The invention discloses a crude oil electric desalting process, which overcomes the disadvantages of long retention time, large electricity consumption, and poor operation stability for crude oil in an electric field in the prior art. The process comprises: allowing crude oil to enter a device through a crude oil pump, heating to 100-160 DEG C, and then performing at least one stage of desalting process; each stage of desalting process comprises: mixing the crude oil with washing water and a demulsifier in a mixing apparatus, allowing the mixture to enter at least one tubular demulsification device for demulsification, allowing the demulsified crude oil to enter the bottom of a settling tank, performing oil-water separation in the settling tank, allowing the separated crude oil to flow out from the upper part of the settling tank or to enter the next stage of desalting process, wherein the tubular demulsification device is connected with a transformer, the electric field intensity of each tubular demulsification device is 1500-3000 V/cm, and the electric field action time is 5-30 S.