Heat recovery from condensed steam in gas-oil separation plant to heat crude oil

Abstract

Methods and systems are disclosed. Systems may include a crude oil feed, steam recovery system, and first heat exchanger. The crude oil feed may be configured to receive a flow of crude oil. The steam recovery system may be configured to receive a first flow of low-pressure steam and produce a first flow of condensed steam. The first heat exchanger may be disposed along the crude oil feed. The first heat exchanger may be configured to receive the flow of crude oil and the first flow of condensed steam and produce, using the first flow of condensed steam, a first flow of treated crude oil from the flow of crude oil.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 a crude oil feed configured to receive a flow of crude oil;   a steam recovery system configured to receive a first flow of low-pressure steam and produce a first flow of condensed steam; and   a first heat exchanger disposed along the crude oil feed,
 wherein the first heat exchanger is configured to receive the flow of crude oil and the first flow of condensed steam, and 
 wherein the first heat exchanger is further configured to produce, using the first flow of condensed steam, a first flow of treated crude oil from the flow of crude oil. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first heat exchanger is further configured to produce a second flow of condensed steam. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising a steam generation system configured to receive the second flow of condensed steam. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the steam generation system is further configured to produce a second flow of low-pressure steam from the second flow of condensed steam. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , further comprising a second heat exchanger disposed along the crude oil feed,
 wherein the second heat exchanger is configured to receive the flow of crude oil.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the second heat exchanger is further configured to receive a flow of dry crude oil. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the second heat exchanger is further configured to produce, using the flow of dry crude oil:
 a second flow of treated crude oil from the flow of crude oil; and   a flow of stable crude oil.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 5 , further comprising a flash drum disposed along the crude oil feed and configured to produce the flow of dry crude oil from the flow of treated crude oil. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 4 , further comprising a second heat exchanger disposed along the crude oil feed,
 wherein the second heat exchanger is configured to receive the flow of crude oil and the second flow of low-pressure steam.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the second heat exchanger is further configured to produce, using the second flow of low-pressure steam:
 a second flow of treated crude oil from the flow of crude oil; and   the first flow of low-pressure steam.   
     
     
         11 . A method comprising:
 receiving, in a crude oil feed, a flow of crude oil;   receiving, by a steam recovery system, a first flow of low-pressure steam;   producing, from the steam recovery system, a first flow of condensed steam from the first flow of low-pressure steam;   receiving, by a first heat exchanger, the flow of crude oil and the first flow of condensed steam; and   producing, from the first heat exchanger using the first flow of condensed steam, a first flow of treated crude oil from the flow of crude oil.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising producing, from the first heat exchanger using the first flow of condensed steam, a second flow of condensed steam. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising receiving, by a second heat exchanger, a second flow of low-pressure steam and the flow of crude oil. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising producing, from the second heat exchanger using the second flow of low-pressure steam:
 a second flow of treated crude oil from the flow of crude oil; and   the first flow of low-pressure steam.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising producing, from a steam generation system, the second flow of low-pressure steam. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising receiving, by a steam generation system, the second flow of condensed steam. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising receiving, by a second heat exchanger, a flow of dry crude oil and the flow of crude oil. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising producing, from the second heat exchanger using the flow of dry crude oil:
 the flow of treated crude oil from the flow of crude oil; and   a flow of stable crude oil.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising receiving, by a flash drum, the flow of treated crude oil. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising producing, from the flash drum, the flow of dry crude oil.