The invention relates to a process for distillation of crude oils comprising i) passing a hydrocarbon crude oil into a preflash vessel maintained under conditions to separate the crude oil into a preflash liquid and a preflash vapor, ii) passing the pre-flash liquid into a furnace maintained under conditions to heat and partially vaporize the preflash liquid, iii) passing the heated furnace effluent into the lower part of a distillation column maintained under fractionating conditions, iv) passing the preflash vapor into the distillation column in a zone at the bottom of a stripping zone located below the introduction zone of the furnace effluent, and v) passing steam into the distillation column in a zone at the bottom of the stripping zone, such that liquid furnace effluent is contacted with steam and preflash vapor in the stripping zone under conditions sufficient to strip the liquid furnace effluent.
