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Saes A 011
Saes A 011
SAES-A-011
20 February 2013
Steam Heating
Hot Oil Heating
SAES-A-011
Crude Oil Stabilization
Scope
1.1
This Standard provides the minimum and mandatory requirements governing the
critical aspects of the design of the crude oil stabilization unit and its control, the
reboiler, thermosiphon loop and the design of the pre-heat train (if provided).
1.2
1.3
This Standard does not cover requirements for the design of Gas Oil Separation
Plant (GOSP), Produced Water Treatment & Disposal and Gas Gathering Unit.
Any conflicts between this Standard and other applicable Saudi Aramco
Engineering Standards (SAESs), Material System Specification (SAMSSs),
Standard Drawings (SASDs), or industry standards, codes, and forms shall be
resolved in writing by the Company or Buyers Representative through the
Manager, Process & Control Systems Department (P&CSD) of Saudi Aramco,
Dhahran.
2.2
Direct all requests to deviate from this Standard in writing to the Company or
Buyers Representative, who shall follow internal company procedure SAEP-302
and forward such requests to the Manager, Process & Control Systems
Department (P&CSD) of Saudi Aramco, Dhahran.
References
The requirements contained in the following documents apply to the extent specified in
this standard:
3.1
SAEP-364
SAES-D-001
SAES-E-004
SAES-L-310
3.2
SAES-A-011
Crude Oil Stabilization
ASTM D2889
ASTM D323-90
ASTM D6377-08
SAES-A-011
Crude Oil Stabilization
The crude oil shall be stabilized to meet a TVP specification of 13.0 psia at a
pipeline transport and/or storage temperature of 140F. If process design basis
dictates a different transport and/or storage temperature then the stabilization
process shall ensure that, at the pipeline transport and/or storage temperature the
TVP shall be below 13.0 psia.
5.2
In addition the H2S content in the stabilized oil stream shall not exceed
30 ppm (w/w). If required, the maximum TVP limit shall be reduced to lower
than 13 psia, such that the H2S content is not exceeded beyond 30 ppm (w/w).
The column design and reboiler duty shall be based on the higher duty required
between the TVP and H2S specifications.
However, process facility design will vary depending on the RVP specified for
the crude. Additional cooling facilities may have to be added to ensure TVP of
13.0 psia is not exceeded while simultaneously meeting the RVP specifications.
Commentary:
It shall be understood that it is not always possible to meet both the H 2S and the
TVP specification simultaneously. However, the TVP shall not exceed 13.0 psia
while trying to meet H2S specification. Similarly, the H2S specification shall not
be exceeded, it may be necessary to lower the TVP below 13.0 psia specification
to meet the H2S specification.
6.1.2
If crude oil stabilization is done within the battery limits of the GOSP,
then hot stabilized oil shall ensure heating the crude entering
dehydration/desalting unit to a temperature not to exceed 140F, in order
to facilitate the breaking of emulsions and promote better separation
performance. This may be done with or without a preheater on the crude
feed to the stabilizer.
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6.2
SAES-A-011
Crude Oil Stabilization
6.1.3
Where the GOSP and stabilization process are far removed from each
other (i.e., Stabilizer is not a part of the GOSP) then hot stabilized oil
shall be used to preheat the feed to the column (Stabilizer). Where feed
pre-heating is used, splitting of the feed in a cold stream (by-passing
pre-heater) and a hot stream shall be considered in order to provide
optimum heat transfer and column design.
6.1.4
6.1.5
6.2.2
Multiple feeds to the column shall be based on feed preheater design but
in any case they shall not be more than two.
6.2.3
The column trap out tray (feed tray to the reboilers) shall be designed as
a chimney tray within the column, despite the number of tray passes or
reboilers connected to the column. The different reboilers shall be fed
from the common trap out tray. Separate trap out trays for individual
reboiler feeds shall not be designed, even if balanced outside the column.
Page 5 of 20
SAES-A-011
Crude Oil Stabilization
The column tray design, including the trap out tray, shall be performed
by tray vendor.
6.3
6.2.4
The column shall be designed with trays, primarily due to the fouling
nature of crude (packings shall not be used).
6.2.5
6.2.6
6.2.7
The reboilers hydrocarbon feed and return lines shall be equipped with
through conduit valves to facilitate isolation.
6.2.8
Reboiler Design
6.3.1
6.3.2
6.3.3
b)
SAES-A-011
Crude Oil Stabilization
6.4
6.5
6.4.2
Design shall ensure that there is no slug flow in the thermosiphon loop.
Changing line diameter is one way to eliminate the slug flow.
6.4.3
Reboiler Piping
6.5.1
6.5.2
Page 7 of 20
6.5.3
6.6
6.7
SAES-A-011
Crude Oil Stabilization
Steam Injection
6.6.1
Where steam is available, steam shall be injected into the crude upstream
of the reboiler to facilitate higher vaporization within the reboiler at
lower processing temperature, due to the partial pressure effect of steam.
6.6.2
6.6.3
60 psig saturated steam with less than five degrees Fahrenheit (<5F)
superheat shall be used.
Performance Analyzer
BS&W, H2S and RVP analyzer shall be provided on the oil stabilized stream in
order to monitor the quality of oil leaving the unit and detect eventual upset
conditions.
Steam Heating
7.1.1
Where steam is used for heating, the design shall use 60 psig saturated
steam with less than five degrees Fahrenheit (<5F) superheat.
Higher pressure steam results in high tube skin temperatures and
increased fouling.
7.1.2
Page 8 of 20
SAES-A-011
Crude Oil Stabilization
7.2
7.1.3
7.1.4
8.2
Column diameter and tray geometry shall be verified in order to avoid upset
conditions (such as column flooding or weeping) under new operating
conditions according to requirements of SAES-C-001. Tray design verification
shall be confirmed by tray vendor.
8.3
Reboiler and feed pre-heater design shall be verified under new operating
conditions. In particular thermal exchange rate calculation shall be performed
for each exchanger in order to verify if exchange surface area is fitting new
operating conditions.
8.4
A flare and relief system study shall be conducted in order to verify the impact
on the flare system due to new operating conditions of Crude Stabilization Unit.
Page 9 of 20
8.5
20 February 2013
SAES-A-011
Crude Oil Stabilization
Revision Summary
New Saudi Aramco Engineering Standard.
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SAES-A-011
Crude Oil Stabilization
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SAES-A-011
Crude Oil Stabilization
Variable
Unit
h0
ft
h1
ft
AHTF = h0 + h1
ft
RHTF(1st trial) = h0 + h1
ft
p1
psi
pReb
psi
p2
psi
pTot = p1 + pReb + p2
psi
H2 = Mix h2
psi
H1 = pTot + H2 (NOTE 1)
psi
Page 12 of 20
AHTF Calculation
5) and static head I in the return line (STEP-6)
STEP-8
Calculate the updated RHTF dividing static head
in the reboiler inlet line (STEP-7) by density of
liquid flowing in the line
STEP-9
Subtract first trial RHTF to updated RHTF to
find step error
STEP-10
If step error is less than 0.01 ft then updated
RHTF is the final result and stop the calculation.
Otherwise recalculate STEP-2 assuming that the
liquid level in the reboiler inlet line is equal to
updated RHTF and find new updated RHTF
recalculating STEP-5, STEP-7, STEP-8 and
STEP-9 with new p1 from STEP-2 (NOTE 2).
Repeat this procedure until step error
requirement is satisfied.
SAES-A-011
Crude Oil Stabilization
Variable
Unit
ft
ft
ft
NOTE 1: Gas Pressure drop through the draw-off tray has been considered negligible.
NOTE 2: Only p1 changes because the level in the reboiler inlet line is different. All the other
variables remain the same as first trial.
Page 13 of 20
SAES-A-011
Crude Oil Stabilization
Figure-1
Part A
Equalizing line
Drawoff tray
liquid height (h0)
Drawoff Tray
Return line
inlet nozzle
Vapor
Liquid
Reboiler inlet
piping height
(h1)
Stabilizer
Column
AHTF
RHTF
Reboiler
(pressure drop pReb)
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SAES-A-011
Crude Oil Stabilization
If AHTF > RHTF then equalizing line shall be provided as shown in Figure-2. The connection
on the thermosiphon loop shall be made at the top of the line above the vertical section as
shown in Figure-2. This is to ensure that the equalizing line connection is not made in the
liquid section of the thermosiphon loop.
Figure-2
Equalizing line
Head required
in tray
Liquid Flashes if
no equalizing line
Vapor
Return from
reboiler
Liquid
To reboiler
Page 15 of 20
SAES-A-011
Crude Oil Stabilization
Design Example
The following example will illustrate how to conduct on thermosiphon loop hydraulic
verification.
Refer to Figure-3. The design crude feed to the column is approximately 735,000 barrels per
day (bpd) at standard conditions (60F).
The oil from the bottom tray is collected in the trapout tray. There are two 36 inch outlet
nozzles each diverts 50% of the flow to the reboilers (approximately 379,000 bpd at actual
conditions including internal reflux) on each side of the column.
In each loop, the crude flows to the shell side of two sets of horizontal thermosiphon reboilers
and then returns, via a 48 inch header, to the column. In the return header to the column the
flow is two phase. Refer to Figure-3 (The same is true of the other loop).
The thermosiphon loop hydraulics is described in Table-2.
Table-2 (NOTE 3)
AHTF Calculation
STEP-1
Oil head in trap-out tray:
STEP-2
Reboiler inlet piping height
STEP-3
AHTF = sum of draw-off tray
height (STEP-1) and reboiler inlet
piping height (STEP-2)
RHTF Calculation
STEP-1
As first trial RHTF is equal to
AHTF
STEP-2a (Section S-A1 refer to
Figure-3)
First Trial: 36 in nominal size and
approximately 86 ft long (based on
Available Head 48.7 ft)
Final Trial: 36 in nominal size and
approximately 16.44 ft long (based
on actual level in the pipe)
STEP-2b (Section A1-B refer to
Figure-3)
24 in identical header to one of the
two reboilers and approximately
12 ft long (single phase)
Variable
Value
h0
40.94 in
h1
45.3 ft
AHTF = h0 + h1
48.7 ft
RHTF(1st trial) = h0 + h1
48.7 ft
p1a(1st trial)
0.170 psi
p1a(Final trial)
0.142 psi
p1b
0.045 psi
Page 16 of 20
AHTF Calculation
STEP-2c (Section B-E refer to
Figure-3)
16 in identical header to each of
the two nozzles on the reboiler
section; approximately 5 ft long
(single phase).
STEP-2 (overall p reboiler inlet
line)
Sum of each section of reboiler
inlet line (First trial)
Sum of each section of reboiler
inlet line (Final trial)
STEP-3
Pressure drop across exchanger
(section E to E1)
STEP-4a (Section E1-E2 refer to
Figure-3)
36 in identical header from each of
the two nozzles on the reboiler;
almost 5ft long (two phase).
STEP-4b (Section E2-F refer to
Figure-3)
36 in identical header from each of
the reboilers; almost 9 ft long (two
phase).
STEP-4c (Section F-G2 refer to
Figure-3)
48 in common section return to the
column about 71 ft long
STEP-4 (overall p returning
line)
Sum of each section of reboiler
returning line
STEP-5 (overall p entire loop)
Sum of pressure drops calculated
in STEP-2, STEP-3 and STEP-4
(First trial)
Sum of pressure drops calculated
in STEP-2, STEP-3 and STEP-4
STEP-6
Static head from reboiler outlet
nozzle through the return line to the
column (section E1 through G2)
SAES-A-011
Crude Oil Stabilization
Variable
Value
p1c
0.101 psi
0.316 psi
0.288 psi
pReb
2.0 psi
p2a
0.021 psi
p2b
0.052 psi
p2c
0.405 psi
0.478 psi
2.794 psi
2.767 psi
H2 = Mix h2
3.158 psi
Page 17 of 20
AHTF Calculation
STEP-7
Static head in the reboiler inlet line
(First trial)
Static head in the reboiler inlet line
(Final trial)
STEP-8
Updated RHTF (2nd trial)
Updated RHTF (Final trial)
STEP-9
Step error (First trial)
STEP-10
Step error (Final trial)
SAES-A-011
Crude Oil Stabilization
Variable
Value
5.953 psi
5.925 psi
16.52 ft
16.44 ft
32.18 ft
0.008 ft
NOTE 3: The intent of the hydraulic values in Table-2 is for illustrative purpose only.
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SAES-A-011
Crude Oil Stabilization
Figure-3
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SAES-A-011
Crude Oil Stabilization
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