Phillips 66 Company

Derek H Willman

Keith H Lawson

The invention relates to injecting steam into crude oil for several benefits, primarily of which is to remove salt by transferring the salt into the condensed water from the steam. Steam transfers salt via a different transfer mechanism and therefore doesn't require the high shear mixing of conventional water injection systems. As such, steam injection through a variety of procedures, is more efficient at gathering salt into water that itself is easier to remove from the crude oil.

Processing of oil by steam addition

The invention relates to injecting steam into crude oil to remove salt by transferring the salt into the steam while also adding liquid water to the crude oil to remove salt. Steam transfers salt via a different transfer mechanism then salt transfers to water and the steam is permitted to fully condense before any high shear mixing of conventional water injection systems is imposed on the steam bubbles. The salty water from condensed steam along with the crude oil has liquid water added in two further steps each followed by high shear mixing to further reduce salt content of the crude oil as much as practical.

The invention relates to injecting steam into crude oil in two separate desalting steps to remove salt by transferring the salt into the condensed water from the steam and gravity separating the water from the crude oil. Steam transfers salt from crude oil via a different transfer mechanism. In the invention, salt is also removed via an intermediate step of adding water with harshly mixing the added water with the crude oil between the gravity separation of the first steam desalting step and before steam is added in the second step.

The invention relates to injecting steam into crude oil in two separate desalting steps to remove salt by transferring the salt into the condensed water from the steam and gravity separating the water from the crude oil. Steam transfers salt from crude oil via a different transfer mechanism and therefore doesn't require the high shear mixing of conventional water injection systems. In the invention, salt is also removed via an intermediate step of adding water with harshly mixing the added water with the crude oil.

The invention relates to injecting steam into crude oil via a hydrocyclone to remove salt by transferring the salt into the condensed water from the steam. Steam transfers salt from crude oil via a different transfer mechanism and the water is separated from the crude oil leaving desalted crude oil for refining.

The invention relates to injecting steam into crude oil in two separate desalting steps to remove salt by transferring the salt into the condensed water from the steam and gravity separating the water from the crude oil. Steam transfers salt from crude oil via a different transfer mechanism and therefore doesn't require the high shear mixing of conventional water injection systems. In the invention, salt is also removed via a first step of adding water with harsh mixing of the added water with the crude oil.

The invention relates to removing salt from crude oil via two steps of adding water with harsh mixing of the added water with the crude oil and gravity separating the salty water between steps where the process additionally includes a step of injecting steam into the crude oil after the first of the two water adding and harsh mixing desalting steps, but upstream of the gravity separation of the first step. The steam separates salt by transferring the salt into the condensed water from the steam.

Salt is removed from crude oil by exposing the salt bearing crude to successive stages of water injection and steam injection where the water injection includes high shear and the stream injection does not include high shear applied to the steam bubbles. The steam is seen to transfer salt from the crude via a different transfer mechanism and therefore doesn't require the high shear mixing of conventional water injection systems.

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Bartlesville, OK, United States of America

Derek H Willman