Dehydration: control residual water
The primary duty is to separate water from crude for downstream handling, storage or processing. Electrostatic dehydration promotes droplet coalescence before gravity separation.
Electrostatic Desalter Selection & Quotation Guide
Start with the incoming crude and required outlet quality, before choosing vessel size or voltage. These three questions help define the treatment duty and prepare a quotation that can be compared on a consistent basis.
Single-stage vs two-stage desalting: how do you choose?
Whether a single stage is sufficient depends on the crude and its variability, inlet salt and water, emulsion behavior, wash water and operating conditions. Two stages provide another opportunity for washing and separation, with additional equipment, controls and utility requirements.
01Crude envelope + outlet targets
02Testing + process assessment
03Compare stages, scope + utilities
Illustrative selection logic; not a process design drawing.
- Evaluate a single-stage arrangement when it can meet the targets across the agreed crude and operating envelope.
- Evaluate a second stage when tighter outlet targets or test results call for further treatment; review interstage mixing, wash-water routing and brine handling together.
- Additional stages do not automatically correct unsuitable mixing, a persistent rag layer, interface-control problems or electrical faults. Identify the limiting mechanism first.
Stage count and vessel count are not always interchangeable; confirm the actual process arrangement. Throughput alone is not sufficient to select vessel dimensions.
Desalter vs dehydrator: what is the difference?
Desalting: transfer salt and remove brine
Desalting normally mixes wash water with crude to transfer salt into the water phase, then separates and drains the brine. A low outlet water result alone does not demonstrate that the salt target has been met.
One package may serve both duties. Compare quotations using separate salt and water targets, units and acceptance methods, rather than equipment names alone.
What information is needed for a desalter quotation?
You can start an enquiry before every detail is available. Send the documents you have and identify missing information so the team can clarify the conditions that matter most.
Crude properties and blend range
Send the crude assay, density with reference temperature, viscosity at treatment temperature, inlet salt and water, conductivity if available, solids and emulsion information. State units, test methods and sampling locations.
Throughput and outlet targets
Specify minimum, normal and maximum flow, outlet salt and water requirements, and the applicable measurement basis. Describe expected changes in crude blend.
Operating conditions and utilities
Provide operating and design temperature and pressure, available heating, wash-water quality and supply, electrical utilities and the destination for separated brine.
Mechanical and site requirements
Identify the design code, material requirements, corrosion allowance, hazardous-area classification, plot space and transport limits. Mark unresolved requirements as to be confirmed.
Supply and control boundaries
Identify whether the scope includes vessels, internals, transformers, high-voltage feedthroughs, mixing, chemical dosing, valves, instruments, piping and controls, plus site installation or commissioning support.
Retrofit and acceptance basis
For a retrofit, include existing process and equipment drawings and operating records. Agree acceptance targets against the crude envelope, operating conditions, sampling methods and test arrangement.
Pricing and performance commitments depend on the agreed operating basis and supply boundaries; they cannot be inferred directly from another projectβs dimensions or outlet results.
Send your project requirements β