Frames has supplied Hytech, a consulting and engineering services company, with ultra-compact electrostatic coalescers for the Shell Argentina Sierras Blancas / Cruz de Lorena shale oil development. Faced with site access limitations, Frames has reduced the size of the two skid-mounted desalters, while retaining their performance, enabling transportation to the remote site.
In 2018, Shell appointed Hytech to develop the conceptual engineering of the different stages expected for the Sierras Blancas / Cruz de Lorena Central Production Facilities (CPF). Frames’ proprietary electrostatic coalescer technology is an efficient and effective method of removing undesirable water and salts from crude oil. Besides improving the quality of the oil, the two desalters for the shale oil development will also protect downstream processes and equipment.
Global team effort
To meet transportation size restrictions, while optimising desalting performance, Frames’ utilised its global project resources in the Netherlands, Dubai and India. This global team managed to significantly reduce the footprint of the skid mounted electrostatic coalescers to incorporate flowlines and instruments within the maximal width allowed. In addition to drawing on internal engineering expertise, Frames worked closely with Hytech and Shell Argentina, as well as local Argentinian suppliers.
“This was a demanding project where we were able to leverage our global reach in both design and engineering to deliver the desalter performance needed within a very compact electrostatic coalescer,” says Geert Willemse, Product Specialist, Frames. “Moreover, it allowed us to demonstrate the benefits of combining an international supply chain with local suppliers.”
