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Challenges of Desalting Canadian Crudes

Gary W. Sams Director R&D

Heavy Oil PFD

Smallest water drops Mostly emulsified Solids stabilized 90% Oil 10% Water Gas Separator 72% Oil 28% Water Gas FWKO 25% Oil 75% Water

99% Oil 1% Water Treater 9% Water

Smaller water drops Shifted to oil external 20% Water

Oil lighter than water High inlet water cut Oil internal Temperatures < 143 C 65% Water
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Degassing / Dehydration
Gas Dual Frequency Oil

Collector

Inlet
Electrodes

HiFlo Spreader

Water

Water

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Cyclonic Gas Removal

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Desalter Design Issues

Settling Rate K( w o ) gd
2

Tem pera Visc ture vs osity .

Em Water Solubility

g fyin ulsi

tors Fac

Ec

s e ok St

w La

t eatmen Tr emical Ch Program 2 6

KE r Fcoalescing 4 d

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Solids & Oil in Effluent

Small micron particulates, crystalline salt, and heavy solids loads

Substantial asphaltene precipitation

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Reverse Emulsion
16 API SAGD DilBit

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Water Droplet Growth

Droplet Population, %

50 40 30 20 10 0 0

Initial Droplet Distribution

Final Droplet Distribution

50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500 550 600

Droplet Diameter, microns

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Demulsifier Selection
Kuwait Oil - 25API

Bottle Test Water in Oil % By Difference

Best Performance

Chemical Brand A Brand B Brand C Brand D

Electrostatic Bench Test BS&W Measured % 1.4 1.51 1.51

Best Performance
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3.6

4.0 4.8 5.5

0.7

Based on lab tests Initial BS&W 10%

Electrostatic Field Selection Our Choices Include AC Conventional & Deep-Field DC Only (with refined products) Dual Polarity - Combination AC/DC Modulated Dual Polarity Electro-Dynamic Desalting Dual Frequency
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AC Electrostatic Forces
Positive Forces & Velocities
Electrostatic Voltage Field, V/ m Drag Force

Electrode #1

Drop Velocity

Dipole Force
Electrode #2
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Drop Spacing, S Vertical oil velocity, vv

Droplet Radius, r

Droplet Weight, WD

Negative Forces & Velocities

DC Electrostatic Forces
Positive Forces & Velocities
Electrostatic Voltage Field, V/ m Drag Force

Electrophoresis Force
Droplet Radius, r

Electrode #1

Drop Velocity

Droplet Weight, WD

Vertical oil velocity, vv

Negative Forces & Velocities

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Electrode #2

Drop Spacing, S

Gradient Electrostatic Forces

Positive Forces & Velocities Di-electrophoresis Force
Electrostatic Voltage Field, V/ m Drag Force

Electrode #1

Drop Velocity

Droplet Weight, WD

Vertical oil velocity, vv

Di-electrophoresis Force Negative Forces & Velocities

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Electrode #2

Drop Spacing, S

Droplet Radius, r

Net Electrostatic Forces

Positive Forces & Velocities
Di-electrophoresis Force Electrostatic Voltage Field, V/ m Drag Force Electrophoresis Force Dipole Drop Velocity Force Electrode #2
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Electrode #1

Drop Spacing, S Vertical oil velocity, vv

Droplet Radius, r

Droplet Weight, WD

Di-electrophoresis Force

Negative Forces & Velocities

Electrostatic Coalescence
Net Drop Forces in Voltage Field Viscous Drag + Volts + Dipolar Attraction
Electrophoretic Force Direction Force Net is zero 7230 weight
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Volts +

Electrophoretic Force
Voltage Field Alternating Current Direct Current

Weight
Dipole Direction Oscillates Constant

0.4 weight Reverses 0.4 weight Constant

AC/DC Electrostatic Field

Oil Flux

Bulk Water Removal

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Desalter Hydraulic Efficiency

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Excessive Oil Conductivity

1800 1600 1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 Temperature, F
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Conductivity, nS/m

Typical High

Heavy Oil Dehydrator Performance

Ref: SPE Paper 97786
1 0.9

Outlet BS&W (%)

Oil API 21 TAN - 4 AC

Solid Curves Predicted by Electrostatic Dehydrator Computer Model

0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140

Dual Dual Polarity Frequency

Field AC Dehydrator @ 239 F

Modulated Dual Polarity

160 180

AC Dehydrator @ 219F AC/DC @ 218F Modulated AC/DC @ 220F Bimodal AC/DC @ 220F

200

220

240

260

280

300

Oil Flux (bopd/sf)

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Technology Retrofit
A Commercial Installation

Gravity = 12API
Technology: Temperature: Oil Flow: Outlet BS&W: Before Retrofit* Dual Polarity 220F 4000 BOPD 1% After Retrofit* Dual Frequency 200F 9200 BOPD 0.1%

*Data is per vessel. There are four vessels.

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SAGD -Dilbit Desalting Pilot Results

Process Parameters: Dilbit API: 16 , Temp: 280F, Flux: 70 bopd/ft2 Feed 1 AC 5.8 220 Recycle: 5 % 6 0.4 Outlet 6 Stage Tech. BS&W, % Salt, ppm Cl- BS&W, % Salt, ppm Cl-

Wash Water: 5 % 2 DF 0.4

Valve DP: 10 psi 0.35 1

Mixing Efficiency = 25%

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Desalter Technology Comparison

Inlet Outlet BSW Salt Salt AC AC pAC DF 258 258 211 41 12 6.3 3.2 2.8 2.4 2 0.5 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.3 0.3 0.4

EDD 200 EDD DFDF 210 EDD 200 DF DF 210 EDD

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Conclusions
Heavy Canadian crudes pose unique challenges: High Oil Conductivities Asphaltene Precipitation High Solids Loading Reverse Emulsions Increased Interface Rag Poor Effluent Water Quality

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