large quantities.
Salt content in oil is normally expressed in ptb:
1 ptb = 1 lb of salt (as NaCl) per thousand barrels of oil ~ 2.85 wppm
Salt content generally ranges from 10 - 30 ptb, although higher levels are seen
in the cheaper opportunity crudes. At this level, single-stage desalting can
usually reduce the salt content of the oil to acceptable levels.
The water content of the oil is expressed as %BS&W, which is the basic or
bottoms sediment and water content recorded as volume percent.
Desalters can reduce the water content down to the 0.1 - 0.5 %BS&W range.
For heavy crudes (< 20oAPI) a BS&W range of 0.5 - 5% is more common.
Why desalt? What are the benefits?
To prevent corrosion: if salts are not removed, they react with water and
form hydrochloric acid (HCl). This reacts with iron in the carbon steel to
form ferrous chloride, which in turn reacts with hydrogen sulphide, which
generates iron sulphide and HCl, and the cycle starts over
To reduce fouling: salts are deposited as scale at high temperatures
To reduce equipment downtime / reduce cleaning frequency
To maintain unit capacity
To protect downstream catalysts: salts and metals can poison catalysts
To save energy: removing water from the oil means the furnaces heat
oil and not water!
To reduce chemical consumption: corrosion prevention chemical
consumption depends upon salt content
Desalting process steps
Add demulsifier &
solids wetting agent Mix the oil and the wash water to
to the crude oil at the ruptures the small brine droplets
charge pump to Increase the oil and form larger droplets with a
ensure good mixing inlet temperature as lower salt concentration
and a long contact far as possible
time

Crude Oil

Apply a high
voltage
electric field Settle the
to coalescence coalesced
Wash the majority water droplets
Water of the under gravity
suspended and remove
water droplets from the
Add salt-free wash water both
upstream (to minimise fouling) and desalter
downstream of the preheat train
Wash water addition
Brine droplets in the crude are too small to settle under gravity. Also, they are
often coated with particulate solids or surfactants - chemicals that stabilise
the brine-in-oil emulsion.
Wash water provides the water droplet concentration needed to contact and
rupture the protective coating surrounding the brine droplets. Larger droplets
form which have a lower salt concentration, coalesce more easily, and are
easier to separate from the oil.

0.1 % 1% 5%

4 - 8.5 % wash water (based on crude volume) is recommended. Heavy crudes


require more wash water than lighter crudes. Desalter effluent brine can be
recycled to increase wash water rates if fresh wash water supply is limited.
Oil / water mixing
To achieve the desired water droplet size distribution, the degree of oil / water
mixing is controlled. Wash water is pumped into the crude oil just upstream of
a mix valve. The valve opening (and the pressure drop across it) sets the
hydraulic shear and the size of the dispersed droplets.
Typical mix valve P = 2 - 30 psi (0.1 - 2 bar)
Too low a mix valve pressure drop results in undermixing. This leads to poor
salt removal and ineffective solids wetting (solids stay with the oil).
Overmixing is caused by too high a mix valve pressure drop, and leads to the
formation of tight emulsions which are difficult to resolve in the desalter.
This leads to poor water removal and low dehydration efficiencies.
The optimum pressure drop is determined in the field. Generally the highest
P that does not cause stable emulsions to form is selected.
Electric field
A high voltage electric field causes adjacent
water droplets to collide and combine.
-
-- ---
- + Electric fields are present between the
electrodes, between the top electrode and
the desalter vessel wall, and between the
++ ++ bottom electrode and the oil / water
+ interface.
Electrostatic
- Attractive Raising the water level increases the voltage
-- ---
- Force
gradient and can increase water droplet
++ ++ coalescence, but if the level is too high then
+ Amps draw can increase, water droplets can
be shattered and re-dispersed, and the
electrodes can short out.
- Increasing voltage gradient cannot
compensate for large distances between
water droplets due to a lack of wash water.
Desalter operating temperature
Water droplet settling rate is highest when the density difference between the
oil and water is large and the oil viscosity is low, for example when low
density / high oAPI crude oils are processed. Density does not change
significantly with temperature, but viscosity is strongly influenced by
temperature. Increasing the oil temperature dramatically reduces the oil
viscosity and significantly reduces settling time.
Trecate example:
For a 30 oAPI gravity crude, a 10oC (18oF) temperature increase from 125oC
(257oF) to 135oC (275oF) results in a desalter capacity increase of 3.5%
Fawley example:
For a 23.6 oAPI gravity crude, a 10oC (18oF) temperature increase from 125oC
(257oF) to 135oC (275oF) results in a desalter capacity increase of 6.3%
Excessively high temperatures are undesirable however, as they:
increase crude conductivity, leading to high Amps draw and low voltages,
increase the solubility of water in oil (increases dissolved water),
can lead to bushing failure
Water level in the desalter
For proper desalter operation, the oil / water interface must be kept at the
correct level in the desalter vessel, as this sets the oil / water residence times.
For low velocity desalters, where the oil / water mixture enters the desalter
below the electrodes, the interface location strongly influences the primary
electric field. This electric field, which is between the lower electrode and the
water level, is where most of the water removal / dehydration takes place.
If the water level is too high:
low oil residence time high water carry-over
high Amps draw arcing / water droplet re-dispersion / shorts electrodes
If the water level is too low:
low water residence time increased oil under-carry
more sensitive to solids / sludge build-up
The water level is usually controlled by opening and closing the effluent brine
dump valve in response to a sensed oil / water interface position.
Level control and sampling
Try-cocks:
These are fixed sample ports located at various points on the desalter vessel,
from the bottom to the interface region. Samples can be withdrawn and the
desalter can be profiled. If necessary, adjustments can then be made to the
instrument used to detect the oil / water interface position.
From top to bottom, a typical desalter profile is as follows:
Oil Oil Emulsion Water Water
Note that normally the emulsion band is 12 (30 cm) thick or less.
Sampling:
If the samples are run over a smooth surface (glass jar) it quickly becomes
apparent if the surface is water-wetted or oil-wetted, and it can be determined
if the sample is an oil-in-water emulsion or a water-in-oil emulsion.
Another technique is to drop the sample into water. An oil-in-water emulsion
will immediately disperse, whilst oil or a water-in-oil emulsion will float on
top.
Other level instrument types
Floats:
These are set to float at the oil / water interface and are calibrated for a
specific crude gravity. If the temperature changes, or if the crude slate
changes, these can be fooled and can report a false level.
External floats are preferred, as these can be repaired on-line, although
additional errors arise if the temperature of the oil in the float housing is not
the same as in the desalter itself.
Capacitance Probes:
These are preferred over floats as they have no moving parts, are insensitive
to gravity and temperature changes, and can compensate for fouling.
Agar Probes (Best Practice):
These employ microwave technology and measure water content.
Three probes are normally installed:
Water Guard: positioned under the electrodes to prevent shorting
Oil Guard: positioned at the bottom of the desalter to stop oil under-carry
Control: positioned at 45o to control the oil / water interface position
Oil quality
Density and viscosity have a significant effect on desalting efficiency. High
API gravity crudes are usually relatively easy to desalt, but for heavy oils, the
density difference between the oil and water is small and the viscosity is high
so the water droplet settling rate is low.
Heavy oils also contain more naturally occurring emulsifiers and solids. These
solids are often insoluble in both oil and basic (high pH) water and tend to
drop out at the oil / water interface, where they stabilise emulsions.
Crudes have an associated Total Acid Number. High TAN crudes contain
naphthenic acids, and these can react with basic wash water to form
emulsifying naphthenates (soaps) which can lead to the formation of a thick
emulsion pad in the desalter.
Crude oil blend conductivity is difficult to predict, but generally increases
with temperature. Two conductive crudes, when blended, may produce a
blend that draws significantly fewer or more Amps than its constituents.
Incompatibility is also an issue: some crude oils are incompatible and when
blended precipitate emulsion-stabilising compounds called asphaltenes.
Mudwashing
Silt, sand and waxes build up in the form of sludge at the bottom of the
desalter during operation. This reduces water residence time and can interfere
with water removal and can contribute to increased oil under-carry.
Hydraulic mudwash systems consist of spray nozzle headers located on each
side of the vessel bottom centreline which push sludge towards a specially-
designed effluent brine withdrawal system. When operated frequently,
mudwash systems can minimise build up of solids and can prolong the period
between desalter clean-outs.
Frequent short-duration operation is more effective than continuous operation.
Twenty minutes, once per shift is a good benchmark to aim for, but the ideal
mudwashing frequency is determined by following the procedure below:
1. Mudwash until the effluent brine runs clear.
2. Next time, if you need to mudwash longer for the brine to run clear, then
the time between mudwashes needs to be shorter. If you need to mudwash
for only a short time, then the time between mudwashes can be extended.
Low velocity desalters

Most common design in the ExxonMobil circuit. Usually horizontal cylindrical


pressure vessels, 3 - 4m (12ft) in diameter and 10 - 30m (30 - 120ft) long.
The lower 1/3 of the vessel contains the aqueous phase (water, oil-in-water),
and the upper 2/3 contains oil. Two sets of horizontal electrodes are located in
the crude oil at or near the vessel centreline. Drilled pipe or doghouse type
crude oil distributors are common.
Electrodes and transformers
Electrodes are generally fabricated as an open grid structure. Hollow or solid
carbon steel rods, spaced 100 - 100 mm (4 - 6) apart are welded together to
form a grid that covers a large part of the vessel cross sectional area. The grids
are supported by Teflon rods which insulate them from the vessel walls. Teflon
entrance bushings seal against the desalter pressure and temperature and carry
the high voltage power supply from the transformer through the desalter vessel
to the grids. Bushings generally limit the desalter operating temperature to
around 150oC (300oF).
Electrodes can be energized in a number of different ways to increase the
voltage gradient and improve coalescence.
Transformers are rated in kVA and are sized according to vessel size, operating
temperature, and crude properties such as gravity, viscosity and conductivity.
For conductive crudes a minimum kVA rating of 7 - 8 kVA per m2 of vessel
cross sectional area is required. Transformers rated at 200 - 300 kVA are
becoming more common. Modern 100% reactance transformers automatically
adjust the voltage in the event of an upset (example: water slug) and do not trip.
New desalter designs
Petrecos Bilectric design and Howe-Bakers EDGE design (see cover sheet)
have three electrode grids which can be powered in different ways. These
desalter designs have a greater capacity than the conventional low velocity
designs.
The EDGE design maintains the drilled pipe oil distributor, but it is located
higher in the vessel between the lower electrode and the oil / water interface
to increase water residence time. A rag removal header is also offered. This is
a pipe that allows a stable emulsion layer to be completely withdrawn from
the desalter without having to dump the entire contents.

The Bilectric desalter uses fixed opening oil


distributors (shown opposite). These distribute
the oil in the form of circular jets between the
electrode grids.
Desalter performance measurements
Desalter performance is tracked by measuring the ability of the
desalter to remove salt and water from the incoming crude oil:

Si So
Desalting Efficiency 100%
Si
where: Si = salt IN (ptb), and So = salt OUT (ptb)

Ww Wi Wo
Dehydratio n Efficiency 100 %
Ww Wi
where: Ww = wash water, Wi = water coming in with the crude oil,
and Wo = water leaving with the crude oil

The greater the efficiency, the more salt and water is removed.
Typical desalting efficiencies range from 90 - 95% for single-stage
desalting, with dehydration efficiencies ranging from 95 - 98%
Problem: causes of low desalting efficiency
Throughput or crude Desalter operating temperature is too low
oil gravity has so oil viscosity is high - this limits the
increased - desalter is ability of the wash water to get at the
handling more crude suspended brine droplets and also hinders
or a heavier crude oil water droplet settling so more brine
than design droplets are carried over

Crude Oil

Poor mixing Low grid


reduces wash voltage leads
water / brine to poor water
droplet droplet
Wash
contacting coalescence
Water

Others:
Insufficient wash water addition for Insufficient or ineffective demulsifier chemical
effective brine droplet contacting
Solutions: improving desalting efficiency
Increase mix valve P in 1 - 2
Reduce feedrate or psi steps to increase mixing
blend heavy oil with energy and improve oil /
Increase desalter water contacting. Avoid
a lighter oil
operating temperature creating a stable emulsion.
- check for oil
to reduce oil viscosity
incompatibility first!

Crude Oil

Check
transformers and
bushings for
problems
Wash
Water
Others:
Increase wash water to Increase demulsifier dosage or change type
between 4% and 8.5% Consider effluent brine recycle if fresh water limited
of crude oil flow Check preheat train for opportunities to increase crude temperature
Problem: causes of low dehydration efficiency

Desalter operating temperature is too Mix valve P too high


low so oil viscosity is high - this - overmixing creates a
High BS&W hinders water droplet settling so more stable emulsion
water is carried over

Crude Oil

Crude slate Electrical


change failure
High oil / water
interface level -
Wash
low oil
Water
residence time
prevents water
Too much or too little droplets from
wash water addition settling out
Solutions: improving dehydration efficiency

Open mix valve completely and wait for


Increase Amps to drop. Increase P in 1 - 2 psi
Reduce oil feedrate
desalter steps by closing mix valve, allowing
or reduce wash water
operating time between adjustments
rate to compensate if
additional water in temperature
feed

Crude Oil

Sample for BS&W.


Increase dewatering Check water Check:
time in tankage level using - Volts / Amps
try-cocks - transformers
- bushings
Wash
Water
Others:
Adjust wash water to Recalibrate level controller if necessary
between 4% and 8.5% Drop interface level whilst monitoring effluent cleanliness
of crude oil flow Stop wash water addition if power cannot be restored
Problem: causes of oil undercarry / black water

Others to consider: Mix valve P too high -


Insufficient or ineffective demulsifier chemical leads to stable emulsion
Erratic effluent brine dump valve operation formation and poor oil /
High solids in effluent brine water separation

Crude slate change may have


introduced incompatible crudes

Low oil / water


Crude Oil interface level
reduces water
Effluent water residence time
Spent caustic or slop oil pH too high -
addition can cause stable can lead to the
emulsions to form Sludge in
formation of
desalter
stable
reduces water
Wash emulsions if
residence time
Water naphthenic
acids present
Plugged effluent brine line
causes vortexing and increases
carry under
Solution: stopping oil undercarry / black water
Others to consider:
Increase demulsifier / wetting agent dosage Open mix valve completely and wait
Check dump valve size / operation for Amps to drop. Close mix valve
Restricted flow - is a downstream manual valve closed? slowly to increase P - allow time
Backflush effluent brine line between adjustments

Check plant history for past


problems / incompatibility

Raise oil / water


Crude Oil interface level
until effluent
Stop spent caustic or slop brine is clear or
oil addition Check brine quality is
effluent pH. acceptable
Look at wash without
water source excessive water
Wash options. carry over
Water Check wash
water for Mudwash or
suspended clean out the
solids desalter
Dealing with a stable emulsion band in the desalter
Fully open the
Slug feed
Increase desalter mix valve for
demulsifier chemical
operating several hours to
by increasing
temperature - this reduce the risk
injection rate by a
may help resolve of emulsification
factor of 2 - 4 for 2
the emulsion
hours then drop back
to normal levels

Crude Oil

Raise the water


As a last resort -
level to increase
drop the transformer
the primary
voltage TAP setting -
voltage gradient -
Wash this can increase the
this may be
Water actual secondary
enough to resolve
voltage applied
the emulsion
Stop wash water addition for 30
minutes - wash water may be diluting
the demulsifier, rendering it useless
If all else fails - dump the emulsion
Continue feeding crude oil to the desalter
With mix valve fully open & wash water isolated, divert effluent brine to slop
minimises risk of waste water treatment plant contamination
Open effluent brine dump valve and monitor effluent quality
When oil shows *, drain for at least 5 minutes to ensure all emulsion is removed
Close effluent brine dump valve
Set at minimum opening whilst re-establishing water level
Monitor Voltmeter / Ammeter / level transmitter readings
Volts will ramp up to their normal level as water level is re-established
Start wash water injection
Return effluent brine dump valve to automatic operation
Slowly close mix valve to its usual position
Reduce demulsifier addition to its normal level (if still overdosing)

* See page 13 for how to distinguish between oil-in-water and water-in-oil emulsions
Problem: high solids levels in the desalted oil
Poor wetting agent Mix valve P could be too low. Wash water is needed to
performance could be contact the solids and the mixing energy imparted by the mix
to blame - increase valve helps scrub and water wet them so they can enter and
dosage or evaluate leave with the water phase. Increasing the mix valve P can
alternative chemical improve solids removal but can over-emulsify the crude.

Crude Oil

Wash
Water
Note:
Solids carry over leads to
Wash water rate could be insufficient - downstream heat exchanger and
increase wash water to between 4 - 8.5% of furnace fouling and plugging, etc.
crude oil rate
Problem: erratic Volts / Amps readings

A vapour space has formed in the A stable emulsion is


desalter - check back pressure valve present in the desalter
operation and reduce desalter
operating temperature

Crude Oil

Water level is too


high - check the
level using try-cocks
and drop the level to
the lowest level that
Wash still gives clear
Water effluent brine

Too much wash water is being Check / recalibrate


added - check addition rate is level controller
between 4 - 8.5% of crude oil rate
Problem: low Volts / high Amps readings
Failed entrance Solids build up has
bushing - formed a conductive
characterised by a path to the desalter
Reduce the desalter operating temperature - too
slow voltage decline wall - the electrode is
high a temperature causes the crude conductivity
- check transformer grounded
to increase, increasing Amps draw
first!

Crude Oil

Check water Failed insulator -


High conductivity level - high can be caused by
crude blend being water level high temperature /
processed causes high pressure operation or
Amps draw and solids build up,
Wash low grid which leads to
Water voltages localized heating
and failure
Note: In some cases a failed entrance bushing
can be replaced on-line. A shutdown is required
to replace a failed insulator or to unground the A stable emulsion is present in the
electrode. desalter - the most likely candidate
Problem: sudden Amps increase
Check offsites
dewatering facilities

A slug of water entering with the crude oil can


cause the Amps to increase sharply as water is
significantly more conductive than oil

Crude Oil

Check water
High conductivity level - high
crude blend being water level
processed causes high
Amps draw
Wash
Water Drop water level
whilst checking
effluent brine Check level
quality controller operation
using try-cocks

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