METHOD OF TREATMENT OF HEAVY HIGHLY VISCOUS OIL Russian patent published in 2008 - IPC B01D17/00 

FIELD: oil industry.

SUBSTANCE: proposed invention relates to the oil industry, in particular to oil treatment methods and can be used for the treatment of heavy highly viscous oil forming emulsions with low-mineralised water. Well production is sent to the predraining and gas separation sump at the well production temperature. After separation of part of the formation water and gas extraction, the flow is pumped through a heat exchanger to a predraining sump where it is heated by heat medium, and oil is settled at intermediate temperature. Predrained oil with a maximum water volume ratio of 10% is mixed with light hydrocarbon dilutant and transferred to separation sumps where the intermediate temperature is maintained. From the separation sumps, oil with a water volume ratio of less than 0.5% (minimum 2/3 of overall whole volume) is pumped to a buffer tank, the remaining oil being pumped into a final dewatering sump for settling at the limit temperature, and further to the buffer tank.

EFFECT: decreased cost of heating during final dewatering.

4 cl, 1 dwg, 1 tbl