Engineering Standard

SAES-A-011 20 February 2013

Crude Oil Stabilization
Document Responsibility: Process Engineering Standards Committee

Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards

Table of Contents
1 Scope.................................................................... 2
2 Conflicts and Deviations........................................ 2
3 References............................................................ 2
4 Definitions.............................................................. 3
5 Crude Oil Stabilization Specification..................... 4
6 Process Design Considerations............................ 4
6.1 Stabilizer Feed Preheat Train
6.2 Stabilizer Column Design
6.3 Reboiler Design
6.4 Thermosiphon Loop Design
6.5 Reboiler Piping
6.6 Steam Injection
6.7 Performance Analyzer
7 Stabilizer Reboiler Temperature Control............... 8
7.1 Steam Heating
7.2 Hot Oil Heating
8 Crude Oil Stabilization De-bottlenecking............... 9

Appendix-1: Crude Oil Stabilization

Unit Example (Sketch).......................... 11
Appendix-2: Thermosiphon Hydraulic Calculation.... 12
Appendix-3: Reboiler Temperature Control
(Sketch)................................................ 20

Previous Issue: New Next Planned Update: 20 February 2018

Page 1 of 20
Primary contact: Simone, Mulas on +966-3-8809485

Copyright©Saudi Aramco 2013. All rights reserved.

Document Responsibility: Process Engineering Standards Committee SAES-A-011
Issue Date: 20 February 2013
Next Planned Update: 20 February 2018 Crude Oil Stabilization

1 Scope

1.1 This Standard provides the minimum and mandatory requirements governing the
critical aspects of the design of the crude oil stabilization unit and its control, the
reboiler, thermosiphon loop and the design of the pre-heat train (if provided).

1.2 This Standard also provides the minimum requirement for debottlenecking an
existing Crude Stabilization Unit.

1.3 This Standard does not cover requirements for the design of Gas Oil Separation
Plant (GOSP), Produced Water Treatment & Disposal and Gas Gathering Unit.

2 Conflicts and Deviations

2.1 Any conflicts between this Standard and other applicable Saudi Aramco
Engineering Standards (SAESs), Material System Specification (SAMSSs),
Standard Drawings (SASDs), or industry standards, codes, and forms shall be
resolved in writing by the Company or Buyer’s Representative through the
Manager, Process & Control Systems Department (P&CSD) of Saudi Aramco,
Dhahran.

2.2 Direct all requests to deviate from this Standard in writing to the Company or
Buyer’s Representative, who shall follow internal company procedure SAEP-302
and forward such requests to the Manager, Process & Control Systems
Department (P&CSD) of Saudi Aramco, Dhahran.

3 References

The requirements contained in the following documents apply to the extent specified in
this standard:

3.1 Saudi Aramco References

Saudi Aramco Engineering Procedures

SAEP-302 Instructions for Obtaining a Waiver of a Mandatory
Saudi Aramco Engineering Requirement
SAEP-364 Process Simulation Model Development and Support

Saudi Aramco Engineering Standards

SAES-C-001 Process Design of Trays and Packing
SAES-D-001 Design Criteria for Pressure Vessels
SAES-E-004 Design Criteria of Shell and Tube Heat Exchangers

Page 2 of 20
Document Responsibility: Process Engineering Standards Committee SAES-A-011
Issue Date: 20 February 2013
Next Planned Update: 20 February 2018 Crude Oil Stabilization

SAES-L-310 Design of Plant Piping

3.2 Industry Codes and Standards

American Society of Testing and Materials

ASTM D2889 Standard Test Method for Calculation of True
Vapor Pressures of Petroleum Distillate Fuels
ASTM D323-90 Standard Test Method for Vapor Pressure of
Petroleum Products (Reid Method)1
ASTM D6377-08 Standard Test Method for Determination of Vapor
Pressure of Crude Oil:
VPCRx (Expansion Method)1

4 Definitions and Abbreviations

Available Head for Thermosiphon Flow (AHTF): Available head for thermosiphon
flow equals top of level in drawoff tray to the bottom of the inlet to the reboiler.

BS&W: Basic (Bottom) Sediments and Water.

Crude Oil Stabilizer: Distillation column with feed to the top and middle tray (if Feed
Preheater provided) to strip H2S (hydrogen sulfide) and light hydrocarbons to meet H2S
and TVP specifications (refer to Appendix-1 for Crude Oil Stabilizer example).

GOSP: Gas Oil Separation Plant.

H2S: Hydrogen Sulfide.

MOC: Management of change

Reboilers: Heat exchangers used to provide heat to the bottom of a distillation column.

Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP): A measure of product volatility, measured in pounds per
square inch (psi) at 100°F. The higher the RVP, the more volatile the product is and
therefore, evaporates more readily (test method ASTM D6377-08 or ASTM D323-90).

Required Head Thermosiphon Flow (RHTF): Required head for thermosiphon flow is
calculated by trial and error, and is the head on the inlet side of the reboiler to overcome
the loop pressure drop and the static head on the return loop including the reboiler.

TCV: Temperature Control valve.

Thermosiphon: It is a method of circulating liquid in a vertical closed-loop circuit,

without requiring a conventional pump. The circulation is a result of the density
differences caused by heat transfer to the liquid from a heat source.

Page 3 of 20
Document Responsibility: Process Engineering Standards Committee SAES-A-011
Issue Date: 20 February 2013
Next Planned Update: 20 February 2018 Crude Oil Stabilization

Trap out tray: Tray designed for total draw of liquid.

True Vapor Pressure (TVP): True Vapor Pressure; it is the vapor pressure of the
hydrocarbon mixture at its operating temperature (test method ASTM D2889).

5 Crude Oil Stabilization Specification

5.1 The crude oil shall be stabilized to meet a TVP specification of 13.0 psia at a
pipeline transport and/or storage temperature of 140°F. If process design basis
dictates a different transport and/or storage temperature then the stabilization
process shall ensure that, at the pipeline transport and/or storage temperature the
TVP shall be below 13.0 psia.

5.2 In addition the H2S content in the stabilized oil stream shall not exceed
30 ppm (w/w). If required, the maximum TVP limit shall be reduced to lower
than 13 psia, such that the H2S content is not exceeded beyond 30 ppm (w/w).
The column design and reboiler duty shall be based on the higher duty required
between the TVP and H2S specifications.

However, process facility design will vary depending on the RVP specified for
the crude. Additional cooling facilities may have to be added to ensure TVP of
13.0 psia is not exceeded while simultaneously meeting the RVP specifications.
Commentary:

It shall be understood that it is not always possible to meet both the H 2S and the
TVP specification simultaneously. However, the TVP shall not exceed 13.0 psia
while trying to meet H2S specification. Similarly, the H2S specification shall not
be exceeded, it may be necessary to lower the TVP below 13.0 psia specification
to meet the H2S specification.

6 Process and Equipment Design Considerations

6.1 Stabilizer Feed Preheat Train

6.1.1 Crude oil Stabilization process design shall incorporate energy

conservation to recover the heat from the hot stabilizer bottom stream.

6.1.2 If crude oil stabilization is done within the battery limits of the GOSP,
then hot stabilized oil shall ensure heating the crude entering
dehydration/desalting unit to a temperature not to exceed 140°F, in order
to facilitate the breaking of emulsions and promote better separation
performance. This may be done with or without a preheater on the crude
feed to the stabilizer.

Page 4 of 20
Document Responsibility: Process Engineering Standards Committee SAES-A-011
Issue Date: 20 February 2013
Next Planned Update: 20 February 2018 Crude Oil Stabilization

Note: Higher temperatures are not recommended to ensure enough margin

shall be provided to avoid vaporization in Dehydrator/Desalter at
operating pressures.

6.1.3 Where the GOSP and stabilization process are far removed from each
other (i.e., Stabilizer is not a part of the GOSP) then hot stabilized oil
shall be used to preheat the feed to the column (Stabilizer). Where feed
pre-heating is used, splitting of the feed in a cold stream (by-passing
pre-heater) and a hot stream shall be considered in order to provide
optimum heat transfer and column design.

6.1.4 The preheat train shall be designed to provide optimum heat recovery
(energy saving optimization) and operational flexibility (equipment
sparing philosophy). In addition, if necessary process design may
require flexibility to cool the stabilized crude to the pipeline by fin fan
coolers, in the case summer crude inlet temperatures are not low enough
to allow pipeline transport at <140°F. Deep stabilization (higher bottoms
temperature) shall also be considered in order to meet TVP of 13.0 psia
at the higher pipeline temperature. Where this option is used, impact on
RVP spec. shall be checked. The optimum combination shall be
determined during the project proposal phase based on flexibility and
available economics.

6.1.5 The process simulations shall be based on the latest version of the
approved simulation software. The process simulation software that will
be used in a project shall be concurred by P&CSD. Simulation
development shall conform to the guidelines given in SAEP-364.

6.2 Stabilizer Column Design

6.2.1 The crude oil stabilizer shall be designed in accordance with SAES-D-001
and to operate at not less than 3.0 psig and not more than 5 psig at the top
of the column. For operating pressures higher than 5.0 psig, concurrence
shall be obtained from the Primary Contact of this Standard. The low
pressure operation of the stabilizer column ensures low reboilers duty, low
bottoms temperature, thereby reduced rate of fouling.

6.2.2 Multiple feeds to the column shall be based on feed preheater design but
in any case they shall not be more than two.

6.2.3 The column trap out tray (feed tray to the reboilers) shall be designed as
a chimney tray within the column, despite the number of tray passes or
reboilers connected to the column. The different reboilers shall be fed
from the common trap out tray. Separate trap out trays for individual
reboiler feeds shall not be designed, even if balanced outside the column.

Page 5 of 20
Document Responsibility: Process Engineering Standards Committee SAES-A-011
Issue Date: 20 February 2013
Next Planned Update: 20 February 2018 Crude Oil Stabilization

The column tray design, including the trap out tray, shall be performed
by tray vendor.

6.2.4 The column shall be designed with trays, primarily due to the fouling
nature of crude (packings shall not be used).

6.2.5 Column and trays design shall be conformed with SAES-C-001

requirements.

6.2.6 The re-boiled fluid (vapor/liquid mixture) returned from the reboilers
shall be designed to enter below the trap out tray.

6.2.7 The reboilers hydrocarbon feed and return lines shall be equipped with
through conduit valves to facilitate isolation.

6.2.8 The crude oil stabilizer shall be designed to operate at 40% turndown in
each operating case.

6.3 Reboiler Design

6.3.1 The Reboiler/s shall be designed as once through thermosiphon

Reboiler/s and not as circulating thermosiphon reboilers. Such a design
reduces the vapor loading to the bottom tray; the benefits are reduced
column diameter and less likelihood of flooding.

6.3.2 Reboilers shall be designed in accordance with SAES-E-004 and to

operate horizontally with crude on the shell side and heating medium on
the tube side of the heat exchanger unless approved otherwise by the
Chairman of Process Engineering Standards Committee.

6.3.3 Multiple Reboilers shall not be designed to operate in series. This is

required to eliminate high pressure drop in the thermosiphon loop.
Acceptable Reboiler configurations are as follows:
a) 2 x 50% Reboilers: Normal design shall provide 2 x 50% reboiler
installed capacity, with one ready spare tube bundle in warehouse.
Reboiler design could be optimized based on existing reboiler
designs to provide common spare bundle/s. Such a design shall
provide dedicated nozzle on the column and independent piping to
each reboiler. The trap out tray shall be common (to any nozzle) and
piping to the reboilers shall not be externally connected to make-up
100% reboiler design flow. Reboiler outlet piping shall also be
segregated. All such piping shall be geometrically symmetrical.
b) 2 x 100% Reboilers: Design philosophy where 2 x 100% reboilers
are provided must consider that only one reboiler shall operate

Page 6 of 20
Document Responsibility: Process Engineering Standards Committee SAES-A-011
Issue Date: 20 February 2013
Next Planned Update: 20 February 2018 Crude Oil Stabilization

during normal operation. Operating two in parallel for such design

will lead to excessive fouling and thermosiphon loop instability.
Such a design shall provide dedicated nozzle and independent piping
to each reboiler. The trap out tray shall be common (to any nozzle)
and piping to the reboilers shall not be externally connected to make
up 100% flow to each reboiler. Reboiler outlet piping shall also be
segregated. All such piping shall be geometrically symmetrical.
c) 4 x 25% Reboilers: Such a design shall provide one ready spare
tube bundle in warehouse. The reboilers shall be arranged two
(50% capacity) on either side of the column. The trap out tray shall
be common (to any nozzle) and feed to the reboilers on each side
through a common line from the column externally split to feed
each of the 25% reboilers on one side. If this is done, then the
outlet or return to the column from each side shall be connected to
provide a single line to the column. All such piping shall be
geometrically symmetrical.

6.4 Thermosiphon Loop Design

6.4.1 Design shall ensure vapor equalizing line is provided as shown in

Appendix-2, Figure-2. This design equalizes the pressure in the line to
the reboilers with the pressure in the column, above the trap out pan and
assures continuous and stable flow in the thermosiphon loop.
The connection on the thermosiphon loop shall be made at the top of the
line above the vertical section as shown in Appendix-2, Figure-2. This is
to ensure that the equalizing line connection is not made in the liquid
section of the thermosiphon loop.

6.4.2 Design shall ensure that there is no slug flow in the thermosiphon loop.
Changing line diameter is one way to eliminate the slug flow.

6.4.3 Design contractor shall ensure detailed hydraulic calculations are provided
as per the procedure provided in Appendix-2. Hydraulic information for
Available Head for Thermosiphon Flow (AHTF) and Required Head for
Thermosiphon Flow (RHTF) shall be included in this check.

6.5 Reboiler Piping

6.5.1 The piping design shall be independent to each reboiler and symmetrical
as mentioned in paragraph 6.3.3 above.

6.5.2 Reboiler piping and Thermosiphon Loop Design shall be designed as

described in Appendix-2.

Page 7 of 20
Document Responsibility: Process Engineering Standards Committee SAES-A-011
Issue Date: 20 February 2013
Next Planned Update: 20 February 2018 Crude Oil Stabilization

6.5.3 The piping shall be designed in accordance to SAES-L-310.

6.6 Steam Injection

6.6.1 Where steam is available, steam shall be injected into the crude upstream
of the reboiler to facilitate higher vaporization within the reboiler at
lower processing temperature, due to the partial pressure effect of steam.

6.6.2 Process simulation shall determine the optimum steam injection rate to
meet the TVP and H2S specifications; however, as a guideline 12.0 lbs/hr
of steam is required per 1000 barrels/day of crude processed.

6.6.3 60 psig saturated steam with less than five degrees Fahrenheit (<5°F)
superheat shall be used.

6.7 Performance Analyzer

BS&W, H2S and RVP analyzer shall be provided on the oil stabilized stream in
order to monitor the quality of oil leaving the unit and detect eventual upset
conditions.

7 Stabilizer Reboiler Temperature Control

The heating medium for the shell and tube heat exchanger reboiler shall be preferably
60 psig steam or hot oil where steam is not available. The use of hot water system is
not allowed.

7.1 Steam Heating

7.1.1 Where steam is used for heating, the design shall use 60 psig saturated
steam with less than five degrees Fahrenheit (<5°F) superheat.
Higher pressure steam results in high tube skin temperatures and
increased fouling.

7.1.2 The reboiler shall be designed with condensate subcooling to a

temperature <180°F to prevent condensate from flashing in the condensate
collection header. It is common knowledge that continuous flashing and
condensing of steam in the return header after the temperature control
valve (TCV) (Appendix-3) causes continuous hammering of the return
condensate lines, and can result in mechanical failure of the header.
Higher subcooled temperatures are acceptable in so far as the return
header back pressure is maintained to attain condensate temperature 10°F
below the flashing temperature in the entire length of the header, prior to
discharging into the condensate drum. The condensate header must enter

Page 8 of 20
Document Responsibility: Process Engineering Standards Committee SAES-A-011
Issue Date: 20 February 2013
Next Planned Update: 20 February 2018 Crude Oil Stabilization

the drum horizontally. If a back pressure control valve is used it shall be

located close to the condensate drum.

7.1.3 The temperature control scheme shall be designed according to

Appendix-3. The reboiler crude oil outlet temperature is controlled by
steam heating and flooding the tubes with condensate. The TCV on the
condensate line is normally controlled by the fluid temperature from the
reboiler to the column. However, the TCV will not let uncondensed
steam out as the controller has a temperature override from the
condensate temperature out of the reboiler.

7.1.4 For multiple systems connected to a common condensate header, a

condensate backpressure controller may be provided and shall be located
close to the condensate return drum. The pressure setting shall ensure
there is a minimum of +10°F gap between the equilibrium condensate
temperatures for the pressure setting on the header and the condensate
from the reboilers (return condensate temperatures being lower); this will
prevent hammering in the line from flashing condensate.

7.2 Hot Oil Heating

Where steam is not available hot oil heating shall be provided. Hot oil shall be
selected with an autoignition temperature of 50C above its maximum operating
temperature. However, the reboiler inlet temperature for hot oil shall not exceed
390°F.

8 Crude Oil Stabilization De-bottlenecking

8.1 A process study including process simulation shall be conducted to establish the
equipment and/or piping limitation at new operating conditions.

8.2 Column diameter and tray geometry shall be verified in order to avoid upset
conditions (such as column flooding or weeping) under new operating
conditions according to requirements of SAES-C-001. Tray design verification
shall be confirmed by tray vendor.

8.3 Reboiler and feed pre-heater design shall be verified under new operating
conditions. In particular thermal exchange rate calculation shall be performed
for each exchanger in order to verify if exchange surface area is fitting new
operating conditions.

8.4 A flare and relief system study shall be conducted in order to verify the impact
on the flare system due to new operating conditions of Crude Stabilization Unit.

Page 9 of 20
Document Responsibility: Process Engineering Standards Committee SAES-A-011
Issue Date: 20 February 2013
Next Planned Update: 20 February 2018 Crude Oil Stabilization

8.5 A Management of Change (MOC) shall be completed for any design change of
Crude Stabilization Unit.

Revision Summary
20 February 2013 New Saudi Aramco Engineering Standard.

Page 10 of 20
Document Responsibility: Process Engineering Standards Committee SAES-A-011
Issue Date: 20 February 2013
Next Planned Update: 20 February 2018 Crude Oil Stabilization

Appendix-1: Crude Stabilization Unit Example (Sketch)

Page 11 of 20
Document Responsibility: Process Engineering Standards Committee SAES-A-011
Issue Date: 20 February 2013
Next Planned Update: 20 February 2018 Crude Oil Stabilization

Appendix-2: Termosiphon Hydraulic Calculation

Procedure

Design Contractor shall perform detailed hydraulic calculations in order to estimate the
Available Head for Thermosiphon Flow (AHTF) and the Required Head for Thermosiphon
Flow (RHTF). Hydraulic calcutation shall be performed for each design and operating case as
per Table-1 procedure (refer to Figure 1):

Table-1
AHTF Calculation Variable Unit
STEP-1
Consider the draw-off tray height in accordance
to draw-off tray liquid level (if any) specified by h0 ft
tray vendor
STEP-2
Consider the reboiler inlet piping height h1 ft
STEP-3
Calculate AHTF as sum of draw-off tray height
AHTF = h0 + h1 ft
(STEP-1) and reboiler inlet piping height (STEP-2)
RHTF Calculation
STEP-1
Assume as first trial that RHTF is equal to AHTF RHTF(1st trial) = h0 + h1 ft
STEP-2
Calculate pressure drop in every section of
reboiler inlet line (from the draw-off tray outlet
∆p1 psi
nozzle to the reboiler inlet nozzle) at design
flowrate according to STEP-1 assumption
STEP-3
Calculate pressure drop across reboiler ∆pReb psi
STEP-4
Calculate pressure drop in every section of return
line (from reboiler outlet nozzle to the return line ∆p2 psi
inlet nozzle) at design flowrate
STEP-5
Calculate pressure drop in the entire loop as sum
∆pTot = ∆p1 + ∆pReb + ∆p2 psi
of STEP-2, STEP-3 and STEP-4
STEP-6
Calculate static head in the return line using
H2 = ρMix ˑ h2 psi
mixed phase density
STEP-7
Calculate the static head in the reboiler inlet line
H1 = ∆pTot + H2 (NOTE 1) psi
as sum of pressure drop in the entire loop (STEP-

Page 12 of 20
Document Responsibility: Process Engineering Standards Committee SAES-A-011
Issue Date: 20 February 2013
Next Planned Update: 20 February 2018 Crude Oil Stabilization

AHTF Calculation Variable Unit

5) and static head I in the return line (STEP-6)
STEP-8
Calculate the updated RHTF dividing static head
in the reboiler inlet line (STEP-7) by density of RHTF(2nd trial) = H1/ρLiq ft
liquid flowing in the line
STEP-9
Subtract first trial RHTF to updated RHTF to
Err = RHTF(1st trial) - RHTF(2nd trial) ft
find step error
STEP-10
If step error is less than 0.01 ft then updated
RHTF is the final result and stop the calculation.
Otherwise recalculate STEP-2 assuming that the
liquid level in the reboiler inlet line is equal to
updated RHTF and find new updated RHTF Err < 0.01 ft ft
recalculating STEP-5, STEP-7, STEP-8 and
STEP-9 with new ∆p1 from STEP-2 (NOTE 2).
Repeat this procedure until step error
requirement is satisfied.

NOTE 1: Gas Pressure drop through the draw-off tray has been considered negligible.

NOTE 2: Only ∆p1 changes because the level in the reboiler inlet line is different. All the other
variables remain the same as first trial.

Page 13 of 20
Document Responsibility: Process Engineering Standards Committee SAES-A-011
Issue Date: 20 February 2013
Next Planned Update: 20 February 2018 Crude Oil Stabilization

Figure-1

Part A Equalizing line

Drawoff tray
liquid height (h0)

Part B – piping outside the

Drawoff Tray column
Return line
Two phase – liquid + vapor
Vapor inlet nozzle
(pressure drop ∆p2)

Liquid

Reboiler inlet
piping height Return line piping
(h1) height (h2)
Stabilizer
Column

AHTF RHTF

Reboiler
(pressure drop ∆pReb)

One Phase – Liquid

(pressure drop ∆p1)
AHTF - Available Head for Thermosiphon Flow

RHTF- Required Head for Thermosiphon Flow

For AHTF > RHTF, provide Equalizing Line

Page 14 of 20
Document Responsibility: Process Engineering Standards Committee SAES-A-011
Issue Date: 20 February 2013
Next Planned Update: 20 February 2018 Crude Oil Stabilization

If AHTF > RHTF then equalizing line shall be provided as shown in Figure-2. The connection
on the thermosiphon loop shall be made at the top of the line above the vertical section as
shown in Figure-2. This is to ensure that the equalizing line connection is not made in the
liquid section of the thermosiphon loop.

Figure-2

Equalizing line

Head required
in tray

Liquid Flashes if
no equalizing line

Head required in pipe

for thermosiphon flow
Vapor

Return from
reboiler

Liquid

To reboiler

Page 15 of 20
Document Responsibility: Process Engineering Standards Committee SAES-A-011
Issue Date: 20 February 2013
Next Planned Update: 20 February 2018 Crude Oil Stabilization

Design Example

The following example will illustrate how to conduct on thermosiphon loop hydraulic
verification.

Refer to Figure-3. The design crude feed to the column is approximately 735,000 barrels per
day (bpd) at standard conditions (60ºF).

The oil from the bottom tray is collected in the trapout tray. There are two 36 inch outlet
nozzles each diverts 50% of the flow to the reboilers (approximately 379,000 bpd at actual
conditions including internal reflux) on each side of the column.

In each loop, the crude flows to the shell side of two sets of horizontal thermosiphon reboilers
and then returns, via a 48 inch header, to the column. In the return header to the column the
flow is two phase. Refer to Figure-3 (The same is true of the other loop).
The thermosiphon loop hydraulics is described in Table-2.
Table-2 (NOTE 3)
AHTF Calculation Variable Value
STEP-1
Oil head in trap-out tray: h0 40.94 in
STEP-2
Reboiler inlet piping height h1 45.3 ft
STEP-3
AHTF = sum of draw-off tray
height (STEP-1) and reboiler inlet AHTF = h0 + h1 48.7 ft
piping height (STEP-2)
RHTF Calculation
STEP-1
As first trial RHTF is equal to
RHTF(1st trial) = h0 + h1 48.7 ft
AHTF
STEP-2a (Section S-A1 refer to
Figure-3)
First Trial: 36 in nominal size and
approximately 86 ft long (based on ∆p1a(1st trial) 0.170 psi
Available Head 48.7 ft)
Final Trial: 36 in nominal size and
approximately 16.44 ft long (based ∆p1a(Final trial) 0.142 psi
on actual level in the pipe)
STEP-2b (Section A1-B refer to
Figure-3)
24 in identical header to one of the
two reboilers and approximately ∆p1b 0.045 psi
12 ft long (single phase)

Page 16 of 20
Document Responsibility: Process Engineering Standards Committee SAES-A-011
Issue Date: 20 February 2013
Next Planned Update: 20 February 2018 Crude Oil Stabilization

AHTF Calculation Variable Value

STEP-2c (Section B-E refer to
Figure-3)
16 in identical header to each of
the two nozzles on the reboiler
∆p1c 0.101 psi
section; approximately 5 ft long
(single phase).
STEP-2 (overall ∆p reboiler inlet
line)
Sum of each section of reboiler
∆p1(1st trial) = ∆p1a + ∆p1b + ∆p1c 0.316 psi
inlet line (First trial)
Sum of each section of reboiler
∆p1(Final trial) = ∆p1a + ∆p1b + ∆p1c 0.288 psi
inlet line (Final trial)
STEP-3
Pressure drop across exchanger
∆pReb 2.0 psi
(section E to E1)
STEP-4a (Section E1-E2 refer to
Figure-3)
36 in identical header from each of
the two nozzles on the reboiler; ∆p2a 0.021 psi
almost 5ft long (two phase).
STEP-4b (Section E2-F refer to
Figure-3)
36 in identical header from each of
the reboilers; almost 9 ft long (two ∆p2b 0.052 psi
phase).
STEP-4c (Section F-G2 refer to
Figure-3)
48 in common section return to the
∆p2c 0.405 psi
column about 71 ft long
STEP-4 (overall ∆p returning
line)
Sum of each section of reboiler
∆p2 = ∆p2a + ∆p2b + ∆p2c 0.478 psi
returning line
STEP-5 (overall ∆p entire loop)
Sum of pressure drops calculated
in STEP-2, STEP-3 and STEP-4 ∆pTot(1st trial) = ∆p1(1st trial) + ∆pReb + ∆p2 2.794 psi
(First trial)
Sum of pressure drops calculated
∆pTot(Final trial) = ∆p1(Final trial) + ∆pReb + ∆p2 2.767 psi
in STEP-2, STEP-3 and STEP-4
STEP-6
Static head from reboiler outlet
nozzle through the return line to the H2 = ρMix ˑ h2 3.158 psi
column (section E1 through G2)

Page 17 of 20
Document Responsibility: Process Engineering Standards Committee SAES-A-011
Issue Date: 20 February 2013
Next Planned Update: 20 February 2018 Crude Oil Stabilization

AHTF Calculation Variable Value

STEP-7
Static head in the reboiler inlet line
H1(1st trial) = ∆pTot(1st trial) + H2 (NOTE 1) 5.953 psi
(First trial)
Static head in the reboiler inlet line
H1(Final trial) = ∆pTot(Final trial) + H2 (NOTE 1) 5.925 psi
(Final trial)
STEP-8
Updated RHTF (2nd trial) RHTF(2nd trial) = H1(Final trial)/ρLiq 16.52 ft
Updated RHTF (Final trial) RHTF(Final trial) = H1(Final trial)/ρLiq 16.44 ft
STEP-9
Step error (First trial) Err(1st trial) = RHTF(1st trial) - RHTF(2nd trial) 32.18 ft
STEP-10
Step error (Final trial) Err(2nd trial) = RHTF(2nd trial) - RHTF(Final trial) 0.008 ft

NOTE 3: The intent of the hydraulic values in Table-2 is for illustrative purpose only.

Page 18 of 20
Document Responsibility: Process Engineering Standards Committee SAES-A-011
Issue Date: 20 February 2013
Next Planned Update: 20 February 2018 Crude Oil Stabilization

Figure-3

Page 19 of 20
Document Responsibility: Process Engineering Standards Committee SAES-A-011
Issue Date: 20 February 2013
Next Planned Update: 20 February 2018 Crude Oil Stabilization

Appendix-3: Reboiler Temperature Control (Sketch)

Page 20 of 20