Case study: United States
Crude Oil Management crude
pretreatment with BPR 23025 additive
Problem en route to storage, initially at 24 ppm. As a result of this evaluation, the
BPR 27141 desalting aid was employed Crude Oil Management program was
A U.S. refiner was processing heavy
at the desalter, initially at 6 ppm. adopted as standard practice by the
Mexican, Venezuelan, and other
refinery. The pretreatment chemical
imported crudes, suitable as asphalt
feedstock. Combined crude slate Results and benefits has since been optimized to 14 ppm,
As the first pretreated crude arrived at and the desalting chemical is no longer
gravities ranged from 19° to 22° API, with
the crude unit, dramatic improvements needed on a routine basis.
some components as low as 13° API. The
refiner had a significant concern over were immediately observed at the The following benefits of the Baker
potential desalting problems. desalter. Grid voltages climbed to Hughes Crude Oil Management
all-time highs while amps dropped program have been realized at this
During the incumbent supplier’s
to unprecedented lows as the wide refinery location:
program, the plant commonly
emulsion band steadily dissipated over
encountered emulsion buildup, high • Fewer unit upsets and crude rate cuts
the first few hours. Correspondingly,
current draw, water carryover, and due to desalter problems
water content in the desalted crude
oily effluent water. Crude rates were
dropped from 0.7% to 0.3%. The program • Energy savings as a result of lower
frequently limited; either by water
enabled the refinery to raise their mix desalted crude water content
carryover or by concerns from the
valve P up from their previous limit of • Improved overhead system
waste treatment plant over handling
7 psi to 20 psi. Salt removal efficiencies corrosion control
oily effluent. The strategy employed a
increased from a prior 70 to 80% range
primary demulsifier and relied heavily • Elimination of demulsifier demand
to 90+%.
on the use of a cationic emulsion at the desalter
polymer injected into the wash One area of significant improvement
• Elimination of polymer at desalter
water. Desalting costs were high, as was the appearance of the desalter tail
(elimination of difficult injection
were waste water treatment costs in water during the initial introduction of
equipment and lower risk of fouling
handling the oily desalter effluent water the pretreatment program. Whereas
of desalter vessel)
the tail water typically was a “chocolate
Solution brown” with measurable amounts of • Improved waste water treatment
free oil previously, the appearance plant operations
The refinery decided to run a 30 day
quickly changed to that of “inky black” • Reduced polymer demand at the
competitive trial among the three
with heavy amounts of oil-free solids. waste water treatment unit, due to
primary suppliers. A comprehensive
Despite the dark appearance, there elimination of desalter oil undercarry
Crude Oil Management program was
SM
were no detectable levels of oil, and
designed and implemented during • Elimination of a major source of slop
the solids settled rapidly to the bottom
the evaluation conducted by Baker generation, and recovery and
of the sample bottles. This observation
Hughes. The program incorporated re-run costs
is characteristic of the pretreatment
crude oil pretreatment, a single-
program’s effect in breaking up tank • Comprehensive system
product desalting program, and
sludge and interfacial material. As management by Baker Hughes
an effective slop oil treatment and
the system cleaned up, the tail water personnel from tank farm to waste
management strategy.
transitioned to a clear to “cloudy white” water treatment plant
Pretreatment with BPR 23025 additive appearance by the end of the first
was implemented on all crude receipts eight days.
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