US 5,507,958 AGranted

Dehydration of heavy crude using hydrocyclones

AssigneeAtlantic Richfield Company

InventorDerek T. White-Stevens

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Abstract

A method for dehydrating a liquid/liquid production stream which is comprised of a heavy crude oil (i.e. about 30.degree. A.P.I. or less) and water which originally forms a water-in-oil emulsion wherein hydrocyclone is used as a primary separator to separate substantial amounts of the water from the stream. The stream is first treated without chemicals to sustantially alter of its characteristics by either (a) heating the stream to substantially reduce the viscosity of the heavy crude therein and/or (b) inverting the emulsion in the stream to an oil-in-water emulsion. Once the characteristics of the stream are so altered, the stream is passed through the primary hydrocyclone to separate out a significant amount (e.g. about 50% or more) of the water. The stream is then passed either to a second hydrocyclone or a stablization tower to separate additional water from the oil and bring it within shipping and/or sale specifications.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A method for dehydrating a production liquid/liquid stream which is comprised of a heavy crude oil having a density equal to about 30.degree. API or less and water wherein said heavy crude oil is the continuous phase and the water is the discontinuous phase, said method comprising the steps of:

initially treating said liquid/liquid stream by inverting the phases of said liquid/liquid stream by increasing the water content of said liquid/liquid stream until said water becomes the continuous phase and the heavy crude oil becomes the discontinuous phase to produce an inverted stream, wherein said step of initially treating excludes any treatment steps in which said heavy crude oil is separated from said water;
passing said inverted stream immediately following said step of initially treating through a first hydrocyclone to separate at least a significant portion of said water from said heavy crude oil of said inverted stream;
and
removing said heavy crude oil and any water contaminant through an overflow of said hydrocyclone;
and
removing the separated water and any oil contaminant through an underflow of said hydrocyclone.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/391,302Filed 21 Feb 1995 · continuation
Priority: 2 Aug 1993
Granted: 16 Apr 1996
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

C10G 33/06
Dewatering or demulsification of hydrocarbon oils: with mechanical means, e.g. by filtration
B01D 17/02
Separation of liquids, not provided for elsewhere, e.g. by thermal diffusion: separation of non-miscible liquids
B01D 17/0217
Separation of non-miscible liquids: by centrifugal force
C10G 33/00
Dewatering or demulsification of hydrocarbon oils