US2017306242A1PendingUtilityA1

Method for producing pipeline specification bitumen from oil sands mining and extraction facilities

26
Assignee: US OIL SANDS INCPriority: Apr 25, 2016Filed: Apr 21, 2017Published: Oct 26, 2017
Est. expiryApr 25, 2036(~9.7 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Joseph Fournier
C10G 1/045
26
PatentIndex Score
0
Cited by
0
References
0
Claims

Abstract

Pipeline quality bitumen containing less than 0.5 wt. % water and solids may be produced by conditioning oil sands ore in a water-based bitumen extraction process by adding a solvent to the ore before or during a step of creating an aqueous slurry; and agitating the slurry; separating the bitumen diluted with the solvent from water and coarse solids; thermally dehydrating the diluted bitumen at a temperature above about 100 C and below the boiling point of the solvent; separating any remaining fine solids and precipitates by gravitational separation; and recovering the solvent by distillation.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of producing pipeline quality bitumen containing less than 0.5 wt. % water and solids, comprising the steps of:
 (a) conditioning oil sands ore in a water-based bitumen extraction process by adding a solvent to the ore before or during a step of creating an aqueous slurry; and agitating the slurry;   (b) separating the bitumen diluted with the solvent from water and coarse solids;   (c) thermally dehydrating the diluted bitumen at a temperature above about 100 C and below the boiling point of the solvent; and   (d) separating any remaining fine solids and precipitates by gravitational separation.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the solvent comprises a terpene. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the solvent comprises limonene or pinene. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the thermal dehydration step occurs at a temperature between about 100 C and 150 C. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the thermal dehydration step occurs at a temperature between about 120 C and 140 C. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the separation step (d) is performed by a decanting centrifuge. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  comprising the further step of recovering the solvent by distillation.

Join the waitlist — get patent alerts

Track US2017306242A1 — get alerts on status changes and closely related new filings.

We store only your email — no account needed. See our privacy policy.