Condensate stabilization

Abstract

Processes and systems for stabilizing a condensate feed and mitigating fouling include providing a raw condensate, having greater than 2000 ppmv free and emulsified water, to a stabilizer feed drum. The free and emulsified water has greater than 40000 ppm salt. The stabilizer feed drum comprises a liquid-liquid separation parallel plate pack internals to separate the raw condensate into a water phase and an oil phase. The resulting oil phase comprises less than 500 ppmv free and emulsified water and is fed to a stabilizer system including a stabilizer column and one or more reboilers. In the stabilizer system, the oil phase is separated into a vapor and a stabilized condensate. The process includes operating the stabilizer column at an overhead pressure greater than 12 barg and a bottoms temperature greater than 135° C. The stabilized condensate has a true vapor pressure (TVP) of less than 3.8 barg.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A process for stabilizing a condensate feed and mitigating fouling, comprising:
 providing a raw condensate feed to a stabilizer feed drum, the raw condensate feed comprising hydrocarbons and greater than 2000 ppmv free and emulsified water, the water having greater than 40000 ppm salt (TDS), wherein the stabilizer feed drum comprises a feed inlet, a water outlet, a vapor outlet, an unstabilized condensate outlet, and liquid-liquid separation parallel plate pack internals;   flowing the raw condensate from the feed inlet through the liquid-liquid separation parallel plate pack internals to separate the raw condensate and to form a water phase and an oil phase, wherein the oil phase comprises less than 500 ppmv free and emulsified water;   recovering the water phase via the water outlet and recovering the oil phase via the unstabilized condensate outlet;   feeding the oil phase from the unstabilized condensate outlet to a stabilizer system, the stabilizer system including a stabilizer column and one or more reboilers;   in the stabilizer system, separating the oil phase into a vapor and a stabilized condensate, wherein the separating comprises operating the stabilizer column at an overhead pressure of greater than 12 bar gauge (175 psig) and a bottoms temperature of greater than 135° C. (275° F.);   recovering the vapor as an overhead vapor from the stabilizer column; and   recovering the stabilized condensate as a bottoms from the stabilizer column, wherein the stabilized condensate has a true vapor pressure (TVP) of less than 3.8 bar gauge (55 psig).   
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the raw condensate feed comprises dissolved gases, dissolved gaseous hydrocarbons, C 4 -C 12  hydrocarbons, and the free or emulsified water, and wherein the vapor comprises the gases, gaseous hydrocarbons, and water, and wherein the stabilized condensate comprises the C 4 -C 12  hydrocarbons. 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the stabilized condensate is essentially free of free water and salts. 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the oil phase comprises from 1 to 400 ppmv free water. 
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the oil phase comprises from 16 to 66 ppmv free water. 
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the stabilizer column is operated at an overhead pressure in a range of 12 to 13.5 bar gauge (175 to 195 psig) and a bottoms temperature in a range from 135° C. to 157° C. (275° F. to 315° F.). 
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising heating the oil phase with the stabilized condensate in a feed/effluent exchanger. 
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more reboilers are thermosiphon reboilers, the process comprising, in the thermosiphon reboilers, indirectly heating reboiler liquids via heat exchange with a heat exchange medium at a temperature in a range from 204° C. to 288° C. (400° F. to 550° F.). 
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the stabilized condensate has a TVP of less than 3.6 bar gauge (less than 53 psig) and a salt content of less than 1.5 ppm (less than 0.5 pounds per thousand barrels). 
     
     
         10 . A condensate stabilization system for stabilizing oil with minimal fouling, comprising:
 a condensate feed system for providing a condensate feed, the condensate feed comprising hydrocarbons and greater than 2000 ppmv free and emulsified water, the water having greater than 40000 ppm salt (TDS);   a stabilizer feed drum for receiving the condensate feed, the stabilizer feed drum comprising a vessel having a feed inlet, a water outlet, a vapor outlet, a condensate outlet, and containing:
 liquid-liquid separation parallel plate pack internals configured to separate the condensate feed into a water phase and an oil phase, wherein the oil phase comprises less than 100 ppmv free or emulsified water; and 
 a weir configured for separating the water phase from the oil phase and for directing the water phase to the water outlet and the oil phase to the condensate outlet; 
   a stabilizer system including a stabilizer column and one or more thermosiphon reboilers, the stabilizer column including an inlet for receiving the oil phase from the condensate outlet, a vapor overheads outlet, and a stabilized condensate bottoms outlet, wherein the stabilizer system is configured for separating the oil phase into a vapor and a stabilized condensate; and   a control system configured for operating the stabilizer column at an overhead pressure of greater than 12.4 bar gauge (180 psig) and a bottoms temperature of greater than 137° C. (280° F.).   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the liquid-liquid separation parallel plate pack internals are configured to separate the condensate feed into a water phase and an oil phase having less than 70 ppmv free or emulsified water. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the liquid-liquid separation parallel plate pack internals are configured to separate the condensate feed into a water phase and an oil phase having from 16 to 66 ppmv free or emulsified water. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the control system is configured for operating the stabilizer column at an overhead pressure of 12.4 to 13.5 bar gauge (180 to 195 psig). 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the control system is configured for operating the stabilizer column at a bottoms temperature in a range from 137° C. to 157° C. (280° F. to 315° F.).