Crude Storage, Blending, Desalting, Distillation, and Treating

Large quantities of crude oils are transported through pipelines on land or tankers over water to refineries for processing into consumer products. Thus, refineries need to have many large storage tanks in tank farm for crude oil and its products. After blending crude oils to meet refinery configuration and specifications, the blended oil is subjected to desalting before entering the distillation towers for fractionation. To increase the yields of valuable products without overheating, distillation is performed under atmospheric pressure and vacuum (reduced pressure). Treating is always necessary in many parts of refinery to remove foulants that can affect even detriment refinery operations and product quality.