Crude Quality Enhancement by Simultaneous Crude Stabilization, Sweetening, and Desalting Via Microwave Assisted Heating

Abstract

Embodiments of the disclosure include processes using microwave heating to promote the separation of components of crude oil. In some embodiments, microwave-heated water may be used to heat the interphase between the gas phase and the oil phase of a crude oil stream to promote the separation of sulfur (for example, H 2 S) and light end components of the crude oil stream. In some embodiments, microwave-heated water may be used to heat the interphase between the oil phase and the water phase of a crude oil stream to promote the separation of water, salt, or both of the crude oil stream. Systems having a microwave unit to provide microwave-heated water to crude oil stream are also provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of processing crude oil, comprising:
 irradiating water at a first temperature with microwaves to produce heated water at a second temperature, the second temperature greater than the first temperature;   providing the heated water to a crude oil stream, the crude oil stream comprising a gas phase, an oil phase, and a water phase; and   providing the crude oil stream to a downstream crude oil processing unit.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein providing the heated water to the crude oil stream comprises directing the heated water at a gas-oil interphase of the crude oil stream. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein providing the heated water to the crude oil stream comprises:
 directing a first portion of the heated water at a gas-oil interphase of the crude oil stream; and   directing a second portion of the heated water at an oil-water interphase of the crude oil stream.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , comprising disrupting an oil-water emulsion using the second portion of the heated water. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising obtaining the water at the first temperature from the crude oil stream. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , comprising separating solids from the water before irradiating the water with microwaves to produce the heated water at the second temperature. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the water comprises treated water from a water treatment unit of a crude oil processing plant. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the crude oil processing unit comprises a high pressure production trap (HPPT), a low pressure production trap (LPPT), a stabilization unit, a desalter, or a dehydrator. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising producing a gas stream and a separated crude oil stream from the crude oil processing unit. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising boiling an H 2 S component of the crude oil stream using the heated water. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising boiling light end components of the crude oil stream using the heated water. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the microwaves have a frequency of 915 MHz. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second temperature comprises 194° F. to 250° F. 
     
     
         14 . A system, comprising:
 a pipe configured to transport a crude oil stream to a crude oil processing unit; and   a microwave unit upstream from the crude oil processing unit and coupled to the pipe, the microwave unit configured to:   receive water at a first temperature from the crude oil stream; and,   irradiate the water to produce heated water at a second temperature, wherein the second temperature is greater than the first temperature;   wherein an outlet of the microwave unit is coupled to an inlet of the pipe, the inlet configured to direct the heated water at an oil-gas interphase of the crude oil stream.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , comprising a solids separator coupled to the microwave unit, the solids separator configured to separate solids from the water before the microwave unit receives the water. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the crude oil processing unit comprises a high pressure production trap (HPPT), a low pressure production trap (LPPT), or a stabilization unit. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the crude oil stream comprises a first crude oil stream having a first composition, and wherein the crude oil processing unit is configured to output a second crude oil stream having a second composition. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 14 , comprising:
 a crude oil analyzer configured to determine at least one parameter of the second crude oil stream;   a controller configured to:
 receive the at least one parameter from the crude oil analyzer; 
 compare the at least one parameter to a respective at least one threshold value; and 
 modify a power of the microwaves based on the comparison. 
   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one parameter comprises H 2 S content, salt content, or Reid vapor pressure. 
     
     
         20 . A system, comprising:
 a pipe configured to provide a crude oil stream to a crude oil processing unit; and   a microwave unit upstream of the crude oil processing unit and coupled to the pipe, the microwave unit configured to irradiate water at a first temperature to produce heated water at a second temperature, wherein the second temperature is greater than the first temperature;   wherein an outlet of the microwave unit is coupled to a first inlet of the pipe, the first inlet configured to direct a first portion of the heated water at an oil-gas interphase of the crude oil stream;   wherein the outlet of the microwave unit is further coupled to a second inlet of the pipe, the second inlet configured to direct a second portion of the heated water at an oil-water interphase of the crude oil stream.   
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the water comprises treated water from a water treatment unit. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the crude oil processing unit comprises a desalter or a dehydrator. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the crude oil stream comprises a first crude oil stream having a first composition, and wherein crude oil processing unit is configured to output a second crude oil stream having a second composition. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 20 , comprising:
 a crude oil analyzer configured to determine at least one parameter of the second crude oil stream;   a controller configured to:
 receive the at least one parameter from the crude oil analyzer; 
 compare the at least one parameter to a respective at least one threshold value; 
 modify a power of the microwaves based on the comparison. 
   
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the at least one parameter comprises H 2 S content, salt content, or Reid vapor pressure.