Process, method, and system for removing heavy metals from fluids

In an improved process to removal mercury from a crude oil stream containing mercury, the process comprising:

• a) providing a crude oil stream containing mercury from a crude oil well;
• b) separating the crude oil stream into a gaseous hydrocarbon stream comprising hydrocarbons, mercury and water, and a liquid hydrocarbon stream comprising hydrocarbons and elemental mercury;
• c) charging a mercury-containing gas feed, including in part at least a portion of the gaseous hydrocarbon stream, to a mercury removal unit for removal of mercury from mercury-containing gas feed, thereby forming a treated gas stream;
• d) contacting a recycle gas stream comprising a portion of the treated gas stream with at least a portion of the liquid hydrocarbon stream for transfer of at least a portion of the elemental mercury contained in the liquid hydrocarbon stream to the recycle gas stream;
• thereby forming a mercury rich gas stream, and a treated liquid hydrocarbon stream;
• and e) passing said mercury rich gas stream to the mercury removal unit as a portion of the mercury-containing gas feed,
• wherein the improvement comprises:
• mixing an effective amount of a reducing agent with the crude oil stream to convert at least a portion of the mercury into a volatile mercury;
• wherein the mixing into the crude oil stream is prior to separating the crude oil stream into a gaseous hydrocarbon stream and a liquid hydrocarbon stream.

In an improved process to removal mercury from a crude oil stream containing mercury, the process comprising:

• a) separating the crude oil stream into a gaseous hydrocarbon stream and a liquid hydrocarbon stream;
• b) removing mercury from the gaseous hydrocarbon stream to provide a treated gas stream;
• c) contacting the treated gas stream with the liquid hydrocarbon stream to transfer mercury from the liquid hydrocarbon stream to the treated gas stream and thereby form a treated liquid stream and a mercury rich gas stream;
• and d) removing mercury from the mercury rich gas stream,
• wherein the improvement comprises:
• mixing into the crude oil stream an effective amount of a reducing agent to convert at least a portion of the mercury into a volatile mercury;
• wherein the mixing into the crude oil stream is prior to separating the crude oil stream into a gaseous hydrocarbon stream and a liquid hydrocarbon stream.