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Universal/SIPEC SCPF-PETW
PETW- NTS-P-01001
Stubb Creek Marginal Field FEED JU11867B JOT

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Universal/SIPEC 0
JOT Impact of Water Draw-off
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Operation on Stabiliser Performance

CONTENTS

CONTENTS................................
................................................................................................
................................... 2

1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................
...................................................................................... 3

2 IMPACT OF WATER DRAW OFF TO STABILISER PERFORMANCE ............................. 4

2.1 Importance of Water Drawoff ................................................................
.................................... 4
2.2 Stabiliser Performance ................................................................
............................................ 4

3 REFERENCE ..........................................................................................
................................ .......................... 7
 PROJECT: PROJECT NO: CLIENT: DOCUMENT NUMBER:
Universal/SIPEC SCPF-PETW
PETW- NTS-P-01001
Stubb Creek Marginal Field FEED JU11867B JOT

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JOT Impact of Water Draw-off
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Operation on Stabiliser Performance

1 INTRODUCTION

Through this technical note, it is intent to highlight the importance of water

draw-off
off from the stabiliser column and the envisaged operating upsets if the
free water is not drawn out of the column.
 PROJECT: PROJECT NO: CLIENT: DOCUMENT NUMBER:
Universal/SIPEC SCPF-PETW
PETW- NTS-P-01001
Stubb Creek Marginal Field FEED JU11867B JOT

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JOT Impact of Water Draw-off
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Operation on Stabiliser Performance

2 IMPACT OF WATER DRAW-OFF

DRAW TO STABILISER PERFORMANCE
MANCE
2.1 Importance of Water Draw-off
Draw
Desalted Crude oil (Stabiliser feed)
feed) contains free water which varies from 0.1 to
0.5 wt%% based on desalter package performance. The desalter package is speci-
fied to guarantee BS&W less than 0.5 wt% and salt content less than 5 PTB.
The stabiliser column reboiler temperature required to remove the lighter ends
is also sufficiently high for water to vaporise. Hence, generally, the free water is
not removed along the stabilised product.
The column overhead conditions are such that the temperature is sufficiently
cool to condense water from the vapour. Thus water will boil in the bottom part
of the column and will condense further up. In this case,
case, a water draw tray is
needed to ensure that water is removed and not allowed to accumulate.
If water is allowed to accumulate in the column, it will increase the vapour and
liquid traffic across the column resulting in foaming and flooding. Although, the
desalter is expected to remove the salts in the accumulated water to less than 5
PTB, there is still the risk of increased salt concentration and eventually some
amount of dissolved salt may precipitate out and build up inside the hot reboiler
tubes while some of the salt will end up in the stabilised oil. Therefore removing
free water from stabiliser should be considered in order to improve the stab
stabi-
liser column performance as well as optimising reboiler duty.
The water can be removed from stabiliser using
using a partial or total draw
draw-off. In
CPF Process Configuration, partial
p draw-off is considered for the purpose.
2.2 Stabiliser Performance
The simulation checks were carried out to review the impact on stabiliser peper-
formance with the water draw off. Case A, refers to stabiliser operation with
water been drawn in regular basis so that no free water is allowed to accum
accumu-
late. Case B, refers to stabiliser operation with water not drawn in regular basis
basis.
Table 2.2 summarises the impact of water draw-off
dr in stabiliser
ser performance as
well as overhead and bottom product.
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PETW- NTS-P-01001
Stubb Creek Marginal Field FEED JU11867B JOT

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Table 2.2
2: Impact of Water Draw-Off on Stabiliser Performance

Units Stabiliser Stabiliser

Parameter with Regular Water with no Water Draw-
Draw-off operation off operation
Stabiliser Overhead
Temperature °C 60.5 119.1
Flowrate kg/hr 1428 1745
Molecular Weight kg/kmol 40.94 32.71
Water Content kg/hr 18.87 357.48
Stabilised Oil
Temperature °C 171.1 173.8
Flowrate kg/hr 49344 49366
Density kg/m3 621.6 621.8
Water Content kg/hr 0.4682 0.354
Water Draw-Off
Mass flowrate kg/hr 339 N/A
Stabiliser (Top section)
Liquid Traffic Act m3/hr 34.43 34.17
Vapor Traffic Act m3/hr 314.08 307.7
Stabiliser (Bottom section)
Liquid Traffic Act m3/hr 85.05 86.18
3
Vapor Traffic Act m /hr 356.34 406.61
Reboiler Duty kW 2178 2372

It can be observed from the above table,, that if the water is not sufficiently
drawn out of column, the stabiliser performance is affected or reflected in fofol-
lowing parameters.

 Increased reboiler duty to meet the performance specification. This is due

to increased column traffic due to free water.

 Stabiliser top temperature will rise as this is the only way the water can get
out of the system.
system
It should be noted that the above observations are made
made under steady state
conditions. In reality, when the free water accumulates within the column, the
initial observation will be increased reboiler duty, due to increased liquid and
vapour traffic within the column. However as the water has not removed, an
abrupt raise in overhead temperature to boilout the water in vapour phase is
 PROJECT: PROJECT NO: CLIENT: DOCUMENT NUMBER:
Universal/SIPEC SCPF-PETW
PETW- NTS-P-01001
Stubb Creek Marginal Field FEED JU11867B JOT

Update Project
DOCUMENT TITLE: ORIGINATOR: REV: DATE:
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Universal/SIPEC 0
JOT Impact of Water Draw-off
off Petrofac 13/02
02/2011 6 of 7
Operation on Stabiliser Performance

envisaged. This abrupt raise in column overhead temperature will disrupt the
plant operation. Hence, continuous or regular water draw off is recommended
based on the column performance.
perfor
 PROJECT: PROJECT NO: CLIENT: DOCUMENT NUMBER:
Universal/SIPEC SCPF-PETW
PETW- NTS-P-01001
Stubb Creek Marginal Field FEED JU11867B JOT

Update Project
DOCUMENT TITLE: ORIGINATOR: REV: DATE:
PAGE NO
Universal/SIPEC 0
JOT Impact of Water Draw-off
off Petrofac 13/02
02/2011 7 of 7
Operation on Stabiliser Performance

3 REFERENCE
1) Petrofac Guide for Oil Stabilisation, Doc no PEC-BMS-EN-GDE
GDE-P-2549, Rev 0