Crude Oil Processing by

Physical Separation

Paulus L Ginting
 Crude Oil Processing by Physical Separation

Crude Oil Overview and Processing Unit in Refinery

2

Crude Oil Composition Evaluation of Crude Oil and

Hydrocarbon Petroleum fuels
1) Paraffin (Saturated 1) Boiling Range
hydrocarbons/alkanes), CnH2n+2 2) True boiling point
2) Olefin (Unsaturated 3) UOP Characterization
hydrocarbons/alkenes), CnH2n Factor (KUOP)
3) Naphthene (Cycloalkanes), 4) ASTM Distillations
CnH2n 5) API Gravity and Specific
4) Aromatic hydrocarbons, CnH2n-6 Gravity
Other Components 6) Flash Point
1) Salts 7) Reid Vapor Pressure
2) Metal 8) Octane NumberPour Point
3) Sand, Mineral Matter and Water 10) BS&W
4) Sulphur Compounds 11) Cetane Number

Characterization of Crude Oil

1) Paraffin-base Crudes Processing Unit in Refinery
2) Mixed-base Crudes 1) Primary Processing (CDU & VDU)
3) Naphthene-base Crudes 2) Secondary Processing (CRU, FCC,etc)
4) Aromatic Crudes 3) Recovery Processing (SWS, SRU, etc)
 Crude Oil Processing by Physical Separation

3 Structure Formula of Paraffin, Olefin, Naphthene, Aromatic

Figure 1:Structure Formula for P, O, N, A. Figure 2: Isomer of Hexane

 Crude Oil Processing by Physical Separation

Sulphur Compound
4

Figure 3: Structure Formula of some Sulphur Compounds

 Crude Oil Processing by Physical Separation

5
Petroleum Refinery
Fuel Gas
Amine Treating Refinery Fuel

Other Gases Claus Sulfur Sulfur

Plant
Gas LPG
Merox Treaters Butanes H2S from
Processing
Sour Water Stripper
Gas Gas H2 Gas H2

Light Isomerate
Hidrotreater Isomerization
Naphta
Gas H2 Gas H2

Heavy Reformate
Atmospheric Distillation

Hidrotreater Catalytic
Naphta Reformer Gas H2
Jet Fuel

Gasoline Bleending System

Merox Treater Jet Fuel and Hydrocracked
Crude Oil Kerosene
/or Kerosene

Cracker
Gasoline

Hydro
Gas H2
Heavy Vacuum Gas
Diesel Oil
Diesel Oil Gas Oil
Hidrotreater Diesel Oil i-Butane Alkylate
Alkylation
Gas Butenes
Atmospheric Pentenes
Gas Oil Gas H2 Gas H2

Cracking (FCC)
Fluid Catalytic
Naphta
FCC Feed Hydrotreater
Hidrotreater FCC
Light Vacuum Gasoline
Gas Oil FCC Gas Oil
Distillation

Fuel Oil
Vacuum

Atmospheric
Bottoms Gas
Heavy Vacuum
Gas Oil
Delayed Cooker Cooker Naphta
H2S to Sulfur (after hydrotreaing
Plant & reforming)
Sour
Stripper (SWS)

Waters Vacuum
Sour Water

Residue Cooker Gas Oil

Steam
Asphalt Asphalt CO2 H2
Petroleum Coke
Blowing Natural Gas
Air Hydrogen
Steam Plant
Stripped
Water

Figure 4: Schematic Flow Diagram for Typical Petroleum Refinery

 Crude Oil Processing by Physical Separation

6
CDU (Crude Distillation Unit)
Processing Step in CDU

 Preheat the crude feed utilizing recovered heat

from the product streams
 Desalt and dehydrate the crude using electrostatic
enhanced liquid/liquid separation (Desalter)
 Heat the crude to the desired temperature using
fired heaters
 Flash the crude in the atmospheric distillation
column
 Utilize pump around cooling loops to create
internal liquid reflux
 Product draws are on the top, sides, and bottom
 Crude Oil Processing by Physical Separation

7 CDU (Crude Distillation Unit)

Crude Oil Storage Off Gas

Light Naphta
Crude Oil
Desalter
Heavy Naphta

Kerosene

Atmospheric Gas Oil

Atmospheric
Residue Light Vacuum Gas Oil
Crude Oil Heater

Heavy Vacuum Gas Oil

Atmospheric
Distillation Unit
Vacuum Residue

Vacuum Distillation Unit

(VDU)

Figure 5: Crude Oil Distillation Schematic

 Crude Oil Processing by Physical Separation

8 CDU (Crude Distillation Unit)

Crude Oil

Air Cooled
Condenser Gas
Mixing
Valve hot products or
pump around Reflux
Desalter
Drum
Water Sour
Brine Water
Crude Oil

Crude Oil Naphta

Kero
(Jet Fuel)

Crude Oil Crude Oil

Distillation
Tower Light Gas Oil

Crude Oil

Heavy Gas Oil

Steam

Crude Oil
Fired Heater
hot products or Residue
pump around (Fuel Oil)

Figure 6: Schematic Flow Diagram for Typical CDU

 Crude Oil Properties and Primary Processing of Petroleum Refinery

9 CDU (Crude Distillation Unit)

Figure 7: Crude Distillation Plant

 Crude Oil Processing by Physical Separation

10 Desalter System

Desalt Crude

Desalter

Crude Oil

Dilution Water

Waste to disposal

Figure 8: Sketch of Desalter

Figure 9: Three Dimensional Model of Crude Oil Desalter

 Crude Oil Processing by Physical Separation

11 CDU (Crude Distillation

Desalter System Unit)

Figure 10: Crude Oil Desalter

 Crude Oil Processing by Physical Separation

12 A Material Balance for Desalter

Problems 01
Salt in crude oil must be removed before the oil
undergoes processing in a refinery. The crude oil is fed
to a washing unit where freshwater fed to the unit
mixes with the oil and dissolves a portion of salt the
contained in the oil. The oil (containing some salt but
no water), being less dense than water, can be
removed at the top of the washer. If the "spent" wash
water contains 13% salt and the crude oil contains 8%
salt, determine the concentration of salt in "washed" oil
product if the ratio crude oil (with salt) to water used is
5 : 1. (Ref. Himmelblau, 2004)
 Crude Oil Processing by Physical Separation

13 A Material Balance for Desalter

Desalt Crude,
F2 (% salt ?)

Desalter
Crude Oil
F1 (8% salt)
Dilution Water
i
W1 (no salt)

F1 : W1 = 5 : 1

Waste to disposal,
W2 (13% salt)

Figure 11: Salt Removal in Desalter for Problem 01

 Crude Oil Processing by Physical Separation

14 Product and Common Gap Product

Table 1: Typical Product of CDU

No. Product Cut Range (˚C)
1 Overhead product < 30
2 Naphtha 30 - 150
3 Kerosene 150 - 250
4 Diesel 250 - 370
5 Atmospheric Residue 370 >

Table 2: Common Gap Product of CDU

No. Product Separation Gap (˚C)

Straight Run Naphtha and
1
Kerosene 11
2 Kerosene and Diesel 5.6
 Crude Oil Processing by Physical Separation

15 Process Variables for CDU

1. Flash Zone Temperature

In general, the thermal decomposition / cracking crude temperature
is around 370 oC. The flash zone temperature is adjusted indirectly,
by adjusting the Combined Outlet Temperature (COT) of the fired
heater
2. Top Column Temperature
The CDU column top temperature is adjusted by returning some of
the naphtha that has been condensed as reflux back to the top of the
CDU column.
3. Top Column Pressure
To maintain the stability of the top column pressure, a temperature
controller is installed which is cascaded with a flow top reflux.
4. Stripping Steam
The amount of stripping steam (superheated) that is fed into the
bottom of each side cut of the product stripper is used to remove light
vapors dissolved in the product, which will determine the product
flash point.
 Crude Oil Processing by Physical Separation

16 CDU and VDU (Vacuum Distillation Unit)

off gas

Steam

Kerosene Naphta

Gas
Steam

LVGO
Diesel

Steam HVGO

Fired Atmospheric
Gas Oil
Crude Oil

Heater Crude Oil

Desalter Slow Wax
Distillation
Steam Tower

Fired
Heater
Residue

Figure 12: Schematic Flow Diagram for Typical CDU & VDU
 Crude Oil Processing by Physical Separation

17 VDU (Vacuum Distillation Unit)

There are two types of vacuum distillation unit:

1) Fuel type VDU
The Fuel type VDU is process to produce :
Light Vacuum Gas Oil can be store in product storage tank.
Heavy Vacuum Gas Oil can be treated in Hydrocracker or Fluid
Catalytic Cracking.
Vacuum Residue may be treated in Delayed Cooker or Visbreaker
and also can be utilized as blending component for Low Sulphur
Waxy Residue or Fuel Oil.
2) Lubes type VDU
The Lube type VDU requires a good separation between lube cut.
The pressure drop of the lube type is higher than the fuel type VDU
with lower cut points. Lube type VDU usually produces 3-4 lube oil
base with more tight specification comparing with Fuel type VDU
(especially on viscosity and viscosity index).
 Crude Oil Processing by Physical Separation

18 VDU (Vacuum Distillation Unit)

Table 3: CDU and VDU Comparison

Parameter CDU VDU
Flash zone pressure, 760 30
mmHg (Note-1)
Flash zone 330 - 350 400 - 410
temperature, oC
Fired heater COT, oC, 330 - 350 416 - 427
Note-2
Product LPG, Naphtha, Fuel type :
Kerosene, Diesel, Light Vacuum Gas Oil,
Atmospheric Residue Heavy Vacuum Gas Oil
and Vacuum Residue.
Lube type:
Lube cut-1, Lube cut-2,
Lube cut-3, etc

Note : 1. Absolute pressure

2. COT: Crude Outlet Temperature
 Crude Oil Processing by Physical Separation

19 Reference

 “Basic Principles and Calculations in Chemical

Engineering”, David M. Himmelblau / James B. Riggs,
2004, 7th Ed., PRENTICE HALL Professional Technical
Reference, New Jersey.
 ”Fuel, Combustion and Furnaces”, Griswold, J., 1946,
McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc. , New York.
 “Oil Refinery Processes” A Brief Overview, Colwell, R.E.,
2009, Process Engineering Associates, LLC.
 ”Petroleum Refinery Engineering”, Nelson, W.L., 1985,
4.ed., International Student Edition, McGraw-Hill Book
Company, Singapore.
 “Teknologi Proses Kilang Minyak Bumi”, Buku Pintar
Migas Indonesia, Adhi Budiarto.
 Crude Oil Processing by Physical Separation

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