Method of separating components from produced oil sands

Abstract

A method of separating solids and hydrocarbons from oil sands material has the steps of: mixing the oil sands material with water to create an oil sands slurry, the oil sands slurry comprising hydrocarbons, sand, water and a bubbling agent, the oil sands slurry being free from added surfactants, the bubbling agent comprising metal compounds present in the oil sands material that act as a catalyst; and conditioning the oil sands slurry such that: the bubbling agent produces bubbles within the oil sands slurry; at least a portion of the sand settles out from the oil sands slurry; and the bubbles interact with the hydrocarbons to produce a hydrocarbon froth at a top of the oil sands slurry. Metal compounds may be extracted from the oil sands slurry to be reused as a catalyst or as a source of revenue.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of separating solids and hydrocarbons from oil sands material, the method comprising the steps of:
 mixing the oil sands material with water to create an oil sands slurry, the oil sands slurry comprising hydrocarbons, sand, water and a bubbling agent, the oil sands slurry being free from added surfactants, the bubbling agent comprising metal compounds present in the oil sands material that act as a catalyst; and   conditioning the oil sands slurry such that:
 the bubbling agent produces bubbles within the oil sands slurry; 
 at least a portion of the sand settles out from the oil sands slurry; and 
 the bubbles interact with the hydrocarbons to produce a hydrocarbon froth at a top of the oil sands slurry. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the bubbling agent further comprises an oxidant that is added to the oil sands slurry and reacts with the catalyst in the oil sands slurry. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the bubbling agent comprises a supplemental catalyst added to the oil sands slurry. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the metal compounds settle out from the oil sands slurry with the at least a portion of the sand. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the metal compounds are carried within the hydrocarbon froth. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein at least a portion of the metal compounds carried within the hydrocarbon froth are recovered from the oil sands material. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein a portion of the recovered metal compounds are catalyst material, the method further comprising the steps of:
 conditioning the catalyst material to improve catalytic efficiency; and   mixing the conditioned catalyst material with the oil sands slurry, the hydrocarbon froth, water recovered from the oil sands slurry, or combinations thereof.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
 transferring the hydrocarbon froth to a treatment vessel;   causing the hydrocarbon froth to release gas;   adding an oxidant to the treatment vessel and reducing a pH of the hydrocarbon froth to between around 4 to 6; and   causing the oxidant to react with the hydrocarbon froth to produce a phase of liquid hydrocarbons from the hydrocarbon froth.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the metal particles are a catalyst for the oxidant in the treatment vessel. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein conditioning the oils sands slurry comprises maintaining a pH at or below a neutral level and maintaining a temperature of at least 40° C. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the oil sands slurry is at least partly heated by exothermic reactions of the bubbling agent. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of injecting air bubbles into the oil sands slurry to enhance hydrocarbon froth production. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the oil sands slurry is substantially free from sodium ions. 
     
     
         14 . A method of separating a liquid hydrocarbon phase from a hydrocarbon froth, the hydrocarbon froth comprising water and oil sands material, the method comprising the steps of:
 in a treatment vessel, controlling a pH of the hydrocarbon froth to cause the hydrocarbon froth to react with an oxidant in the presence of metal compounds present in the oil sands material that act as a catalyst to break a water-hydrocarbon emulsion within the hydrocarbon froth.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein controlling the pH comprises reducing the pH of the hydrocarbon froth. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising the step of reducing a gas component of the hydrocarbon froth prior to or simultaneously with causing the hydrocarbon froth to react with the oxidant. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the pH is reduced to between around 4 and 6. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein an acid is added to reduce the pH, the acid being free from sulphur. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising the step of heating the hydrocarbon froth. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the metal compounds comprise fine solids in the hydrocarbon froth. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the fine solids comprise pyrite and at least a portion of the catalyst comprises pyrite. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the pH of the hydrocarbon froth is controlled to prevent pyrite from degrading to sulphur and iron. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising the step of separating hydrocarbons, water, and solids from the reacted hydrocarbon froth. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein a portion of the catalyst is obtained by recycling at least portion of the separated solids into the treatment vessel. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising the steps of:
 mixing the separated hydrocarbons with a diluent to form a hydrocarbon diluent mixture; and   separating any remaining solids from the hydrocarbon diluent mixture in a centrifugal separator.