An electrostatic heater-treater is a vessel used in oil and gas production to separate oil-water emulsions using electrical charges. It has the same design as a horizontal heater-treater but includes an electrostatic grid in the coalescing-settling section. As the emulsion passes through the electrical field, water droplets become charged and collide with each other to form larger droplets that can settle out. Electrostatic treaters are preferred over standard heaters because they can more efficiently reduce water content to low levels and treat emulsions with high water content across a range of crude oil viscosities.

1. Electrostatic
Heater-Treaters
Srikar Perumalla
17021A2641

2. What is a heater-treater?
A heater-treater is a vessel that is used to separate oil-water
emulsions in the crude before it is supplied to the refineries.

3. Electrostatic Heater-Treater
Electrostatic heater-treaters in oil and gas industry
are used to break the oil/water emulsions by
applying electrical charges.
Have the same design as horizontal heater-treater.
An electric grid is placed in coalescing-settling
section for coalescence of water droplets.

5. Coalescing-Settling Section
• The coalescing section must be sized to
provide adequate retention time for coalescing
to occur and to allow the coalescing water
droplets to settle.
• Electrostatic grid is installed in coalescing
section.

6. Electrostatic Grid
 It contains 2 or more electrodes, one is
grounded to the vessel and the others are
suspended by insulators.
 Voltage Ranges of grid: 10,000 to 35,000
VAC
 Power Consumption of grid: 0.05 to 0.10
KVA/ft2
(KVA- Kilo-Volt Ampere)

7. • Power is supplied to the grid through a step up
transformer mounted on the vessel.
• They supply energy to the electrodes .

8. Principle
• As the emulsion passes through the electrical
field, the water droplets in the emulsion
become electrically charged and they move
about rapidly and collide with one another.
• As they collide the droplets grow in size
forming larger droplets, until they become
large enough to settle.

9. Operating Conditions:
• The operating temperature of the electrostatic
treater is normally lower than that of the heater
treater.
• Treating temperatures normally range between
85°F and 135°F.
• If fluid temperature gets below 70°F, the grids
will not have the proper treating effect on the
emulsion.
• Electrostatic treaters operate under working
pressures of 5 to 50 psi.

10. Why electrostatic-treaters are
preferred?
Electrostatic heater-treaters are efficient at reducing water
content in the crude to the 0.2 to 0.5 percent level.
This makes electrostatic heater-treaters are particularly
attractive for desalting operations.
Can treat emulsions of any API gravity with high water
content.
Effective when the fluid viscosity is less than 50cp.

11. Bibliography:
- Ken Arnold & Maurice Stewart, 2008 ,
Surface Production Operations, Design of Oil
Handling Systems and Facilities, Third edition.
- Park science blogspot
https://park-science.blogspot.com/2016/01/electrostatic-treater-
operation.html
- OilfieldWiki
http://www.oilfieldwiki.com/wiki/Electrostatic_treater