Enhancing the quality of "off-spec" products – Installation of the GEA Crude Oil Treatment System in refineries

Refineries are subject to fierce competition and must constantly face up to the given market requirements. An essential means for them to increase their profitability is the improvement and flexibilization regarding the feed product to be processed, including so-called "opportunity/off-spec” crude oils, and the ability to further process them efficiently and economically. For this purpose, the GEA Crude Oil Treatment System can be installed as a "tank-to-tank" solution as one of the possible process stages.

Crude oil tank-to-tank installation

Installation of the GEA Crude Oil Treatment System as a tank-to-tank solution.

Due to their unfavorable product properties – such as impurities in the form of inorganic and organic solids, metallic salts and asphaltenes – the processing of crude oils, which tend to become heavier and heavier, poses many challenges. The prerequisite for economical further processing is an efficient and resource-saving removal of both these contaminants and the salts and sediments as well as the water cut they contain. This protects downstream equipment and systems from possible corrosion and reduces the risk of unplanned downtime or premature replacement.

The GEA Crude Oil Treatment System takes effect before the "off-spec" product is fed to the refineries for further processing: Installed as a treatment system downstream of the storage tanks for the contaminated heavy oil, GEA centrifugal desalting Centrifuges reduce the negative product properties to the necessary level. The treated crude oil is then fed via further storage tanks to the refinery for further processing.

The correspondingly processed heavy oil can be mixed with higher quality raw material, which is a common method to simplify further processing in refineries. They thus have the opportunity to purchase extra-heavy crude oil at an attractive price and continue to operate profitably with the help of the GEA Crude Oil Treatment System – and all this without the necessary use of large quantities of solvents, energy and other operating materials and without adversely affecting the environment. 

Calculator

Online calculator

Depending on your individual feed and process conditions, our online tool gives you an initial indication of possible installation options.
Online questionnaire

Online questionnaire

By filling out our questionnaire, you help us right from the start to find the optimum solution for you based on your setup.

Keen to solve your challenge?

Receive news from GEA

Stay in touch with GEA innovations and stories by signing up for news from GEA.

Contact us

We are here to help! With just a few details we will be able to respond to your inquiry.