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Equipment

Crude & Condensate Stabilization

Stabilizers remove light ends from crude or condensate to meet the specified vapour-pressure limit for storage, transport or export.

Crude stabilization column with reboiler, overhead condenser and reflux drum on a modular structure
Project reference

Gas Treatment Units for Two Fields Makat and Balgymbaeva Fields, Kazakhstan 2013

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ScopeCondensate stabilization unit alongside glycol dehydration and dew point control for associated gas.

Application

Meeting the RVP Specification

Crude and condensate stabilizers are used in process plants to meet the Reid vapour pressure requirements specified by the customer. Stripping the light ends brings the true vapour pressure inside the limit set for storage and export.

A similar arrangement is also offered for H₂S stripping from liquid, where the sales product has to meet a maximum allowable H₂S content.

Process

Column and Reboiler

The typical stabilizer arrangement is a stabilization column with process trays or packing installed, together with a stabilizer reboiler.

On smaller units the stabilizer column is sometimes mounted directly on the reboiler. Larger units have separate columns and reboilers. Some systems also include inlet stabilized/unstabilized heat exchangers and an overhead reflux condenser, for enhanced recovery and a more efficient design.

System configuration

Major Equipment Within the System

System configuration varies with process duty, operating conditions and project requirements.

  • Stripping column with access platforms, illustration

    Stabilization Column

    Strips the light ends from the crude or condensate over process trays or structured packing.

  • Skid-mounted reboiler, illustration

    Stabilizer Reboiler

    Supplies the heat that drives the light ends out of the liquid; gas fired, or heated by hot oil or steam.

  • Shell and tube heat exchanger, illustration

    Stabilized/Unstabilized Heat Exchangers

    Optional: heat exchange between the stabilized product and the incoming feed, for a more efficient design.

  • Air-cooled exchanger, illustration

    Reflux Condenser

    Optional: condenses overhead vapour as reflux, for enhanced recovery.

Arrangement

  • Smaller units: column mounted directly on the reboiler
  • Larger units: separate column and reboiler

Options

  • NACE compliant design: sour service where H₂S is present
  • Customer preferred instrumentation: alignment with an existing plant standard
  • Gas fired or hot oil / steam reboiler: heat medium selected to suit site utilities
  • H₂S stripping arrangement: meeting the maximum allowable H₂S content in the sales product

Units can be supplied as skid-mounted modules. Final equipment arrangement and delivery format depend on process duty, transport constraints and site requirements. Column diameter, tray count, reboiler duty and the target RVP are set against your feed and product specification.

Advantages

Design Approach

Configured to the duty

Configured around feed properties, utility availability and required product specification.

NACE where required

Sour service materials and detailing where H₂S is present in the stream.

Reboiler to suit utilities

Gas fired, hot oil or steam depending on what the site can supply.

Process data

What We Need for a Quotation

  • Crude or condensate analysis
  • Feed rate
  • Feed pressure and temperature
  • Target Reid vapour pressure
  • Maximum H₂S in the product, where it applies
  • Reboiler heat source: fuel gas, hot oil or steam
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Welders working on a pressure vessel at SPEC's Jebel Ali fabrication facility

Enquiries

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Send us your process data and operating conditions, and we will review the duty with you.

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