A technology of ultrasonic-electric united desalting and dewatering of crude oil is studied. The ultrasonic setup is designed to form a standing-wave field

which is more efficient for agglomeration of water particles. The desalting and dewatering results of the ultrasonic-electric united process are compared with those of the electric process. For high salt-contenting crude oil (40-70 mg·L

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)

the salt content is still above 10.0 mg·L

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after crude oil has been treated by two-stage electric desalting process in refinery

which cannot meet the need of refinery. Ultrasonic-electric united process is a novel technology for treating the high salt-contenting oil. On the optimal operating conditions of the ultrasonic-electric united process

the salt content of crude oil can be reduced from 67.5 mg·L

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to 3.97 mg·L

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by one-stage ultrasonic-electric united process

and the water content falls below 0.3% (by volume). The results show that the ultrasonic-electric united process is more effective than the electric process in high salt-contenting oil desalting. This technology should be useful in the refinery process.