What is the effect of phenols in desalting operation? We have a stripped sour water having a phenol content of 600 ppm which is to be used as wash water in the upstream of desalter.
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20/09/2009
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sam lordo, Becht Engineering, salordo@comcast.net
I agree some of the other comments, especially that there will be no impact on desalting operation.The impacts will be on wastewater or in the fuels produced. Desalters have been used to remove phenols either from the water or from the oil. This a accomplished, while sometime unintentionally, but adjusting the pH; high pH water drives the phenols into the oil, whilst low pH drives the phenols out of the oil into the water. With respect to impact on fuels, phenols have been linked to coloring (pink) issues in kero and jet fractions.
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14/09/2009
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Alan Goelzer, Jacobs Consultancy, alan.goelzer@jacobs.com
I concur with the previous response---with some clarifications. It is suspected that there are a range of soluble organic species involving organic oxygen and organic nitrogen in sour water decanted from certain petroleum refining units. Often, only the phenol itself is measured although this is only one of the "aromatic phenolics". These soluble organic species will partition between the crude oil and the desalter effluent water. This lowers the concentration of the soluble organic species in the desalter effluent water and directionally sends these soluble organic species to the naphtha hydrotreater unit---which is a good thing in overall context.
The organic soluble organics may aggravate emulsion issues and rag layers in the desalter vessels. In many instances, the desalter system has not been designed to deal with extensive production of rag layer or emulsions. There are ways to solve this, but this requires assessment by consulting technology specialists on a case-by-case basis.
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14/09/2009
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keith bowers, B and B Consulting, kebowers47@gmail.com
I would not expect any 'negative' impact on desalting, crude unit corrosion, or downstream processing. The phenols absorbed by the crude oil will be easily removed when the various fractions are hydrotreated.
The 'reduced phenol content' desalter water should be easier to process in the waste water treating facilities and result in a cleaner effluent from the bio-oxidation /activated sludge facilities.
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14/09/2009
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Eric Vetters, ProCorr Consulting Services, ewvetters@yahoo.com
Phenols in the wash water don't really impact the desalter. The oil will, however, absorb some of the phenols thus lowering the phenol content of the water before it goes to the waste water treatment system. Since phenols are difficult to handle in the WWTP, this is a side benefit of using stripped sour water for desalter wash water.
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