Process details
- Overview
- Flow measurement of crude oil going to distillation
- Level measurement in distillation columns
- Flow measurement of distilled gas
- Flow measurement of products from atmospheric distillation
- Flow measurement of atmospheric bottoms
- Flow measurement of products from vacuum distillation
- Flow measurement of vacuum reisduum and asphalt
- Flow measurement of off gas
- Supervisory and validation software
Distillation in the oil & gas industry
Atmospheric and vacuum distillation measuring
After desalting, the crude oil is further heated to around 375oC in a furnace. From here it flows into the bottom of an atmospheric distillation column, actually at slightly above atmospheric pressure. As the oil vapours rise up the column and cool, various fractions with different boiling temperatures condense into liquids, and are removed from the side of the column. These liquid fractions are known as sidecuts, and include naphtha, kerosene, light gas oil etc, as shown on the diagram. The liquids are cooled and process efficiency improved by exchanging their heat with the incoming oil feedstock. The gas remaining at the top of the column comprises the lightest fractions of the crude oil, those with the lowest boiling points. Typically the distillation column will be run in a continuous steady state, controlled by crude oil distillation instrumentation: here flow measurement and the consequent balancing of the fractions is important for control.
Requirements
- Process Control
- Contamination of the crude oil could block mechanical meters
Recommended products and solutions
Requirements
- Improve efficiency of separation process
- Prevent overfill of distillation column
Recommended products and solutions
Requirements
- Process control
- Agressive media
Recommended products and solutions
Requirements
- Process control
- Help to maintain mass balance
Recommended products and solutions
Requirements
- High temperature
- High viscosity
- Risk of blockage
Recommended products and solutions
Requirements
- High temperature
- Process control
- Help to maintain mass balance
Recommended products and solutions
Requirements
- High temperature
- High viscosity
- Risk of blockage
Recommended products and solutions
Requirements
- Ensure optimized burner control
- Fluctuating operating conditions
Recommended products and solutions
Requirements
- Visualisation and monitoring of critical processes
- Control of reporting, trends and alarm handling
- Statistical evaluation of measurement data