What it looks like on the ground
Performance depends on people
The plant runs well when the senior operator is on shift and less well when they are not.
Expertise is leaving
Experienced operators are retiring, and new staff take months to learn how each process really behaves.
Setpoints by feel
Dosing and operating settings are adjusted from habit rather than from the current condition of the process.
From early signal to result
From results that depend on who is on shift to consistent performance on every shift.
Refiners are running more opportunity crudes, and every new assay changes the desalter’s optimum: emulsion behaviour, temperature, wash water and demulsifier dose. Setpoints stay fixed, the lab result arrives 4 to 8 hours late, and the know-how to adjust sits with a few senior operators. IONSiTE Petromind, our desalter digital twin, builds that judgement into the system: it forecasts oil in brine and salt carryover 1 to 24 hours ahead, explains what is driving them, and recommends setpoints before a blend change becomes an upset. Every shift runs to the same standard, whoever is in the control room.
- SEE
Process in context
Wash-water, mix-valve dP, temperature and interface level tracked together.
- FORECAST
1 to 24 h ahead
Petromind forecasts oil in brine and salt carryover before they escalate.
- GUIDE
Setpoints recommended
Operators get the next best setting, with the reason.
- CONTROL
Dosing at the edge
Demulsifier dosing applied automatically through AutoChem EDGEbox: same standard, every shift.
Illustrative scenario. Figures are examples, not customer results.
See it. Understand it. Improve it.
- STEP 01
See it
The full process in context: chemistry, operating and quality data together, around the clock.
- STEP 02
Understand it
Process digital twins that forecast risks and explain what is going wrong and why.
- STEP 03
Improve it
Recommended setpoints and dosing, with closed-loop control where it is safe to automate.
Same crude. Better setpoints. Fewer surprises.
Last year’s crude slate is not this year’s. Opportunity crudes are now routine, and the desalter feels the change first.
THE SQUEEZE
- Fixed setpoints Every assay brings a different emulsion, optimum temperature, wash-water and demulsifier need.
- Lab results 4 to 8 h late By the time the result arrives, the upset has already happened.
- A stretched team Planners and operators are already thin on the ground.
- Thin margin to off-spec Less room for error with every new blend.
THE ANSWER
IONSiTE Petromind
The desalter digital twin. It combines process physics with AI so the judgement of your best operator is available on every shift.
- FORECAST
See 1 to 24 h ahead
Oil in brine and salt carryover projected before they spike.
- DIAGNOSE
Find what is driving it
Which setpoint, which crude, which change is behind the drift.
- OPTIMISE
Adjust before it hurts
Setpoint recommendations ahead of the blend change.
- SIMULATE
Test before the crude arrives
Planners trial a candidate blend in the twin first.
Business as usual vs. optimised
Targets: oil in brine below 100 ppm, salt carryover 2 ppb.
| Setpoint | Business as usual | Optimised |
|---|---|---|
| Mix valve ΔP | 0.14 kg/cm² | 0.1575 kg/cm² |
| Wash water temperature | 75.86 °C | 81.50 °C |
| Desalter 2 temperature | 116.10 °C | 124.10 °C |
| Demulsifier dose | 2.119 ppm | 2.419 ppm |
| Result | ||
| Oil in brine | 116 ppm | 98 ppm |
| Salt carryover | 3 ppb | 1.99 ppb |
Illustrative setpoints and outcomes for the same crude. Figures are examples, not customer results.
PROOF
Tested on real refinery data, the hybrid physics + AI twin cut forecast error by 55 to 88% versus the best standalone model.
SCENARIO PLANNING
Simulate before you commit
Planners test a candidate crude in the desalter before it arrives, not after, and see how the blend will behave.
Running a more diverse slate than two years ago? Book a Petromind walkthrough.
Book a site assessmentPetromind is one of many applications on the IONSiTE platform. If your plant faces a similar challenge, there is an application built for your industrial problem.
What changes for you
Consistent results
The same quality of decision on every shift and at every site.
Knowledge that stays
Expert know-how is built into models and guided actions.
Optimised chemistry
Dosing matched to actual conditions reduces chemical use and process risk.
WHO IT IS FOR
Operations and process heads in refineries, petrochemicals, power, food and beverage and other process industries.
Other digital solutions
- SOLUTION 01
Ageing infrastructure & asset reliability
Keep older assets running reliably, and spend capital where the data says it matters.
Explore - SOLUTION 02
Water security & environmental compliance
Know where every litre goes, and stay ahead of every limit.
Explore - SOLUTION 04
Connected operations: doing more with less
One small team, many sites, one live view.
Explore
Start with a site assessment
Book a site assessment with our water and digital experts. We will review your data and set a baseline, so the improvement can be measured.