CA1091604A - Oil sands hot water extraction process - Google Patents
Oil sands hot water extraction processInfo
- Publication number
- CA1091604A CA1091604A CA279,952A CA279952A CA1091604A CA 1091604 A CA1091604 A CA 1091604A CA 279952 A CA279952 A CA 279952A CA 1091604 A CA1091604 A CA 1091604A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- hot water
- unit
- filter
- tailings
- bitumen
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Classifications
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
- C10G—CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION; RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES
- C10G1/00—Production of liquid hydrocarbon mixtures from oil-shale, oil-sand, or non-melting solid carbonaceous or similar materials, e.g. wood, coal
- C10G1/04—Production of liquid hydrocarbon mixtures from oil-shale, oil-sand, or non-melting solid carbonaceous or similar materials, e.g. wood, coal by extraction
- C10G1/047—Hot water or cold water extraction processes
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- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Oil, Petroleum & Natural Gas (AREA)
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
- Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
- General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Organic Chemistry (AREA)
- Production Of Liquid Hydrocarbon Mixture For Refining Petroleum (AREA)
Abstract
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
In a hot water extraction process for removing bitumen from oil sands, the efficiency is improved by filtering the wet tailings to recover hot water, bitumen and diluent which are returned and recovered in the process. Dry tailings are also produced which can be disposed of in a manner which permits reconservation of the mined out area and which eliminates envir-onmental pollution impact on surrounding water bodies and land bodies.
In a hot water extraction process for removing bitumen from oil sands, the efficiency is improved by filtering the wet tailings to recover hot water, bitumen and diluent which are returned and recovered in the process. Dry tailings are also produced which can be disposed of in a manner which permits reconservation of the mined out area and which eliminates envir-onmental pollution impact on surrounding water bodies and land bodies.
Description
iL09~0~
This invention relates to an improvement in the opera-tion of an oil sands hot water extraction plant.
In the extraction o~ oil from oil sands, oil bearing material is mined, usually by a bucket wheel excavator or drag-line, and is transported for hot water extraction processing in which it is mixed with hot water such that the bitumen floats as a froth and the solid matter sinks, making it possible to skim off the froth for further separation and eventual refine-ment to finished products, and dump the solid matter.
Presently 87% by weight of bitumen and diluent naphtha are recovered from the oil sands by this hot water extraction process with a loss of 13% by weigh~ being dumped with the solid matter. The disposing of the solid matter involves passing the solid matter together with accompanying hot water from the hot water extraction process out to tailings ponds. The hot water which is lost is at a temperature of approximately 185 - 195F.
The loss of this hot water considerably reduces the overall plant thermodynamic efficiency as the heat loss must be made up when reheating cold water for the hot water extraction process.
In present commercial operations, the tailings contain-in~ solid matter, hot water, and hydrocarbons not removed by the ho~ wa~er extraction process, are sluiced, after the process, into retaining areas which are often large ponds formed from dams or dykes built from the tailings. When the first pond has been filled, a second dam is built in the mined out area and this process of building dams and filling the ponds formed bet-ween the dams is continued until the reserve of mineable oil sands has been depleted. At this future time most of the area of the mined out acreage will be covered under almost a continu-ous pond consisting of water, oil emulsions, and clay fines gel.
~(~9~6(~
With the present method of tailings disposal, environmental authorities have determined that there has been and will continue to be pollution impacts on underground water streams, surround-ing lakes and other fresh water bodies adjacent to the mining areas. Under the present tailings disposal little, if any, of the mined out land can be reclaimed and put to useable form since it will all be under the water, oil emulsion and unstable clay fines gel.
- The basic method of recovery of oil from oil sands is disclosed in the following Canadian patents, however none of these patents are concerned with the efficiency of the system b~t onl~ with general methods and apparatus for removing the oil.
Thc disposal of the tailings and the deleterious environmental impact of the tailings on the land and surrounding water bodies were not considered of importance nor even recogni2ed in these patents.
Patent No. Date Patentee 448,231 May 4, 1948 Karl Adolf Clark 488,928 Dec. 16, 1952 Oil Sands Limited 493,081 May 26, 1953 Robert C. Fitzsimmons Some of the major hitherto unresolved problems in the ~ontinuad development o~ the oil sands are (1) to increase the xqcovery o~ bitumen from the sands and limit the loss of diluent u~ in a hot water extraction process, (2) to increase the th~rmodynamic efficiency of the overall process by recovery of hot water which is presently lost in the tailings ponds, (3) to reclaim the mined out areas, leaving them in a useable form, and ~4) to eliminate the environmental impact of pollution of surrounding bodies of water by seepage of contaminated sluice 3~ pond water into fresh water ~odies and underground streams, etc.
1~160gt ~ It has been observed that large bitumen losses; considerably larger than indicated on page ]; occur in commercial operation periodically due to plant malfunctions or upsets due to many causes. This invention acts as a safeguard back-up system to recover approximately 99% by weight of such high commercial bitumen losses whether continuous or discontinuous.
This invention overcomes these unresolved problems by passing the various liquid tailings through a further separation step in which the hot water is recovered together with hydro-carbons, this recovered liquid being returned into the hot waterextraction process and the froth cleanup unit. The tailings which remain are then almost dry and can be disposed of in the mined out areas. It is preferable, although not essential, to utilize a vacuum filtration process for extraction of the hot water and hydroaarbons, this process utilizing filter clo-ths and Eilter cakes made from the dried tailings.
By utilizing this invention, the following advantages are achieved over all known processes:
1. Essentlally most of the hot water is recovered from the tailings streams of the hot water extrac-tion plant and is re-cycled within the process thus increasing the thermodynamic eEficiency of the process. There is thus a considerable saving in energy required to operate the process.
This invention relates to an improvement in the opera-tion of an oil sands hot water extraction plant.
In the extraction o~ oil from oil sands, oil bearing material is mined, usually by a bucket wheel excavator or drag-line, and is transported for hot water extraction processing in which it is mixed with hot water such that the bitumen floats as a froth and the solid matter sinks, making it possible to skim off the froth for further separation and eventual refine-ment to finished products, and dump the solid matter.
Presently 87% by weight of bitumen and diluent naphtha are recovered from the oil sands by this hot water extraction process with a loss of 13% by weigh~ being dumped with the solid matter. The disposing of the solid matter involves passing the solid matter together with accompanying hot water from the hot water extraction process out to tailings ponds. The hot water which is lost is at a temperature of approximately 185 - 195F.
The loss of this hot water considerably reduces the overall plant thermodynamic efficiency as the heat loss must be made up when reheating cold water for the hot water extraction process.
In present commercial operations, the tailings contain-in~ solid matter, hot water, and hydrocarbons not removed by the ho~ wa~er extraction process, are sluiced, after the process, into retaining areas which are often large ponds formed from dams or dykes built from the tailings. When the first pond has been filled, a second dam is built in the mined out area and this process of building dams and filling the ponds formed bet-ween the dams is continued until the reserve of mineable oil sands has been depleted. At this future time most of the area of the mined out acreage will be covered under almost a continu-ous pond consisting of water, oil emulsions, and clay fines gel.
~(~9~6(~
With the present method of tailings disposal, environmental authorities have determined that there has been and will continue to be pollution impacts on underground water streams, surround-ing lakes and other fresh water bodies adjacent to the mining areas. Under the present tailings disposal little, if any, of the mined out land can be reclaimed and put to useable form since it will all be under the water, oil emulsion and unstable clay fines gel.
- The basic method of recovery of oil from oil sands is disclosed in the following Canadian patents, however none of these patents are concerned with the efficiency of the system b~t onl~ with general methods and apparatus for removing the oil.
Thc disposal of the tailings and the deleterious environmental impact of the tailings on the land and surrounding water bodies were not considered of importance nor even recogni2ed in these patents.
Patent No. Date Patentee 448,231 May 4, 1948 Karl Adolf Clark 488,928 Dec. 16, 1952 Oil Sands Limited 493,081 May 26, 1953 Robert C. Fitzsimmons Some of the major hitherto unresolved problems in the ~ontinuad development o~ the oil sands are (1) to increase the xqcovery o~ bitumen from the sands and limit the loss of diluent u~ in a hot water extraction process, (2) to increase the th~rmodynamic efficiency of the overall process by recovery of hot water which is presently lost in the tailings ponds, (3) to reclaim the mined out areas, leaving them in a useable form, and ~4) to eliminate the environmental impact of pollution of surrounding bodies of water by seepage of contaminated sluice 3~ pond water into fresh water ~odies and underground streams, etc.
1~160gt ~ It has been observed that large bitumen losses; considerably larger than indicated on page ]; occur in commercial operation periodically due to plant malfunctions or upsets due to many causes. This invention acts as a safeguard back-up system to recover approximately 99% by weight of such high commercial bitumen losses whether continuous or discontinuous.
This invention overcomes these unresolved problems by passing the various liquid tailings through a further separation step in which the hot water is recovered together with hydro-carbons, this recovered liquid being returned into the hot waterextraction process and the froth cleanup unit. The tailings which remain are then almost dry and can be disposed of in the mined out areas. It is preferable, although not essential, to utilize a vacuum filtration process for extraction of the hot water and hydroaarbons, this process utilizing filter clo-ths and Eilter cakes made from the dried tailings.
By utilizing this invention, the following advantages are achieved over all known processes:
1. Essentlally most of the hot water is recovered from the tailings streams of the hot water extrac-tion plant and is re-cycled within the process thus increasing the thermodynamic eEficiency of the process. There is thus a considerable saving in energy required to operate the process.
2. As the hot water and hot solvent extracting diluent are recycled wi-thin the hot water extraction ancl the froth cleanup units, additional bitumen and diluent are recovered and the ~xtraction efficiency rises -to approximately 99~ by w~ight from the present recovery of 87% by weight.
3. As wet tailings are not being disposed of, the need for dams or dy]ces is not required and land reclamation problems and operational problems involved with the present wet tailings systems are eliminated thus making additional land available ~or mining.
~0~
~0~
4. As the wet tailings ponds are eliminated, -the environ-mental pollution impact on all ]and and water bodies in the area of the mining operation is minimized.
5. As dry tailings are being disposed of, they can be mixed with overburden thus increasing the soil stability of the dis-posal area and enabling the land to be reclaimed. Revegetation and regrowth can begin as soon as the commercial development starts, thus eliminating the necessity to wait for years or de-cades until the present tailings ponds dry up and disappear.
6. By increasing the efficiency of the process, poorer grades of oil sands can be worked, thus permitting greater flexi-bility in the mining and mixing of varying grades and qualities of oil sands.
7. The capacity of the boiler plant can be considerably rqduced as the recovered hot water which is recycled in the hot water extraction process saves approximately half of the boiler plant requirements over the present systems if included in the initial plant design. If converting an existing plant, addition-al boiler capacity is achieved which can be used to increase ~0 the size of the facilities.
~ . Increased hydrocarbon yields and increased energy con-servation lead to a reduction in capital and operating costs per unit barrel of synthetic crude oil production.
~ he invention will now be described with reference -to khe accompanylng drawing in which a block diagram of the process is shown.
Referring to ~he drawing, the conventional process including known improvements is indicated above the chain line and consists generally of feeding oil sands from a mining area ~o~
- into a hot water extrac-tion llnit 1. The hot wa-ter and oil sands are mixed and then trarlsported as a pulp -to a primary separation unit 2 where the major separation of oil in the form of froth, consisting of recoverable bitumen, water and mineral matter, and solid tailings occurs. A middlings stream is also formed with part beinc3 transported to a secondary separa-tion unit 4 and part being recycled back to unit 1. ,The froth is transported to a ~roth clean-up unit 3 'wherein the froth is mixed with a light hydrocarbon diluent from stream 5 to assist in the clean-up process. A secondary separation unit 4 is u-tilized to recover more bitumen from the oil and water middlings stream from the primary separa-tion unit 2. The bitumen recovered from the secondary separation unik ~ is -transpor-ted, tocJether with the primary recovered bitumen ~roth stream to the ~roth clean-up unit 3. Clean dry bitumen and diluent are obtained ~rom the froth clean-up unit 3 and the solid matter is discharged as wet tailings. The clean dry bitumen plus diluent are then transported to up-grading facilities where the diluent is separated and returned to stream 5 and the bitumen is upgraded to synthetic crude oil.
The improvement in the conventional sys-tem is to now collect the wet tailings from the primary separation uni-t2, the secondary separa-tion unit ~, and the froth clean-up unit 3 and transpor-t them to a vacuum filter un.it 6.
A vacuum Eilter unit which is satisfactory ~or this ~uxpose. has a number of radiall~ disposed :~iltration segments ~hich provide Eor a continuous operation. Each sec3ment in turn is passed under the wet tailings stream from the primary separation unit 2, this being the stream which includes the bulk of the solid material. The wet tailings in a segment is vacuum filtered to recover bitumen and hot water and forms a tailings cake. ~he driecl. cake is then pa~sed under the wet - lQ5~l6~9~
.
tailings streams from the seco~ldary unit 4 and the froth clean-up unit 3 and againthe cake is dewatered by vacuum fil-tration to recover the hot water, bitumen and diluent filtrate which is recovered and returned to the ho-t water extraction unit 1. For more efficient utilization of the filter, the wet tailings streams from the secondary separation unit 4 and froth clean-up unit 3 maybe added into the massive wet tailings stream from the primary separation unit 2 which will act as a wet tailings cake bed for the tailings from units 3 and 4.
The combined wet tailings are then vacuum filtered to recover bitumen , diluent and hot water and form a tailings cake. To aid the filtration rate, the feed to the filters mày be elutri-ated with hot water and a portion of the relatively solid free liquid layer maybe decanted and combined with the filtra-te stream for recycle to the hot wa-ter extraction system unit 1.
The dried filter cake is then passed under a hot solvent extrac-tion diluent to extract bitumen and the diluent filtrate re-covered separately and forwarded to the froth clean-up unit 3 where the diluent portion can be utilized in the froth clean-up unit. The dried cake is then passed under a hot wash water stream to recover more bitumen and diluent and hot wash water from the cake. The recovered bitumen, diluent and hot water filtrate is recovered and forwarded to the hot water ex-traction unit 1. Finally, the segment is rotated through 180 to dis-charge the dry cake, the filter cloth is washed and dried, and the cycle can again be~in.
The discharge dried Eilter cake can then be trans-ported to a dry tailings disposal area whereas all the liquid hydrocarbons and hot water recovered during the filtration will be passed back into the hot water extraction plant 1 and -the froth clean-up unit 3.
To aid filtration of the "fines" mineral matter con-tained in the wet tailings streams Erom the secondary separa-tion unit 4 2nd the froth clean-up ~nit 3, ~ Elocculant can be added to these wet tailings before they are passed lnto the vac-uum filter unit 6. Depending on -the type of oil sands feed-clay mixture mined and delivered to the hot water extraction unit 1, as well as the mode of operation of the vacuum filter unit 6, the flocculant may be added to the recovered and recycled hot water-bitumen stream prior to re-entry to the hot water extraction unit 1. The floccula-ted precipitate portion o~ said stream may be returned and removed in, but not limited to, the froth clean-up unit 4 and vacuum filter unit 6, or be sent directly to a tailings dump. Thus the fine clay particles concentration in the hot water extraction system may be kept at whatever concentration the individual plant operation may re~uire or desire. The clay concentra-tion varies ~reatly with the type of oil sands feed as well as wi-th the design of various components of the hot water extraction 1, primary separation unit 2, secondary separation unit 4, froth clean-up unit 3, vacuum filter unit 6, and type of flocculant used as well as the operational objectives and policies oE each organization involved in oil sands operation.
Adclitional steam and hot water are introduced di-rectly into the ho-t water extrac-tion unit -together wlth -the oil sands .Eeed to provide make-up water requlrements and to rais~
-khe -temperature of the oil sands ~eed to the requ.ir~d operating temperatuxe.
By usin~ the vacuum Eilter unit 6 to process all o~ the we-t tailings, additional bitumen and diluent are recovered, the hot water is recovered, and the mineral matter is dried so that it can be transported by conveyor belt or other convention~l~
type of transportation to the mined out disposal area.. The dry tailings can be mixed with overburden and stacked in the mined out area by means oE stackers or other conventional mining e~uioment to increa.se the stakility o:E the soil in the disposal ~91~
area and reduce the water content of the total overburden and tailings solids. Reclamation of the disposal area can then begin immediately.
It will thus be seen that a novel and extremely useful improvement has been made to the conventional oil sands hot water extraction process, this improvement clearly falling with-in the guidelines which have been laid down by the Alberta Energy Resources Conservation soard and the Alberta Oil Sands Environmental Research Project. These guidelines apply to present operators, future operators, approved applicants and all future applicants to be approved for oil sands surface mining projects and are as follows:
1. Improve -the recovery yield of bitumen and saleable synthetic crude oil above the present level.
2. Improve the thermodynamic efficiency of project operations by reducing heat and other forms oE energy losses.
3. Reclaim the mined out land area.
4. Reduce, or remove and eliminate, any causes of environmental impact on the land, water and air, Although the invention has been described utili~ing a vacuum filter unit, it is understandable that any type of sepa-ration unit which can remove liquids from solid ma~ter as encountered in ail sands could be used bearin~ in mind that the separation unit must be capable of handling vast quantities of material in a continuous operation.
~ . Increased hydrocarbon yields and increased energy con-servation lead to a reduction in capital and operating costs per unit barrel of synthetic crude oil production.
~ he invention will now be described with reference -to khe accompanylng drawing in which a block diagram of the process is shown.
Referring to ~he drawing, the conventional process including known improvements is indicated above the chain line and consists generally of feeding oil sands from a mining area ~o~
- into a hot water extrac-tion llnit 1. The hot wa-ter and oil sands are mixed and then trarlsported as a pulp -to a primary separation unit 2 where the major separation of oil in the form of froth, consisting of recoverable bitumen, water and mineral matter, and solid tailings occurs. A middlings stream is also formed with part beinc3 transported to a secondary separa-tion unit 4 and part being recycled back to unit 1. ,The froth is transported to a ~roth clean-up unit 3 'wherein the froth is mixed with a light hydrocarbon diluent from stream 5 to assist in the clean-up process. A secondary separation unit 4 is u-tilized to recover more bitumen from the oil and water middlings stream from the primary separa-tion unit 2. The bitumen recovered from the secondary separation unik ~ is -transpor-ted, tocJether with the primary recovered bitumen ~roth stream to the ~roth clean-up unit 3. Clean dry bitumen and diluent are obtained ~rom the froth clean-up unit 3 and the solid matter is discharged as wet tailings. The clean dry bitumen plus diluent are then transported to up-grading facilities where the diluent is separated and returned to stream 5 and the bitumen is upgraded to synthetic crude oil.
The improvement in the conventional sys-tem is to now collect the wet tailings from the primary separation uni-t2, the secondary separa-tion unit ~, and the froth clean-up unit 3 and transpor-t them to a vacuum filter un.it 6.
A vacuum Eilter unit which is satisfactory ~or this ~uxpose. has a number of radiall~ disposed :~iltration segments ~hich provide Eor a continuous operation. Each sec3ment in turn is passed under the wet tailings stream from the primary separation unit 2, this being the stream which includes the bulk of the solid material. The wet tailings in a segment is vacuum filtered to recover bitumen and hot water and forms a tailings cake. ~he driecl. cake is then pa~sed under the wet - lQ5~l6~9~
.
tailings streams from the seco~ldary unit 4 and the froth clean-up unit 3 and againthe cake is dewatered by vacuum fil-tration to recover the hot water, bitumen and diluent filtrate which is recovered and returned to the ho-t water extraction unit 1. For more efficient utilization of the filter, the wet tailings streams from the secondary separation unit 4 and froth clean-up unit 3 maybe added into the massive wet tailings stream from the primary separation unit 2 which will act as a wet tailings cake bed for the tailings from units 3 and 4.
The combined wet tailings are then vacuum filtered to recover bitumen , diluent and hot water and form a tailings cake. To aid the filtration rate, the feed to the filters mày be elutri-ated with hot water and a portion of the relatively solid free liquid layer maybe decanted and combined with the filtra-te stream for recycle to the hot wa-ter extraction system unit 1.
The dried filter cake is then passed under a hot solvent extrac-tion diluent to extract bitumen and the diluent filtrate re-covered separately and forwarded to the froth clean-up unit 3 where the diluent portion can be utilized in the froth clean-up unit. The dried cake is then passed under a hot wash water stream to recover more bitumen and diluent and hot wash water from the cake. The recovered bitumen, diluent and hot water filtrate is recovered and forwarded to the hot water ex-traction unit 1. Finally, the segment is rotated through 180 to dis-charge the dry cake, the filter cloth is washed and dried, and the cycle can again be~in.
The discharge dried Eilter cake can then be trans-ported to a dry tailings disposal area whereas all the liquid hydrocarbons and hot water recovered during the filtration will be passed back into the hot water extraction plant 1 and -the froth clean-up unit 3.
To aid filtration of the "fines" mineral matter con-tained in the wet tailings streams Erom the secondary separa-tion unit 4 2nd the froth clean-up ~nit 3, ~ Elocculant can be added to these wet tailings before they are passed lnto the vac-uum filter unit 6. Depending on -the type of oil sands feed-clay mixture mined and delivered to the hot water extraction unit 1, as well as the mode of operation of the vacuum filter unit 6, the flocculant may be added to the recovered and recycled hot water-bitumen stream prior to re-entry to the hot water extraction unit 1. The floccula-ted precipitate portion o~ said stream may be returned and removed in, but not limited to, the froth clean-up unit 4 and vacuum filter unit 6, or be sent directly to a tailings dump. Thus the fine clay particles concentration in the hot water extraction system may be kept at whatever concentration the individual plant operation may re~uire or desire. The clay concentra-tion varies ~reatly with the type of oil sands feed as well as wi-th the design of various components of the hot water extraction 1, primary separation unit 2, secondary separation unit 4, froth clean-up unit 3, vacuum filter unit 6, and type of flocculant used as well as the operational objectives and policies oE each organization involved in oil sands operation.
Adclitional steam and hot water are introduced di-rectly into the ho-t water extrac-tion unit -together wlth -the oil sands .Eeed to provide make-up water requlrements and to rais~
-khe -temperature of the oil sands ~eed to the requ.ir~d operating temperatuxe.
By usin~ the vacuum Eilter unit 6 to process all o~ the we-t tailings, additional bitumen and diluent are recovered, the hot water is recovered, and the mineral matter is dried so that it can be transported by conveyor belt or other convention~l~
type of transportation to the mined out disposal area.. The dry tailings can be mixed with overburden and stacked in the mined out area by means oE stackers or other conventional mining e~uioment to increa.se the stakility o:E the soil in the disposal ~91~
area and reduce the water content of the total overburden and tailings solids. Reclamation of the disposal area can then begin immediately.
It will thus be seen that a novel and extremely useful improvement has been made to the conventional oil sands hot water extraction process, this improvement clearly falling with-in the guidelines which have been laid down by the Alberta Energy Resources Conservation soard and the Alberta Oil Sands Environmental Research Project. These guidelines apply to present operators, future operators, approved applicants and all future applicants to be approved for oil sands surface mining projects and are as follows:
1. Improve -the recovery yield of bitumen and saleable synthetic crude oil above the present level.
2. Improve the thermodynamic efficiency of project operations by reducing heat and other forms oE energy losses.
3. Reclaim the mined out land area.
4. Reduce, or remove and eliminate, any causes of environmental impact on the land, water and air, Although the invention has been described utili~ing a vacuum filter unit, it is understandable that any type of sepa-ration unit which can remove liquids from solid ma~ter as encountered in ail sands could be used bearin~ in mind that the separation unit must be capable of handling vast quantities of material in a continuous operation.
Claims (3)
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. An improvement in a hot water extraction process for removing bitumen from oil sands, the process using a primary separating unit, a secondary separating unit and a froth clean-up unit, the improvement consisting of:
a) passing first wet tailings from the primary separat-ing unit into a vacuum filter segment having a filter medium, b) elutriating the first wet tailings in the filter segment with hot water, c) decanting a portion of solid free liquid from the main body in the filter segment above the filter medium, and returning the decanted portion to the primary separat-ing unit, d) vacuum filtering the main body of first wet tailings through the filter medium to recover bitumen and hot water and form a tailings filter cake above the filter medium, e) passing second wet tailings from the secondary separation unit and froth clean-up unit onto the filter cake, f) elutriating the second wet tailings in the filter segment with hot water, g) decanting a portion of solid free liquid from the main body of second wet tailings in the filter segment above the filter cake and returning the decanted portion to the primary separating unit, h) vacuum filtering the main body of second wet tailings through the filter cake and the filter medium to recover bitumen, hot water and diluent, i) passing hot solvent diluent through the filter cake to extract bitumen from the cake, j) passing hot water through the filter cake to recover more bitumen and diluent which was retained therein in step (i), k) subjecting the filter cake to vacuum to reduce its moisture content, l) rotating the filter segment and discharging the fil-ter cake for transportation by conventional materials handling equipment to a waste dumping site, m) washing and drying the filter medium and rotating the filter segment to its original position.
a) passing first wet tailings from the primary separat-ing unit into a vacuum filter segment having a filter medium, b) elutriating the first wet tailings in the filter segment with hot water, c) decanting a portion of solid free liquid from the main body in the filter segment above the filter medium, and returning the decanted portion to the primary separat-ing unit, d) vacuum filtering the main body of first wet tailings through the filter medium to recover bitumen and hot water and form a tailings filter cake above the filter medium, e) passing second wet tailings from the secondary separation unit and froth clean-up unit onto the filter cake, f) elutriating the second wet tailings in the filter segment with hot water, g) decanting a portion of solid free liquid from the main body of second wet tailings in the filter segment above the filter cake and returning the decanted portion to the primary separating unit, h) vacuum filtering the main body of second wet tailings through the filter cake and the filter medium to recover bitumen, hot water and diluent, i) passing hot solvent diluent through the filter cake to extract bitumen from the cake, j) passing hot water through the filter cake to recover more bitumen and diluent which was retained therein in step (i), k) subjecting the filter cake to vacuum to reduce its moisture content, l) rotating the filter segment and discharging the fil-ter cake for transportation by conventional materials handling equipment to a waste dumping site, m) washing and drying the filter medium and rotating the filter segment to its original position.
2. The process of claim 1, wherein the second wet tailings from the secondary separation unit and third wet tailings from the froth clean-up unit are added to the first wet tailings from the primary separating unit and introduced in step (a), thus eliminating steps (e), (f), (g) and (h).
3. The process of claim 1 or 2, including removing clay fines from the separated liquids by introducing a flocculant before recycling the liquids through the primary separation unit.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA279,952A CA1091604A (en) | 1977-06-06 | 1977-06-06 | Oil sands hot water extraction process |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA279,952A CA1091604A (en) | 1977-06-06 | 1977-06-06 | Oil sands hot water extraction process |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1091604A true CA1091604A (en) | 1980-12-16 |
Family
ID=4108827
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA279,952A Expired CA1091604A (en) | 1977-06-06 | 1977-06-06 | Oil sands hot water extraction process |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1091604A (en) |
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US9068776B2 (en) | 2009-10-30 | 2015-06-30 | Suncor Energy Inc. | Depositing and farming methods for drying oil sand mature fine tailings |
| US9404686B2 (en) | 2009-09-15 | 2016-08-02 | Suncor Energy Inc. | Process for dying oil sand mature fine tailings |
| US9909070B2 (en) | 2009-09-15 | 2018-03-06 | Suncor Energy Inc. | Process for flocculating and dewatering oil sand mature fine tailings |
-
1977
- 1977-06-06 CA CA279,952A patent/CA1091604A/en not_active Expired
Cited By (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US9404686B2 (en) | 2009-09-15 | 2016-08-02 | Suncor Energy Inc. | Process for dying oil sand mature fine tailings |
| US9909070B2 (en) | 2009-09-15 | 2018-03-06 | Suncor Energy Inc. | Process for flocculating and dewatering oil sand mature fine tailings |
| US10590347B2 (en) | 2009-09-15 | 2020-03-17 | Suncor Energy Inc. | Process for flocculating and dewatering oil sand mature fine tailings |
| US9068776B2 (en) | 2009-10-30 | 2015-06-30 | Suncor Energy Inc. | Depositing and farming methods for drying oil sand mature fine tailings |
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