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Steam Injection In Crude Oil Line


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#1 sandy38813

sandy38813

    Junior Member

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Posted 20 September 2014 - 10:00 AM

Dear All,
I want to discuss with you something about an issue in our plant (its a oil & gas production facility- We have slug catcher - Three Phase separator - Electrostatic Dehydrator - Electrostatic Desalter - Export oil pump ).
Actually, we are planing to heat crude oil with the help of steam injection (After Slug Catcher before Separator), i want to know it will work or Not?
 
There are following parameters:
 
Time - 30 second or 100 meter
Temperature requirement -  20 degree C to 42 Degree C
Flow : 750 to 800 M3/Hr
Line Size : 42 inch
Line Pressure : 58 - 60 PSI
Emulsion Type : 40 - 50% water and 50 - 60 % oil
 
Please let me know if you need any additional data for  the same.
 
Now my questions is that - 
It will be effective or not?
How much temperature require for steam?
Type of steam?
Any relevant study file?
Suggestion for taking steam generator?
How much ton capacity will adequate
 
Please note here we are planing to inject steam through any point
like pressure gauge, temperature gauge (means after removing the same)
 
please give me your advice.
  
I look forward to listen from your end.
 
Thanks,
 
Regards,
Sandeep Sharma


#2 PingPong

PingPong

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Posted 20 September 2014 - 11:51 AM

A quick and dirty calculation on the back of an envelope:

 

1) 800 m3/h mixture of 50 %oil/50%water to be heated from 20 to 42 oC requires a heating duty of 15000 kW.

 

2) Oil operating pressure is 60 psig, so steam pressure is to be, say, 100 psig (7 barg). Steam superheat of, say, 10 oC so steam operating temperature is ~ 180 oC.

 

3) Steam mechanical design temperature will therefor be 200 oC or more. Is the existing oil/water pipe able to handle that design temperature, both strengthwise and stresswise?

 

4) Injected steam of 180 oC will be converted into condensate of 42 oC, so enthalpy difference is 2600 kJ/kg.

Steam quantity required is 15000/2600 = 5.8 kg/s = ~ 21 t/h.

 

5) Steam injection volumetric flowrate at 60 psig is about 21000 kg/h flow divided by 2.4 kg/m3 density = 8750 m3/h.

That is 11 times the volume flow of oil/water.

 

6) Condensing steam will implode and can cause a similar effect as cavitation in a pump impeller: damage to the metal pipe wall.

 

7) 42 inch pipe for only 800 m3/h liquid flow is very oversized, so it may be able to handle the large volume of steam/oil/water. Residence time will depend very much on how quickly steam condenses into oil/water.

 

My first impression is that putting 11 times the volume of steam in a liquid via existing nozzles, and try to condense that within 100 meters, is going to be a problem. It all seems very ambitious.

In any case a proper steam/liquid mixing device from a qualified vendor should be used to introduce the steam into the liquid, not just some small PG or TG nozzles that happen to be present.


Edited by PingPong, 20 September 2014 - 12:14 PM.





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