Research In Chemical Engineering
Vol. 5 No. 1 (2026): Research in Chemical Engineering

Simulation of Performance of Heater Treater Using MATLAB

Erwan Adi Saputro (Chemical Engineering Department, Universitas Pembangunan Nasional Veteran Jawa Timur)
Mirza Aqeel Fernanda (Chemical Engineering Department, Universitas Pembangunan Nasional Veteran Jawa Timur)
Muhammad Revansyah Ramadhani W (Chemical Engineering Department, Universitas Pembangunan Nasional Veteran Jawa Timur1Chemical Engineering Department, Universitas Pembangunan Nasional Veteran Jawa Timur)



Article Info

Publish Date
14 Apr 2026

Abstract

This study presents a comprehensive performance evaluation of Heater Treater operating at oil and gas Field, The unit’s performance was assessed through analytical modeling and MATLAB simulation using field operating data to determine three key parameters: effective length, retention time, and heat duty. The analysis employed established correlations for gravitational settling, residence time, and thermal requirements to compare actual operating conditions with design specifications. The results show that the unit currently operates beyond its design capacity at a throughput of 5600 bbl/day, leading to excessive heat duty (3.9 MMBtu/h > 2.2 MMBtu/h design), insufficient retention time (~20 min), and inadequate effective length for complete oil–water separation. Optimal performance was achieved only within the flowrate range of 1100–2900 bbl/day, where all parameters remain within safe and efficient limits. The findings indicate that reactivating the preheater and maintaining the optimal operating window would significantly improve dehydration efficiency, reduce thermal load, and extend equipment life.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

rice

Publisher

Subject

Chemical Engineering, Chemistry & Bioengineering Chemistry Energy Engineering Materials Science & Nanotechnology

Description

RICE: Research in Chemical Engineering is a peer-reviewed open-access journal dedicated to the dissemination of chemical engineering and chemistry research and finding. This journal covers Research Articles, Review Articles, Short communication, and case studies Focus and Scope RICE: Research in ...