Process for the recovery of crude

Abstract

A method for the production of stabilized crude oil, the method comprising the steps of: providing a stream of crude oil; injecting steam into said stream and so stripping C3− from said stream; providing a gas stream; extracting C4+ from the gas stream, and so; producing a stream from the extracted C4+; co-mingling the stripped stream with the C4+ stream, and so; producing a stream of stabilized crude oil.

1 . A method for the production of crude oil, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a stream of crude oil;   injecting steam into said stream and so stripping C3− from said stream;   providing a gas stream;   extracting C4+ from the gas stream, and so;   producing a stream from the extracted C4+;   co-mingling the stripped stream with the C4+ stream.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the extracting step comprises the step of condensing the C4+ from the gas stream. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the condensing step comprises applying dew-point control to the gas stream to condenses the C4+ from the gas stream. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1  further including the step of introducing the crude stream to a steam stripping column, within which injecting of steam to the crude stream is effected. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1  further including, after the co-mingling step, the step of separating vapour and liquid from the co-mingled stream to produce a stream of stabilized crude oil. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5  wherein an offgas rate for vapour separated from the stabilized crude oil stream is maintained at a preset value. 
     
     
         7 . A system for the production of stabilized crude oil comprising:
 a steam injection station arranged to receive a stream of unstabilised crude oil, said station arranged to subject said stream to an injection of steam;   said steam injection station including a first outflow to deliver a stripped stream of crude to a stabilizer section and a second outflow to deliver a flow of gas to a condensation station;   said condensation station arranged to condense the gas to produce a condensate, said station further including an outflow to direct the condensate to the stabilizer section for comingling the condensate with the stripped stream of crude;   wherein the stabilizer section is arranged to outflow a stream of stabilized crude resulting from said comingled streams.   
     
     
         8 . The system according to  claim 7 , wherein said steam injection station comprises a steam stripping column. 
     
     
         9 . The system according to  claim 7 , wherein the stabilizer section includes a cooler. 
     
     
         10 . The system according to  claim 7 , wherein the condensation station comprises a dew-point control system. 
     
     
         11 . The system according to  claim 7 , wherein said condensation station further includes a de-propaniser column. 
     
     
         12 . The system according to  claim 7 , wherein said stabilizer section includes a flash vessel for receiving said comingled crude stream to separate vapour as an offgas prior to production of said stabilized crude oil. 
     
     
         13 . The system according to  claim 12  wherein said flash vessel includes a flow controller to control the rate of offgas at a preset value. 
     
     
         14 . The system according to  claim 13  wherein the flow controller provides a cascade control set point for a temperature controller of a reboiler of the de-propaniser column. 
     
     
         15 . A system for stripping light components from a crude oil stream, comprising
 a crude stripping column for receiving the crude oil stream, said column arranged to receive steam for applying to the crude oil stream;   a surge vessel for receiving the stripped crude stream and arranged to separate water from said stripped crude stream;   wherein the surge vessel and crude stripping column are selectively coupled so as on de-coupling the crude oil stream is permitted to by-pass the crude stripping column and flow directly into the surge vessel.