Kazakhstan Atyrau Refinery Project: High-Efficiency Three-Phase Separator System

Project Background:

The Atyrau Refinery (ANPZ) is one of the three major refineries in Kazakhstan, bearing the responsibility for the country's fuel supply and chemical feedstock production. During the plant's deep processing and environmental upgrade project, high-performance three-phase separation equipment was required for oily wastewater treatment and crude oil pre-treatment. Due to the complex composition of local crude oil containing acid gases, the separator had to achieve thorough separation of gas, liquid, and solid phases under severe chemical corrosion and pressure fluctuations to protect downstream hydro-processing and reforming unit catalysts from contamination.

Core Challenges:

• Extreme Continental Climate: The Atyrau region experiences scorching summers and frigid winters (down to -40°C), demanding exceptional low-temperature impact resistance and thermal insulation design for the equipment.
• High Sulfur & Corrosive Media: The processed media contains high concentrations of H₂S and chloride ions, requiring stringent corrosion resistance and superior weld quality for the vessels.
• High-Precision Separation Indicators: The system must handle high-flow rates while drastically reducing oil-in-water and water-in-oil concentrations, ensuring purity indicators for all separated phases.
• Compliance Requirements: The equipment had to meet both ASME international standards and Kazakhstan’s local GOST quality certification norms.

Our Solution:

Tailored to the specific working conditions of the Atyrau Refinery, we provided a modularly designed three-phase separator system:

• Corrosion-Resistant Specialty Materials: The main pressure vessel is constructed from HIC-resistant steel or featured specialty alloy linings/anti-corrosive coatings. Core internals utilize Hastelloy or super stainless steel to ensure long-term service in acidic environments.
• Advanced Internal Technology: The system integrates corrugated plate mist eliminators, high-efficiency cyclones, and corrugated plate coalescers. Combining physical coalescence with centrifugal separation, it achieves rapid settling of microscopic oil droplets and solid particles.
• Intelligent Interface Control: Utilizing high-precision radar level gauges and interface meters, paired with fully automated pneumatic control valve sets, the system achieves dynamic and precise control of gas-oil and oil-water interfaces, ensuring stable discharge quality.
• All-Weather Insulation & Heat Tracing: For the frigid climate, the unit is equipped with comprehensive insulation jackets and self-limiting electrical heat tracing systems to prevent icing and wax precipitation during winter operations.

Customer Value & Results:

Since the commissioning of the three-phase separator system, the Atyrau Refinery's wastewater treatment efficiency has increased by approximately 25%, and the quality of recovered oil has fully met re-refining standards. The stable operation has effectively extended the cleaning cycles for downstream heat exchangers and catalytic reactors, reducing O&M costs by nearly 15%. The successful implementation of this project has not only helped ANPZ achieve greener production goals but also demonstrated our system integration and high-quality delivery capabilities for large-scale energy projects along the "Belt and Road."