AU2007211109A1

AU2007211109A1 - Methods for oil extraction

Info

Publication number: AU2007211109A1
Application number: AU2007211109A
Authority: AU
Inventors: William Anderson; Jim Ballew; Mark Vriesinga
Original assignee: GGT WASTE Inc
Current assignee: GGT WASTE Inc
Priority date: 2006-01-30
Filing date: 2007-01-29
Publication date: 2007-08-09
Also published as: EA200870220A1; CA2640005A1; BRPI0706789A2; ECSP088705A; WO2007090099A3; EP1981952A2; CN101454422A; WO2007090099A2; MX2008009707A

Description

WO 2007/090099 PCT/US2007/061248 METHODS FOR OIL EXTRACTION FIELD OF INVENTION The present invention relates to the extraction of heavy oils. 5 BACKGROUND All publications herein are incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication or patent application was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference. The following description includes 10 information that may be useful in understanding the present invention. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art or relevant to the presently claimed invention, or that any publication specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art. Oil sands (also known as tar sands) are a mixture of primarily sand, bitumen 15 and water. Each grain of oil sand may have three layers: an "envelope" of water surrounding a grain of sand, with bitumen surrounding the water to form the outer layer. Hence, "oil-wetted" and conversely it can also be "water-wetted". Other materials, such as clay, may be present among the sand, bitumen and water. Bitumen, in its raw state, is a heavy, viscous crude oil that frequently contains high 20 amounts of sulfur. Bitumen found in Utah is known to generally contain lower amounts of sulfur. Oil shale is a sedimentary rock that contains solid bituminous materials. The bitumen may be released through the process of pyrolysis when the rock is heated. There are two techniques currently used to extract bitumen: terrain mining 25 with trucks, crushing and processing, and sub-terrain mining, by thermal recovery; for example using steam. For terrain mining, massive open-pit mines are constructed, along with associated extraction facilities to separate the bitumen from the sand. For sub-terrain operations, drilling wells are made and steam is injected to heat the bitumen, allowing it to flow and to be pumped from a well. 30 Bitumen is sold in two general forms: raw and synthetic crude oil ("SCO"). In its raw form, the bitumen is blended with a diluent to produce a "bitumen blend" because in its raw form, bitumen is too viscous to transport by conventional pipeline.

WO 2007/090099 PCT/US2007/061248 Diluents used for the blend are often less viscous hydrocarbons, most commonly a very light natural gas condensate (C5+ or "pentanes plus"). Furthermore, the diluent is a costly, fully processed, light crude oil. The bitumen blend is sold to refineries and competes with conventional heavy oils. As SCO, the bitumen has been 5 upgraded. SCO is also sold to conventional refineries and competes with conventional medium and light oils. Further, crude oil development and production may include three phases: primary recovery, secondary recovery and tertiary (also known as enhanced) recovery. Primary recovery involves the utilization of the natural pressure of an oil 10 reservoir or gravity to drive oil into the wellbore and lift technologies, (e.g., pumps) to bring the oil to the surface. However, only a small percentage (about 10%) of an oil reservoir's oil is typically produced during this phase. During the secondary recovery, techniques such as injecting water or gas to displace the oil and to drive it to a wellbore are used. Secondary recovery may result in recovering about 20-40% 15 of the original oil. Tertiary or enhanced oil recovery techniques have been used and may result in the recovery of about 30-60% of the original oil. The use of carbon dioxide (C02) has had some success in enhanced oil recovery. However, C02 floods frequently have poor sweeping efficiency caused by gas fingering and gravity override. Poor sweep efficiency results from a high mobility 20 ratio caused by the low viscosity of high-density CO 2 compared to that of water or oil Water injection alternating with gas is a common process used for mobility control during C0 2 floods. However, the effectiveness of this alternation is reduced by gravity segregation between water and CO 2 and by permeability differences. While there are methods known in the art to extract bitumen, there exists a 25 need in the art to extract this valuable resource in a more efficient, safe and environmentally friendly manner. Further, there is a need in the art to further enhance the recovery of oil from oil reservoirs. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 30 The following embodiments and aspects thereof are described and illustrated in conjunction with compositions and methods which are meant to be exemplary and illustrative, not limiting in scope. 2 WO 2007/090099 PCT/US2007/061248 One embodiment of the present invention provides for a method for extracting heavy oil from an oil reservoir, comprising: providing a solvent comprising sodium silicate, a salt or an equivalent thereof; injecting the solvent into the oil reservoir; and extracting the heavy oil from the oil reservoir. In one embodiment, the heavy oil may 5 comprise bitumen. In one embodiment, the solvent may further comprise soy flour, lignin flour and/or citrus pectin. In another embodiment, the solvent may further comprise detergent-like surfactants. In another embodiment, the method may further comprise heating the solvent prior to injecting the solvent. In another embodiment, the method may further comprise injecting steam into the oil reservoir. 10 Another embodiment of the present invention provides for a method for extracting bitumen from an oil sands reservoir, comprising: providing a solvent comprising sodium silicate, a salt or an equivalent thereof; injecting the solvent into the oil sands reservoir; extracting a slurry comprising oil sands from the oil sands reservoir; and extracting the bitumen from the slurry. In one embodiment, the 15 solvent may further comprise soy flour, lignin flour and/or citrus pectin. In another embodiment, the method may further comprise heating the solvent prior to injecting the solvent. In another embodiment, the method may further comprise injecting steam into the oil reservoir. In one embodiment, extracting the bitumen may comprise separating the bitumen from an inorganic material that exists in the slurry. 20 In one embodiment, separating the bitumen from the inorganic material may comprise adding a quantity of air to the slurry. In another embodiment separating the bitumen from the inorganic material may comprise adding a quantity of the solvent to the slurry. In another embodiment, the method may further comprise passing the slurry through a stripper to remove air bubbles. In another embodiment, 25 the method may further comprise separating the bitumen from the solvent. In one embodiment, separating the bitumen from the solvent may comprise placing the slurry through a counter-current decantation circuit. Another embodiment of the present invention provides for a method for extracting bitumen from terrain oil sands or oil shale, comprising: removing the oil 30 sands or oil shale from the terrain; providing a solvent comprising sodium silicate, a salt or an equivalent thereof; adding the solvent to the removed oil sands or oil shale to create a slurry; and extracting bitumen from the slurry. In one embodiment, the 3 WO 2007/090099 PCT/US2007/061248 solvent may further comprise soy flour, lignin flour and/or citrus pectin. In one embodiment, the method may further comprise reducing the size of the removed oil sands or oil shale. In one embodiment, extracting the bitumen may comprise separating the bitumen from an inorganic material that exists in the slurry. In one 5 embodiment, separating the bitumen from the inorganic material may comprise adding a quantity of air to the slurry. In another embodiment, separating the bitumen from the inorganic material may comprise adding a quantity of the solvent to the slurry. In another embodiment, the method may further comprise passing the slurry through a stripper to remove air bubbles. In another embodiment, the method may 10 further comprise separating the bitumen from the solvent. In one embodiment, separating the bitumen from the solvent may comprise placing the slurry through a counter-current decantation circuit. In one embodiment, removing the oil sands or oil shale may comprise: providing a solvent comprising sodium silicate, a salt or an equivalent thereof; using the solvent to fluidize the oil sands or oil shale; and 15 pumping the fluidized oil sands or oil shale out of the terrain. Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, various features of embodiments of the invention. 20 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Exemplary embodiments are illustrated in referenced figures. It is intended that the embodiments and figures disclosed herein are to be considered illustrative rather than restrictive. 25 Figure 1 depicts an oil sands processing flow diagram in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention. Figure 2 depicts a terrain mining flow diagram in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 depicts sub-terrain mining with heated steam, in accordance with 30 various embodiments of the present invention. 4 WO 2007/090099 PCT/US2007/061248 Figure 4 depicts a flow diagram detailing the extraction of the bitumen from oil sands mined from the terrain in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. In one embodiment the violent agitation of the slurry is optional. Figure 5 depicts a flow diagram showing the process for the separation of 5 bitumen from the froth in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION All references cited herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety as though fully set forth. Unless defined otherwise, technical and scientific terms used 10 herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Singleton et a/., Dictionary of Microbiology and Molecular Biology 3 rd ed., J. Wiley & Sons (New York, NY 2001); and March, Advanced Organic Chemistry Reactions, Mechanisms and Structure 5m ed., J. Wiley & Sons (New York, NY 2001) provide one skilled in the art with a general guide to 15 many of the terms used in the present application. One skilled in the art will recognize many methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein, which could be used in the practice of the present invention. Indeed, the present invention is in no way limited to the methods and materials described. For purposes of the present invention, the following terms 20 are defined below. "Beneficial microbe" as used herein refers to microorganisms that have capabilities to impart beneficial properties to their surrounding environment. "Beneficial capabilities" include, but are not limited to the ability digest, dissolve, break up, remove, decompose, or degrade materials. Examples of materials include 25 but are not limited to arsenic, metals in tailings, methyl tertiary butyl ether ("MTBE"), waste material and hydrocarbon-based material, such as oil. Examples of such microbes include, but are not limited to probiotics, bacteria, fungus, yeast and algae. "Probiotics" as used herein refers to beneficial bacteria or yeast. Examples of probiotics include but are not limited to Bifidobacterium, including, Bifidobacterium 30 bifidum, Bifidobacterium breve, Bifidobacterium infantis, Bifidobacterium Iongum; Lactobacillus, including, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, 5 WO 2007/090099 PCT/US2007/061248 Lactobacillus case, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus GG; Streptococcus thermophilus, Enterococcus and Saccharomyces boulardi. "Degreasing composition" as used herein refers to an organic or inorganic composition that is able to dissolve, break up, remove, decompose, or degrade 5 hydrocarbon-based substances. The degreasing composition may exist as a solid, liquid or gas. "Fluidize" as used herein refers to enabling the non cohesion of a mass and its ability to flow, even if such flow is of non-uniform size or lumpy. Fluidize does not necessarily mean that the oil sands or oil shale are reduced to a particular size. 10 Indeed, it is contemplated that large lumps may exist within what is referred to as fluidized. "Heavy oil" as used herein refers to crude oil with high viscosity and high specific gravity. Although not required, heavy oils typically have low hydrogen to carbon ratios, high asphaltene, sulfur, nitrogen, heavy-metal content, and/or acid 15 numbers. Typically, but not required, heavy oils have a viscosity above 10cP and a specific gravity below 22.30 API. "Waterflood" as used herein refers to a method of extracting oil from a reservoir where water and/or a liquid is injected into the reservoir to displace the oil in the reservoir. 20 "Wellbore" as used herein refers to the open portion of an oil well where the oil from the reservoir may enter. Various embodiments of the present invention provide for methods for oil extraction. In one embodiment, the oil is heavy oil. In a particular embodiment, the 25 oil is bitumen. In one embodiment of the present invention, a waterflood with a solvent is utilized to extract the oil. The method comprises providing a solvent; injecting the solvent into an oil reservoir; and extracting the oil from the oil reservoir. Extracting the oil from the oil reservoir may be performed by any known technology in the art; 30 for example, by utilizing lifting technologies (e.g., pumps). While not wishing to be bound by any particular theory, the inventors believe that the solvent reduces the viscosity of the oil and allows it to move more easily toward production wells. 6 WO 2007/090099 PCT/US2007/061248 In one embodiment, the solvent may comprise a degreasing composition. In a particular embodiment, the solvent may comprise sodium silicate, a salt and/or an equivalent thereof. The concentration of the sodium silicate in the solvent may vary to correspond to the conditions of the oil reservoir. An oil reservoir may contain 5 liquids such as water or brine, which may dilute the solvent. As such, in these instances, a solvent comprising a higher concentration of sodium silicate may be advantageous. The exact concentration of sodium silicate in the solvent may depend on the anticipated amount of liquid that already exists in the oil reservoir. In one embodiment, the concentration of sodium silicate may be a concentration that 10 will bring the concentration of sodium silicate in the liquid in the reservoir to about 1% (by weight) when the solvent comes in contact with the liquid in the reservoir. In one embodiment, the concentration of sodium silicate may be a concentration that will bring the concentration of sodium silicate in the liquid in the reservoir to less than 2% when the solvent comes in contact with the liquid in the reservoir. In another 15 embodiment, the concentration of sodium silicate may be a concentration that will bring the concentration of sodium silicate in the liquid in the reservoir to about 10% when the solvent comes in contact with the liquid in the reservoir. In other embodiments, the concentration of sodium silicate may be a concentration that will bring the concentration of sodium silicate in the liquid in the reservoir to about 2%, 20 3%, 4%, 5%, 6%, 7%, 8% or 9% when the solvent comes in contact with the liquid in the reservoir. One of skill in the art will be able to determine the appropriate concentration to use without undue experimentation. In one embodiment, a solvent with a high concentration of sodium silicate (e.g., a concentration of greater than about 60% by weight) may be injected. In another embodiment, the concentration of 25 sodium silicate may be between about 60% and 70% by weight. In another embodiment, the concentration of sodium silicate may be between about 70% and 80% by weight. In another embodiment, the concentration of sodium silicate may be between about 80% and 90% by weight. In another embodiment, the concentration of sodium silicate may be between about 90% and 99% by weight. In another 30 embodiment, the solvent may comprise a lower concentration of sodium silicate (e.g., a concentration of less than 5%, 4%, 3%, 2% or 1% by weight). 7 WO 2007/090099 PCT/US2007/061248 In another particular embodiment, the solvent may further comprise soy flour, lignin flour and/or citrus pectin. In another embodiment, the solvent may be a degreasing composition or a dispersion solution described in U.S. Patent No. 5,306,351, hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety as though fully set forth. 5 While not wishing to be bound by any particular theory, the inventors believe that the solvent comprising sodium silicate causes the hydrocarbon to become fluid and retards self adhesion, which reduces the viscosity of the oil and allows it to move more easily. In another embodiment, the method may further comprise the use of gas 10 injection to extract the oil. Thus, the method may comprise providing a solvent and a quantity of gas; injecting the solvent into an oil reservoir; injecting the quantity of gas into the oil reservoir; and extracting the oil from the oil reservoir. Extracting the oil from the oil reservoir may be made by any known technology in the art; for example, by utilizing lifting technologies (e.g., pumps). The injection of the solvent and the gas 15 may be performed in any order and may be performed simultaneously or concurrently. In one embodiment, the gas may be a gas capable of expanding in an oil reservoir to push oil into a wellbore. In another embodiment, the gas may be a gas capable of dissolving in the oil to lower its viscosity and improve its flow rate. These 20 gases may be natural gas, nitrogen, carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), or combinations thereof. One of skill in the art will recognize other gases capable of expanding in an oil reservoir and/or capable of dissolving in oil, and which may be appropriate to use for oil extraction. These gases may be from a naturally occurring reservoir, produced from industrial applications (e.g., natural gas processing, fertilizer, ethanol, and 25 hydrogen plants), or produced specifically for use in oil extraction. In another embodiment, the method may comprise the use of heat to extract the oil. The introduction of heat may serve to lower the viscosity of the oil and may improve its ability to flow. Heat may be introduced by any method known in the art. In one embodiment, heat may be introduced by heating the solvent prior to 30 injecting the solvent into the oil reservoir. Thus, the method may comprise providing a solvent; heating the solvent; injecting the heated solvent into the oil reservoir; and extracting the oil from the oil reservoir. 8 WO 2007/090099 PCT/US2007/061248 In another embodiment, the heat may be introduced by injecting steam into the oil reservoir. Thus, the method may comprise providing a solvent; injecting the solvent into the oil reservoir; injecting the steam into an oil reservoir; and extracting the oil from the oil reservoir. 5 The method may also further comprise the use of heat and injecting a quantity of gas into the oil reservoir. Thus, the method may comprise providing a solvent and a gas; heating the solvent; injecting the heated solvent into the oil reservoir; injecting the gas into the oil reservoir; and extracting the oil from the oil reservoir. Alternatively, the method may comprise providing a solvent and a gas; injecting the 10 solvent into the oil reservoir; injecting the steam into an oil reservoir; and extracting the oil from the oil reservoir. The injection of the solvent, steam and/or gas may be performed in any order and may be performed simultaneously or concurrently. In another embodiment, the method may further comprise the use detergent like surfactants to lower the surface tension. The surfactants may be added to the 15 solvent. Surface tension may prevent oil droplets from moving through a reservoir and thus lowering the surface tension may assist the flow of the oil through a reservoir. Extraction of Oil from Oil Sands and Oil Shale 20 Particular embodiments of the present invention provides for the extraction of oil from oil sands and oil shale. (See figure 1.) The oils sands or oil shale may exist in a variety of sizes. In one particular embodiment the oil is bitumen. Oil Sands/Oil Shale Mininq 25 In one embodiment of the present invention the oil sands or oil shale are mined from the terrain. In a particular embodiment hydraulic and/or electric shovels and/or hydraulic excavators may be used to remove the oil sands or oil shale from the mining pit. In instances where the oil sands or oil shale are larger than about two inch in diameter, the removed oil sands or oil shale may be placed in a crusher 30 where its size is reduced. The pieces may be further reduced to about two inch pieces by use of rotary breakers. Hot or warm water may be added to create a slurry. In one embodiment, a solvent may be used in addition to or in place of the 9 WO 2007/090099 PCT/US2007/061248 water. In one embodiment, the solvent may comprise a degreasing composition. In a particular embodiment, the solvent may comprise sodium silicate. In another particular embodiment, the solvent may further comprise soy flour, lignin flour and/or citrus pectin. In another embodiment, the solvent may be a degreasing composition 5 or a dispersion solution described in U.S. Patent No. 5,306,351. (See figure 2.) The slurry may be further processed at an on-site extraction plant, or it may be transported to an off-site extraction plant. Transporting the slurry may be performed by any method; for example, through a pipeline or by vehicles to the extraction plant. In another embodiment of terrain mining, a solvent may be used to fluidize oil 10 sands or oil shale pits and the oil sands or oil shale may be pumped and transported to an extraction facility. In one embodiment, the solvent may comprise a degreasing composition. In a particular embodiment, the solvent may comprise sodium silicate. In another particular embodiment, the solvent may further comprise soy flour, lignin flour and/or citrus pectin. In another embodiment, the solvent may be a degreasing 15 composition or a dispersion solution described in U.S. Patent No. 5,306,351. In a particular embodiment, the solvent may be injected at pressures of about 4000 to about 8000 psi to fluidize the oil sands or oil shale. The use of higher or lower pressure or mixing may aid the separation of bitumen from the oil sands or oil shale. The resulting slurry may be vacuumed and transported to an oil extraction facility; at 20 the oil extraction facility, the oil may be extracted by methods known in the art or in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention. Additional embodiments provide for methods of sub-terrain mining of the oil sands. In one embodiment, sub-terrain mining may be performed by drilling a pair of 25 horizontal wells in the oil sands reservoir for use in extracting the oil sands from the reservoir. In one embodiment of the present invention, a waterflood with a solvent is utilized to extract the oil sands. The method comprises providing a solvent; injecting the solvent into an oil sands reservoir; and extracting the oil sands from the oil sands 30 reservoir. In one embodiment, the solvent may comprise a degreasing composition. In a particular embodiment, the solvent may comprise sodium silicate. In another 10 WO 2007/090099 PCT/US2007/061248 particular embodiment, the solvent may further comprise soy flour, lignin flour and/or citrus pectin. In another embodiment, the solvent may be a degreasing composition or a dispersion solution described in U.S. Patent No. 5,306,351. In another embodiment, the method may further comprise the use of gas 5 injection to extract the oil sands. Thus, the method may comprise providing a solvent and a quantity of gas; injecting the solvent into an oil sands reservoir; injecting the quantity of gas into the oil sands reservoir; and extracting the oil sands from the oil reservoir. The injection of the solvent and the gas may be performed in any order and may be performed simultaneously or concurrently. 10 In one embodiment, the gas may be a gas that is capable of expanding in an oil sands reservoir to push oil sands to a wellbore. In another embodiment, the gas may be a gas that is capable of dissolving in the oil sands to lower its viscosity and improve its flow rate. These gases may be natural gas, nitrogen, carbon dioxide (C02), or combinations thereof. One of skill in the art will recognize other types of 15 gases that are capable of expanding in an oil sand reservoir and/or capable of dissolving in the oil sands, and which may be appropriate to use for oil sands extraction. These gases may be from a naturally occurring reservoir, produced from industrial applications (e.g., natural gas processing, fertilizer, ethanol, and hydrogen plants), or produced specifically for use in oil extraction. 20 In another embodiment, the method may comprise the use of heat to extract the oil sands. The introduction of heat may serve to lower the viscosity of the oil sands and may improve its ability to flow. In one embodiment, heat may be introduced by heating the solvent prior to injecting the solvent into the oil sands reservoir. Thus, the method may comprise 25 providing a solvent; heating the solvent; injecting the heated solvent into the oil sands reservoir; and extracting the oil sands from the oil sands reservoir. In another embodiment, the heat may be introduced by injecting steam into the oil sands reservoir. Thus, the method may comprise providing a solvent; injecting the solvent into the oil sands reservoir; injecting the steam into an oil sands 30 reservoir; and extracting the oil sands from the oil sands reservoir. The method may also further comprise the use of heat and injecting a quantity of gas into the oil sands reservoir. Thus, the method may comprise providing a 11 WO 2007/090099 PCT/US2007/061248 solvent and a gas; heating the solvent; injecting the heated solvent into the oil sands reservoir; injecting the gas into the oil sands reservoir; and extracting the oil sands from the oil sands reservoir. Alternatively, the method may comprise providing a solvent and a gas; injecting the solvent into the oil sands reservoir; injecting the 5 steam into an oil sands reservoir; and extracting the oil sands from the oil sands reservoir. The injection of the solvent, steam and/or gas may be performed in any order and may be performed simultaneously or concurrently. In embodiments where the sub-terrain mining is performed by drilling a pair of horizontal wells in the oil sands reservoir, steam may be injected into the upper well 10 and the steam contacts the bitumen and heats the bitumen. The heated bitumen (which may contain other materials, such as sand or clay) becomes mobile and flows with the condensed water from the steam to the lower horizontal well and flows to the surface or is pumped to the surface. The length of the wells may depend on the oil sands reservoir site. In various embodiments, the pair of wells may be about 750 15 to about 1000 meters in length. The pair of wells may be drilled parallel to one another and spaced about 100 to about 200 meters apart. In another embodiment, the method may further comprise the use detergent like surfactants to lower the surface tension. The surface tension may prevent oil droplets from moving through a reservoir and thus lowering the surface tension may 20 assist the flow of the oil through a reservoir. The bitumen in the bitumen mixture removed from the sub-terrain mines may be extracted in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention. Bitumen Extraction 25 During the oil extraction process, a quantity of bitumen is separated from the rock, sand, clay and/or other materials. In various embodiments, the process may be performed at a high temperature to allow for extraction of the bitumen by the process of pyrolysis. In one embodiment, air may be added to the slurry and transported to a gravity separation vessel. Due to the density differences, the 30 bitumen will float atop and/or the bitumen will attach to the air bubbles and rise to the top to form a bitumen-rich froth. The inorganic contaminants, along with sand, dirt, silt, clay, etc., will settle to the bottom. 12 WO 2007/090099 PCT/US2007/061248 In an alternative embodiment, the solvent may be used to separate the bitumen from the rock, sand, clay and/or other materials. In one embodiment, the solvent may comprise a degreasing composition. In a particular embodiment, the solvent may comprise sodium silicate. In another particular embodiment, the solvent 5 may further comprise soy flour, lignin flour and/or citrus pectin. In another embodiment, the solvent may be a degreasing composition or a dispersion solution described in U.S. Patent No. 5,306,351. In this alternative embodiment, the addition of air is optional for the separation process. Materials such as sand, dirt, silt, clay, etc. may have a greater affinity for the solvent thus may fall out of solution and settle 10 to the bottom, and the bitumen will rise to the top. Furthermore, since the bitumen and the solvent may separate from each other, there may be a reduction or elimination of the formation of froth. In instances where there are additional organic materials and/or contaminants, froth may still form. The materials that settle at the bottom are pumped to a tailing processing system. This settling action can be 15 enhanced with the use violent agitation before allowing it to settle. In an alternative embodiment, the solvent can be redrawn from the middle of a settling tank and reused one or more times. (See figure 4.) Water/Oil Separation 20 In embodiments where a froth (containing the bitumen) is formed, the froth may be passed through a stripper, which removes the air bubbles and allows the bitumen froth to be further processed. The bitumen froth may be placed through a counter-current decantation circuit. A solvent may be added to separate any remaining solids and water. In one embodiment, the solvent may comprise a 25 degreasing composition. In a particular embodiment, the solvent may comprise sodium silicate. In another particular embodiment, the solvent may further comprise soy flour, lignin flour and citrus pectin. In another embodiment, the solvent may be a degreasing composition or a dispersion solution described in U.S. Patent No. 5,306,351. This process may yield diluted bitumen that is at an appropriate viscosity 30 to be transported by pipeline. (See figure 5.) In an alternative embodiment, the bitumen mixture from the sub-terrain mining may be subjected to this water/oil separation process. For example, the bitumen 13 WO 2007/090099 PCT/US2007/061248 mixture may be sent through a counter-current decantation circuit. A solvent may be added to separate any remaining solids and water. In a particular embodiment, the solvent may comprise sodium silicate. In another particular embodiment, the solvent may further comprise soy flour, lignin flour and/or citrus pectin. In another 5 embodiment, the solvent may be a degreasing composition or a dispersion solution described in U.S. Patent No. 5,306,351. This process may also yield diluted bitumen that is at an appropriate viscosity to be transported by pipeline. The tailings from the crushing process may contain about 8% bitumen. A solvent may be added to the tailings to extract additional bitumen. In a particular 10 embodiment, the solvent may comprise sodium silicate. In another particular embodiment, the solvent may further comprise soy flour, lignin flour and citrus pectin. In another embodiment, the solvent may be a degreasing composition or a dispersion solution described in U.S. Patent No. 5,306,351. The resulting mixture can be processed through a high pressure mixer to assist in separating the bitumen 15 from the sand. In a further embodiment, beneficial microbes may be added to the tailings for treatment or remediation of the tailings. Another embodiment of the present invention utilizes a solvent as a diluent for the extracted bitumen. In a particular embodiment, the solvent may comprise sodium silicate. In another particular embodiment, the solvent may further comprise 20 soy flour, lignin flour and citrus pectin. In another embodiment, the solvent may be a degreasing composition or a dispersion solution described in U.S. Patent No. 5,306,351. The addition of the solvent may create a bitumen blend. The bitumen blend may be at an appropriate viscosity to enable transportation of the bitumen by conventional pipelines. 25 Examples The following examples are provided to better illustrate the claimed invention and are not to be interpreted as limiting the scope of the invention. To the extent that specific materials are mentioned, it is merely for purposes of illustration and is 30 not intended to limit the invention. One skilled in the art may develop equivalent means or reactants without the exercise of inventive capacity and without departing from the scope of the invention. 14 WO 2007/090099 PCT/US2007/061248 Example 1 This example illustrates the preparation of a dispersion solution which may be utilized in various embodiments of the present invention. The manufacture of the dispersion solution occurs in three steps, first, five gallons of a natural concentrate is 5 made, followed by the formation of a one hundred gallon completed concentrate, and then followed by the formation of an eighteen hundred gallon dispersion solution. First, a concentrated five gallon solution of soy flour, lignin flour and citrus pectin is prepared. Into a six gallon vessel, preferably having mechanical mixing capability, is first placed about four gallons of water. The additive components which 10 will be used are as follows: Soy flour (powdered) 1.0 pounds Lignin flour (powdered) 0.5 pounds 15 Citrus Pectin 0.5 pounds The one pound quantity of soy flour is added to the four gallon quantity of water and mixed until smooth. Next, the one half pound of lignin flour is slowly added 20 and mixed until the mixture is smooth. Next, the one half pound of citrus pectin is slowly added and mixed until the mixture is smooth. To the mixture is then added more water until the total liquid volume reaches five gallons. This mixture will be hereinafter referred to as the natural concentrate. The natural concentrate is then allowed to sit for 72 hours. 25 The soy flour may be commercially available from the A.E. Staley Company of Decatur, Ill., 62525. The lignin flour may be commercially obtained from Georgia Pacific Corporation of Atlanta, Ga. The citrus pectin may be obtained from Pectogel of Great Neck, N.Y., 11021. 15 WO 2007/090099 PCT/US2007/061248 The natural concentrate solution has the following composition: Soy flour (powdered) 2.38% Lignin flour (powdered) 1.19% 5 Citrus Pectin (powdered) 1.19% Water 95.23% 100.0% 10 A silicate solution is formulated by first adding about forty gallons of water to a container (e.g., 125 gallon container). Next, fifty five gallons of sodium silicate is added to the forty gallons of water. The sodium silicate is commercially available under the trademarked name OXYCHEM, from Occidental Chemical Corporation, Niagra Falls, N.Y. 14302. This sodium silicate is a liquid having a density of about 15 11.67 pounds per gallon. The sodium silicate and water are mixed for about three minutes to form a sodium silicate-water mixture. Next, the natural concentrate is added to the sodium silicate - water mixture, and mixed for about seven minutes to form one hundred gallons of the completed concentrate. 20 The completed concentrate has a composition by weight which is as follows: Sodium Silicate (liquid) Na 2 0.XSiO 2 62.951% Soy flour (powdered) 0.098% Lignin flour (powdered) 0.049% 25 Citrus Pectin (powdered) 0.049% Water 36.853% 100.0% 30 To the completed concentrate, 100 gallons, is added about 1700 gallons of water to yield an eighteen hundred gallon dispersion solution, which is the working solution utilized in removing the oil. 16 WO 2007/090099 PCT/US2007/061248 The completed dispersion solution has a composition by weight which is as follows: Sodium Silicate (liquid) Na 2 0.XSiO 2 4.1975% 5 Soy flour (powdered) 0.0065% Lignin flour (powdered) 0.0032% Citrus Pectin (powdered) 0.0032% Water 95.7896% 100.0% 10 Example 2 As an option and for instances where the material to be removed is particularly difficult, other materials may be added. One such material is sodium 15 phosphate (powder) Na 3

PO

4 which may be obtained from the Monsanto Chemical Company of St. Louis, Mo. Another such material which may be added is soda ash, Na 2

CO

3 obtainable commercially from Van Waters & Rogers of San Mateo, CA, 94403. Another material which may be added is a surfactant, also known as non ionic TRITON X100 which has a formula C 33

H

60

O

1 0

.

5 , and which is available from 20 Union Carbide of Danbury, Conn. Indeed other ingredients may be added to alter the performance of the dispersion solution. Where needed, the sodium phosphate powder may be added in an amount of about ten pounds dry weight per 1800 gallons of dispersion solution. Similarly, the soda ash may be added in an amount of about ten pounds dry weight per 1800 25 gallons of dispersion solution. The TRITON X100 may be added in an amount of about one gallon of X1 00 per 1800 gallons of dispersion solution. In addition, it is permissible to add one, two, or all three of the above optional components per single 1800 gallon dispersion solution batch. 30 While the description above refers to particular embodiments of the present invention, it should be readily apparent to people of ordinary skill in the art that a number of modifications may be made without departing from the spirit thereof. The 17 WO 2007/090099 PCT/US2007/061248 accompanying claims are intended to cover such modifications as would fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. The presently disclosed embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than the foregoing 5 description. All changes that come within the meaning of and range of equivalency of the claims are intended to be embraced therein. 18

Claims

1. A method for extracting heavy oil from an oil reservoir, comprising: providing a solvent comprising sodium silicate, a salt or an equivalent thereof; injecting the solvent into the oil reservoir; and extracting the heavy oil from the oil reservoir.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the heavy oil comprises bitumen.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the solvent further comprises soy flour, lignin flour and/or citrus pectin.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising heating the solvent prior to injecting the solvent.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising injecting steam into the oil reservoir.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the solvent further comprises detergent-like surfactants.

7. A method for extracting bitumen from an oil sands reservoir, comprising: providing a solvent comprising sodium silicate, a salt or an equivalent thereof; injecting the solvent into the oil sands reservoir; extracting a slurry comprising oil sands from the oil sands reservoir; and extracting the bitumen from the slurry.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the solvent further comprises soy flour, lignin flour and/or citrus pectin.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising heating the solvent prior to injecting the solvent.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising injecting steam into the oil reservoir.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein extracting the bitumen comprises separating the bitumen from an inorganic material that exists in the slurry.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein separating the bitumen from the inorganic material comprises adding a quantity of air to the slurry. 19 WO 2007/090099 PCT/US2007/061248

13. The method of claim 11, wherein separating the bitumen from the inorganic material comprises adding a quantity of the solvent to the slurry.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising passing the slurry through a stripper to remove air bubbles.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising separating the bitumen from the solvent.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein separating the bitumen from the solvent comprises placing the slurry through a counter-current decantation circuit.

17. A method for extracting bitumen from terrain oil sands or oil shale, comprising: removing the oil sands or oil shale from the terrain; providing a solvent comprising sodium silicate, a salt or an equivalent thereof; adding the solvent to the removed oil sands or oil shale to create a slurry; and extracting bitumen from the slurry.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the solvent further comprises soy flour, lignin flour and/or citrus pectin.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising reducing the size of the removed oil sands or oil shale.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein extracting the bitumen comprises separating the bitumen from an inorganic material that exists in the slurry.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein separating the bitumen from the inorganic material comprises adding a quantity of air to the slurry.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein separating the bitumen from the inorganic material comprises adding a quantity of the solvent to the slurry.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising passing the slurry through a stripper to remove air bubbles.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising separating the bitumen from the solvent. 20 WO 2007/090099 PCT/US2007/061248

25. The method of claim 24, wherein separating the bitumen from the solvent comprises placing the slurry through a counter-current decantation circuit.

26. The method of claim 17, wherein removing the oil sands or oil shale comprises: providing a solvent comprising sodium silicate, a salt or an equivalent thereof; using the solvent to fluidize the oil sands or oil shale; and pumping the fluidized oil sands or oil shale out of the terrain. 21