GEA Crude Oil Treatment Systems

The innovative and robustGEA Crude Oil Treatment Systemmeets the stringent requirements of the oil industry in relation to both product quality and environment.It can process crude oils with high densities and high water/salt content efficiently while minimizing the consumption of chemicals, which leads to considerable savings in operating costs.

Applications

• Dehydration of crude oil: Heavy crude oil, off-spec (opportunity) crude oil
• Desalting of crude oil: Heavy crude oil, off-spec (opportunity) crude oil

Feed conditions and operation flexibility

• Extremely flexible and compact modular design
• Can be used as stand-alone system or as expansion of the existing installation to compensate for bottlenecks or increase the performance
• Flexible turndown capacity (20 to 100 %)
• Automatic response on changing feed conditions
• No dependency on low or stable oil conductivity
• Adaptation to NACE and sour crude oil possible
• Compliance with regulations for hazardous areas (zone 1 and zone 2)

Only someone who can see the system as a whole is able to design it from the start to achieve the highest efficiency. GEA develops package units and process lines whose intelligent technology and integrated concepts immediately create added value. This secures investments – and thus an economic future solution.

Complete solutions from one supplier eliminate time delays and expensive coordination processes right from the start. Instead, they ensure constant high performance in terms of flow rate and separation performance - with minimal effort. This excellent process economy secures your investment decisions in the long term.

For applications where mobility of the treatment system is important, GEA offers corresponding solutions in standard containers and enclosures.

Chemical dosing unit (optional)

Capacity: 1 - 2 m³ / h | 4,4 gpm

Dimensions* L x W x H (appr.):

2,500 x 1,500 x 2,000 mm | 8,2 x 5,0 x 6,6 ft

Weight (empty): 1,000 kg | 2,200 lbs

Utilities Power 2 kW | 2,8 HP

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_{*Weight and dimensions are based on a capacity of 30 - 85 m³/h}

These centrifuges are built for high performance by incorporating the know-how of more than 50 years of successful operation in the Canadian oil sands industry into their design. Robustness, high efficiency, ease of use and predictable maintenance costs are some of the main advantages.

Depending on the required capacity, GEA supplies the following machine types:

• GEA crude oil Dehydrator 130
• GEA crude oil Dehydrator 260

GEA crude oil Dehydrators are available with a direct driven or with a belt driven bowl.

Features

• Single unit capacity up to 37,500 BPD (250 m3/h); can easily be extended by combining several units
• Oil gravity > 12° API
• Flexible adjustment of the separating zone for maximum separation efficiency of the liquid phases
• Special wear protection including replaceable wear liners
• All product containing parts are made from high-grade stainless steel material
• Space-saving design
• ATEX compliant for the operation in ATEX Zone 1 and Zone 2 environments

Further technical data and dimensions are available in the technical datasheets you can find in the downloads of this page.

These centrifuges have been designed specifically for crude oil applications and cover the entire range of possible capacities. They are characterized by high motor performance and optimum dynamics with low energy consumption. Other advantages include high reliability, ease of use and low maintenance costs.

Depending on the required capacity, GEA supplies three options for this application:

• GEA crude oil Desalter 80

• GEA crude oil Desalter 120 

• GEA crude oil Desalter 200

The GEA crude oil Desalter 200 is available with direct drive, both the versions 80 and 120 are available as belt-driven machines.

Features

• Single unit capacity up to 12,500 BPD (85 m3/h); can easily be extended by combining several units
• Oil gravity > 12° API
• Closed feed and discharge for the product phases
• Flexible adjustment of the separating zone for maximum separation efficiency of the liquid phases 
• Special wear protection including replaceable wear liners
• All product containing parts are made from high-grade stainless steel material
• Space-saving design
• ATEX compliant for the operation in ATEX Zone 1 and Zone 2 environments
• BS&W and water-soluble salt are brought to pipeline / refinery quality

When should I choose a Dehydrator vs a Desalter?

Choose a Dehydrator when your primary goal is water removal and solids content is high or variable. Choose a Desalter when solids content is limited and your main objective is salt reduction to meet pipeline or refinery specifications.

Practical guidance:

• Upstream (oil field): Dehydrator is typically preferred due to high water cuts (often 30–70%) and variable solids from production.
• Midstream (tank-to-tank, pipeline prep): Dehydrator for bulk water removal, Desalter if salt specs are critical.
• Downstream (refinery): Desalter is standard for final salt removal before atmospheric distillation (target: <10 PTB salt).
• Combination approach: For very challenging crudes (high water + high salt), a two-stage system (Dehydrator followed by Desalter) may be optimal.
• Modular flexibility: Both units can be combined in parallel or series configurations to match your specific process requirements and flow rates.

Still unsure? Contact GEA for a free process consultation. Our engineers will analyze your crude properties (API gravity, water cut, salt content, solids type/concentration) and recommend the optimal configuration.