REMOVING MERCURY FROM CRUDE OIL USING A STABILIZER COLUMN

摘要

Methods, systems and designs are provided for removing mercury from crudes. Crude oil is heated to a temperature above 100° C. in a stabilization column for a time sufficient to convert all of the forms of mercury in the oil into the elemental mercury form. The elemental mercury is then stripped from the crude oil by flashing, or preferably by gas stripping with a gas injected at the bottom of the column. Either process transfers the elemental mercury from the oil phase into the gas phase. Elemental mercury can then be removed from the gas phase by methods such as condensation, precipitation, or absorption either alone or in combination.

主权项

1. A method of removing mercury from crude oil, comprising
a) feeding a crude oil comprising mercury into a stabilization column at a predetermined flow rate; b) heating said crude oil comprising mercury for a first time period in said stabilization column to at least 100° C. and less than 350° C. until at least 70 wt % of the mercury in various forms is converted to elemental mercury; c) converting the elemental mercury to gaseous elemental mercury; and d) removing the gaseous elemental mercury.