Process for removing contaminants from crude oil

A process for the removal of contaminants from contaminated crude oil in a vessel, said process comprising the steps of:

• i) providing an organic solvent stream to the vessel containing crude oil contaminated with an organic chloride;
• ii) mixing said crude oil and said organic solvent stream and then allowing an organic solvent bottom phase, comprising at least a portion of said organic solvent stream and at least a portion of said organic chloride to form;
• iii) removing said organic solvent bottom phase from the vessel and retaining the remaining crude oil in the vessel;
• iv) optionally, repeating steps i) to iii) one or more times with further organic solvent streams;
• v) then providing an aqueous stream to the vessel;
• vi) mixing said aqueous stream with the remaining crude oil in the vessel and allowing an aqueous bottom phase to form;
• and
• vii) removing the aqueous bottom phase from the vessel and retaining the remaining crude oil in the vessel;
• and
• viii) optionally, repeating steps v) to vii) one or more times with further aqueous streams.