BILECTRIC HF

Desalt challenging crude slates such as low-API and conductive crude oil

The BILECTRIC HF desalter begins the desalting process by adding low-salinity washwater upstream of the mixing valve, generating a uniform mixture of small-size brine and washwater droplets throughout the crude slate.

Next, the wet crude slate is spread between the electrodes by the unique fluid distribution system incorporating dual distributor heads. The rapid coalescence of the brine and washwater droplets in the high-voltage electrostatic fields between the three electrodes provides effective mixing and droplet growth.

Finally, gravity settles the resultant water droplets in the desalter vessel.

Efficient desalting provides numerous advantages that reduce opex and capex

• High operating interface level lengthens water residence, resulting in better water outlet quality.
• Improved water droplet coalescence and emulsion resolution lowers basic sediment and water (BS&W) and pounds of salt per thousand barrels (PTB) of treated crude.
• Lower demulsifier dosage decreases opex.
• Improved mixing of water droplets reduces washwater usage.
• Separate power units for each energized electrode reduce operational impact should a power unit or electrical component be lost.
• The unique three-grid design—two top grids performing coalescence while the lower grid conducts interface resolution—improves overall desalter performance.
• Rag control and rag elimination using the rag buster routine in the NATCO LRC-II smart interface increases uptime.
• The LRC-II interface makes faster process recovery after upsets and higher desalter availability more attainable.