AM-14-33 Innovation Leads to New Solids Management Technology

Description:

For many years, refiners have been seeking improved solids and contaminant removal from crude oils during the desalting process. Poor separation can lead to downstream fouling, catalyst poisoning and reduced refined product value. Attempts to remove solids and contaminants traditionally have focused on using conventional treatment chemicals and/or optimizing desalter operating variables. These efforts have met with only marginal improvements in solids removal. Today, the challenge is greater than ever as new crude oils with higher solids content and smaller particle sizes are becoming more common within refinery feed slates. In 2011, Baker Hughes undertook a grassroots research and development project to improve solids and contaminant removal to specifically address removing solids from the oil phase and transporting these solids into the water phase. The results led to an effective solids release agent (SRA), which is now included in the Baker Hughes Crude Oil Management™ program. Field application of the new Baker Hughes JETTISON™ solids release technology demonstrated increases in effluent brine solids and contaminant content from low levels (<30 PTB or 85 mg/l) to consistently and significantly higher levels (> 1,200 PTB or 3,400 mg/l during initial treatment, > 300 PTB or 855 mg/l on a sustained basis). Extensive field testing also demonstrated SRA technology’s ability to reduce iron levels significantly, subsequently benefiting downstream processes. Achieving such an improvement in solids and iron removal requires a holistic approach encompassing crude storage and blending strategies, managing desalting equipment capabilities and, most importantly, an innovation in chemical treatment technology. This paper outlines the background to the development of the new treatment chemical and demonstrates its success in solids and contaminant control using case studies.