# US 10,370,599 B2 · Methods and systems for optimizing demulsifier and wash water injection rates in gas oil separation plants

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- Number: US 10,370,599 B2
- Document ID: US10370599B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/399,840
- Filed: 2017-01-06
- Published: 2018-07-12
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2017-01-06
- Assignees: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
- Applicants: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
- Inventors: Samusideen Adewale Salu; Mohamed A. Soliman; Talal A. Zahrani
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10370599B2

## CPC

- C10G 33/04: with chemical means
- B01D 17/047: {with separation aids}
- B01D 17/12: Auxiliary equipment particularly adapted for use with liquid-separating apparatus, e.g. control circuits
- C10G 31/08: by treating with water
- C10G 33/08: Controlling or regulating
- C10G: CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION (cracking to hydrogen or synthesis gas C01B; cracking or pyrolysis of hydrocarbon gases to individual hydrocarbons or mixtures thereof of definite or specified constitution C07C; cracking to cokes C10B); RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES
- B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28)

## Abstract

Control strategy and algorithms to be utilized in a programmable logic control for automating injection rates of demulsifier and wash-water in a Gas-Oil-Separation Plant (GOSP). The logic control system can be programmed on a Distributed Control System (DCS) of the plant. The automating system is developed with the objective of optimizing demulsifier and wash water usage, improving plants water removal efficiency and minimizing process upsets from insufficient injection of demulsifier or wash water.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for optimizing wash water rate in a GOSP (Gas-Oil-Separation Plant) including a control unit, the system comprising:
a programmable logic controller operatively coupled to the control unit associated with the plant; and
a non-transitory computer-readable medium in communication with the programmable logic controller and having stored thereon a set of instructions that when executed cause the programmable logic controller to perform operations comprising:
reading a wash water percentage rate for a crude inlet to the plant;
reading a crude flow rate from a desalter outlet of the plant;
reading a first wash water rate for the crude inlet to the plant;
reading a current value of salt content at either the desalter outlet or an export crude outlet of the plant;
determining the current value of the salt content is not within a predetermined range;
determining a second wash water rate based on the first wash water rate, the wash water percentage rate, and the crude flow rate; and
causing to modify a wash water valve opening to inject the wash water at the second wash water rate.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the wash water percentage rate is measured in v/v %.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the predetermined range of salt content is approximately 10 pounds per thousand barrels (PTB).

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the wet crude flow rate is measured in U.S. gallons per minute.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the crude throughput and the first wash water rate is measured in U.S. gallons per minute.