CA1234351A - Tar sands treatment - Google Patents
Tar sands treatmentInfo
- Publication number
- CA1234351A CA1234351A CA000428536A CA428536A CA1234351A CA 1234351 A CA1234351 A CA 1234351A CA 000428536 A CA000428536 A CA 000428536A CA 428536 A CA428536 A CA 428536A CA 1234351 A CA1234351 A CA 1234351A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- formation
- pilot hole
- oil sands
- reaming bit
- hydraulic
- 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
- 230000015572 biosynthetic process Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 71
- 239000007787 solid Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 32
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 31
- 239000011435 rock Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 29
- 239000007788 liquid Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 23
- 238000005065 mining Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 17
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 11
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 27
- 238000005553 drilling Methods 0.000 claims description 6
- 238000005755 formation reaction Methods 0.000 description 38
- 239000002002 slurry Substances 0.000 description 12
- 239000004576 sand Substances 0.000 description 9
- 238000011084 recovery Methods 0.000 description 6
- 238000009412 basement excavation Methods 0.000 description 4
- 229930195733 hydrocarbon Natural products 0.000 description 3
- 239000003027 oil sand Substances 0.000 description 3
- 239000002245 particle Substances 0.000 description 3
- 239000004215 Carbon black (E152) Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000004927 clay Substances 0.000 description 2
- 150000002430 hydrocarbons Chemical class 0.000 description 2
- 238000011065 in-situ storage Methods 0.000 description 2
- 229910003480 inorganic solid Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- 230000002093 peripheral effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000000926 separation method Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000012876 topography Methods 0.000 description 2
- 235000019738 Limestone Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 101100270435 Mus musculus Arhgef12 gene Proteins 0.000 description 1
- 229910019142 PO4 Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- KWYUFKZDYYNOTN-UHFFFAOYSA-M Potassium hydroxide Chemical compound [OH-].[K+] KWYUFKZDYYNOTN-UHFFFAOYSA-M 0.000 description 1
- 238000002485 combustion reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000004891 communication Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000006378 damage Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000011010 flushing procedure Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000010438 heat treatment Methods 0.000 description 1
- 125000001183 hydrocarbyl group Chemical group 0.000 description 1
- 239000006028 limestone Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000012423 maintenance Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000011159 matrix material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000000203 mixture Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000010452 phosphate Substances 0.000 description 1
- NBIIXXVUZAFLBC-UHFFFAOYSA-K phosphate Chemical compound [O-]P([O-])([O-])=O NBIIXXVUZAFLBC-UHFFFAOYSA-K 0.000 description 1
- 229940072033 potash Drugs 0.000 description 1
- BWHMMNNQKKPAPP-UHFFFAOYSA-L potassium carbonate Substances [K+].[K+].[O-]C([O-])=O BWHMMNNQKKPAPP-UHFFFAOYSA-L 0.000 description 1
- 235000015320 potassium carbonate Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 238000000638 solvent extraction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000003860 storage Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000010409 thin film Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000036346 tooth eruption Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000009423 ventilation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000011800 void material Substances 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
- E21C—MINING OR QUARRYING
- E21C41/00—Methods of underground or surface mining; Layouts therefor
- E21C41/16—Methods of underground mining; Layouts therefor
- E21C41/24—Methods of underground mining; Layouts therefor for oil-bearing deposits
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B43/00—Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells
- E21B43/29—Obtaining a slurry of minerals, e.g. by using nozzles
- E21B43/292—Obtaining a slurry of minerals, e.g. by using nozzles using steerable or laterally extendable nozzles
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
- Geology (AREA)
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
- Remote Sensing (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Oil, Petroleum & Natural Gas (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
- Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
- Earth Drilling (AREA)
Abstract
ABSTRACT OF DISCLOSURE
A method of mining deposits of discrete materials such as oil bearing sands disposed between an overburden and an underlying competent rock stratum in which at least one pilot hole is vertically drilled from the surface through the overburden and through the formation of discrete solids into the underlying competent rock stratum, an access drift or tunnel is driven in the competent rock stratum to intersect the vertical pilot hole, a sump is formed in the drift or tunnel below the pilot hole, the pilot hole drill bit is removed and a mechanical-hydraulic excavator head is attached to the drill string, a collection raise is excavated upwardly from the drift or tunnel concentric with the pilot hole to the bottom of the formation of discrete solids, and a liquid under high pressure is jetted radially from said mechanical-hydraulic excavator head into the discrete material commencing at the bottom of the formation of discrete material and continuing upwardly towards the top of the said formation to progressively upwardly undercut the said formation and to disintegrate the discrete material whereby the discrete material is flushed by the high pressure liquid downwardly through the collection raise into the sump for removal.
A mechanical excavator is used in combination with the hydraulic head for enlarging the pilot hole to enhance operation of the hydraulic head and to provide support for the roof of the stope above the mechanical excavator to minimize undesired caving of the stope roof and to create an air chamber in which the mechanical-hydraulic excavator head can operate.
A method of mining deposits of discrete materials such as oil bearing sands disposed between an overburden and an underlying competent rock stratum in which at least one pilot hole is vertically drilled from the surface through the overburden and through the formation of discrete solids into the underlying competent rock stratum, an access drift or tunnel is driven in the competent rock stratum to intersect the vertical pilot hole, a sump is formed in the drift or tunnel below the pilot hole, the pilot hole drill bit is removed and a mechanical-hydraulic excavator head is attached to the drill string, a collection raise is excavated upwardly from the drift or tunnel concentric with the pilot hole to the bottom of the formation of discrete solids, and a liquid under high pressure is jetted radially from said mechanical-hydraulic excavator head into the discrete material commencing at the bottom of the formation of discrete material and continuing upwardly towards the top of the said formation to progressively upwardly undercut the said formation and to disintegrate the discrete material whereby the discrete material is flushed by the high pressure liquid downwardly through the collection raise into the sump for removal.
A mechanical excavator is used in combination with the hydraulic head for enlarging the pilot hole to enhance operation of the hydraulic head and to provide support for the roof of the stope above the mechanical excavator to minimize undesired caving of the stope roof and to create an air chamber in which the mechanical-hydraulic excavator head can operate.
Description
~L~3~35i~
This invention relates to a method of mining deposits of discrete materials and, more particularly, relates to a method of mining oil bearing sands such as bituminous oil sands.
Bituminous oil sands, tar sands and the like hydrocarbon bearing sandsr hereinafter referred to as "oil sands", comprise a viscous hydrocarbon as a matrix in a formation of discrete inorganic solids such a sand and clay particles. The sand and clay particles typically are water wetted by a thin film of water which, together with the oil and connate water, fill the void space between the inorganic solids to bind the mixture together to form a fairly cohesive mass.
Conventional mining of oil sands such as the extensive Athabasca Oil Sands of Alberta, Canada for the recovery of hydrocarbons involves removal of overburden such as glacial drift and till to expose the oil sands and mining of the oil sands by means of power shovels, rotary cutter wheels and the like larg~ excavating equipment.
The major portion of the Athabasca oil sands, approximately 90 per cent, is covered by a substantial thickness of overburden and recovery of oil must therefore be accomplished by in situ or underground mining techniquesO The use of solvent extraction in which the viscous oil is diluted with a compatible light oil, s~eam heating of the oil, and underground combustion of the oil to produce heat to reduce oil viscosity and to permit a flow of bituminous oil for its in situ recovery, have been tested for many years but no commercially successful operation has been established to-date.
The concept of underground mininy and slurrying oil sands with hot water introduced by high pressure jets to 5~
disintegrate the oil sands to form a pumpable slurry is known.
Canadian Patent 1,021,809 discloses such a method in which parallel tunnels are established underneath an oil sands formation and a line of bore holes drilled vertically upwardly from the tunnels into the oil sands formation. Oscillating and/or rotating high pressure jet stream nozzles are introduced through the bore holes into the oil sands formation so as to direct high pressure, high velocity streams of fluid such as hot water into the oil sands formation, a slurry of the hot 1~ water, sand and bituminous oil is formed, and the slurry is collected as it flows downwardly into a sump for direction to a separation plant in which the oil is separated from the sand and water. The stope areas covered by the jet streams from ad~acent bore holes overlap to ensure that oil sand pillars, which would support overlying formations of oil sands and overburden, are not left in the oil sands formation, permitting caving of overlying formations into the stope chambers. The operation of this method necessitates collapse of overburden into mined out stopes with inherent destruction of the surface topography and of forest growth.
Other underground techniques are disclosed in Canadian Patents 310, 420; 1,018,556; 1,026,387; 1,035,797;
1,060,340; and 1,112,561.
Although the description of the method and apparatus of the invention will largely proceed with reference to the treatment of oil sands, it will be understood that the scope of the invention is not to be limited thereto and it is contemplated that the method and apparatus of the invention can also be used for the mining of formations of discrete solids such as potash and phosphate which occur in beds covered by overburden and underlain by a competent rock stratum.
3S~L
In a broad aspect of our invention, an effective method of mining a formation of discrete solids between an overburden and an underlying competent rock stratum can be accomplished by drilling a pilot hole vertically from the surface downwardly through the overburden and through the formation of discrete solids into the underlying competent rock stratum, driving a drift or tunnel in the competent rock stratum to intersect the said pilot hole, forming a sump in the drift or tunnel below the pilot hole, excavating a collection raise upwardly from the drift or tunnel concentric with said pilot hole to the bottom of the formation of discrete solids, and jetting a li~uid under high pressure radially into the said formation of discrete solids commencing at the bottom of the formation of discrete solid and continuing upwardly towards the top of the formation of discrete solids to progressively upwardly undercut the formation and to disintegrate the discrete solids whereby the discrete solids are flushed by the high pressure liquid downwardly through the collection raise into the sump for removal. A mechanical-hydraulic excavator preferably is attached to the drill string in the drift after the sump is formed for excavating the collection raise and for radially jetting the liquid under high pressure into the formation of discrete solids.
In a preferred aspect of our invention, the effective mining of an oil bearing formation such as Athabasca oil sands disposed between an overburden and an underlying competent rock stratum can be accomplished by drilling a pilot hole vertically from the surface through the overburden and through the oil sands into the underlying competent rock stratum, driving a drift or tunnel in the competent rock stratum to intersect the vertical pilot hole, forming a sump in ~3 ~34~5i31 the drift below the pilot 7O1e, attaching a mechanical hydraulic excavator to a drill string in the drift, excavatiny a collection raise upwardly from the drift concentric with the pilot hole to the bottom of the oil sands formation and jetting a liquid under high pressure radially from said mechanical-hydraulic excavator into the oil sands formation commencing at the bottom of the oil sands formation and continuing upwardly towards the top of the oil sands formation to progressively upwardly undercut the said formation and to disintegrate the oil sands whereby the oil sands are flushed by the high pressure liquid downwardly through the collection raise into the sump for removal.
The liquid for mining oil sands normally is ambient temperature water, or water heated if required, to a temperature up to about 45C, preferably at a temperature of about 38 C, jetted at a pressure in the range of 300 to 2500 psi radially from the mechanical-hydraulic excavator suspended from the surface by a drill string in the pilot hole.
The mechanical-hydraulic excavator normally comprises a rotating back reaming bit with a hydraulic monitor head suspended below the bit. The backreaming bit is adapted to ream an enlarged bore hole upwardly in the competent underlying rock stratum from the drift to the bottom of the oil sands formation to form the collection raise and upwardly through the oil sands formation concentric with the pilot hole to enlarge the pilot hole while continuously providing support for the stope roof in the vicinity of the bit. The hydraulic monitor head may be independently suspended through the bit concentric with the bit by a hydraulic pipe for rotation through 360 and for selective raising and lowering beneath the bit for jetting the water under high pressure to ~2~9L3~i~
disintegrate and to dislodge the oil sands and to slurry the disintegrated material.
A preferred mechanical-hydraulic excavator head is comprised of a rotating back reaming bit, a rotating blind bore or forward reaming bit and a hydraulic head situated between the back reaming and blind bore bit. The entire mechanical-hydraulic bit is operated by a single drill string from surface.
The back reaming bit is adapted to ream an enlarged bore hole upwardly in the competent underlying rock stratum from the'drift or tunnel to the bottom of the oil sands formation to form the collection raise and upwardly through the oil sands formation concentric with the pilot hole to enlarqe the pilot hole while continuously providing support for the stope roof in the vicinity of the bit.
The hydraulic monitor head is an integral and fixed part of the entire unit and turns in unison with the back reaming and blind boring bits.
The forward reaming bit/ located underneath the hydraulic head, serves as a means to maintain the oil sand 20 collection raise open. In the event that a large piece of oil sands falls over and bridges the mouth of the collection raise, the mechanical-hydraulic excavator can be lowered down and "redrill" the opening to allow the oil sands to fall into the collection sump.
A line of pilot holes are drilled for linear aligment with the drift such that a plurality of stopes can be mined from a single drift. A plurality of parallel lines of drill holes with associated drifts are formed an equispaced distance apart substantially equal to the linear spacing of the 30 pilot holes such that stopes mined concentric with the pilot holes are equispaced longitudinally and laterally of the drifts ~3~35~
and control of the diameters of the stopes permits maintenance of stope walls for support of the stope roofs.
The method and apparatus of our invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which;
Figure 1 is a perspective view of mine stopes illustrating the method of excavation according to the present invention;
Figure 2 is a horizontal section of the stopes shown in Figure 1 taken along line 2-2 illustrating pillar arrangement;
Figures is vertical section depicting 3a-d sequentially the stages of preparing and establishing a stope;
Figure 4 is a vertical section taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 3d;
Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view of an embodiment of mechanical-hydraulic excavator shown in Figure 3;
Figure 6 is a more detailed view of the mechanical-hydraulic excavator shown in Figure 5;
Figure 7 is a sectional view of a preferred embodiment of mechanical-hydraulic excavator; and Figure 8 is a vertical section through a stope illustrating backfilling of the stope with sand tailings.
In accordance with the method of the present invention, a service and ventilation shaft is sunk from the ~3~35~
surface throuqh the overburden and formation of discrete solids into an underlying competent rock stratum. The Athabasca oil sands, for example, comprise a formation of sand and oil deposited on generally flat lying Devonian limestone covered by shale and/or glacial till. The thickness of the oil sands formation varies from about 30 to 60 metres and the thickness of the overburden varies from no overburden to in excess of 350 m depending on the surface topography and location down dip.
Horizontal access tunnels or drifts are driven from the shaft through the competent rock stratum and normally intersected by a plurality of transverse secondary access and collection drifts. With reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3, secondary access and collection drifts 10 are shown arranged parallel and equispaced with each other in competent rock stratum 11. Each drift 10 is intersected by a line of a plurality of equispaced pilot holes 12 which have been drilled vertically from the surface through the overburden 13 and the oil sands formation 15 into the underlying competent rock stratum 11. Lines of pilot holes 12 normally are drilled prior to the driving of the drifts to permit pre-draining of gas and water, if necessary, for disposal of the qas by burning or collection in a portable gas storage units and pumpinq of the water to the surface with the use of deep well pumps. The diameter of the pilot hole will be determined by the size of drill strings to be used according to the method of the invention, to be described, a pilot hole diameter of about ; 30 cm normally being satisfactory.
The parallel and equispaced secondary access and collection drifts 10 are spaced on centers substantially equal 30 to the linear spacing of pilot holes 12. The dimensions of the stopes 14 and associated stope pillars 16, which depend on the 3L23435i~
characteristics of the deposits to be mined, determine lateral and longitudinal spacing of the pilot holes 12.
With particular reference now to Figure 3a-d, a sump 30 is formed in the floor of drift 10 below pilot hole 12 and a pair of spaced apart dams 32, 34 are built across access drift 10 to minimize escape of slurry and liquid from slump 30. One or more large-volume slurry sump pumps 36, each having a suction line 38, is located in the access drit 10, or is submerged in sump 30, for distributing the oil sands slurry by discharge line 40 to a separation plant for recovery of the oil.
A collection raise 18 is excavated vertically upwardly from drift 10 in rock stratum 11 concentric with the axis of pilot hole 12. Collection raise 18 normally is excavated by a mechanical excavator head such as a back reaming bit attached to the bottom of a drill string 22 lowered from the surface through the pilot hole 12 by a trailer-mounted raise bore machine 2S. A back reaming bit 26 having a diameter of about 2 m, shown in Figure 6, is attached to drill string 22 in drift 10 and the collection raise is excavated upwardly from the access drift to the bottom 24 of the oil sands formation 15 in a conventional manner.
Back reaming bit 26 bores vertically upwardly through the oil sands formation 15 to enlarge pilot hole 12 from about 30 cm to about 2 m to permit rotating hydraulic monitor head 42 which is suspended below excavator 26 by an inner string of hydraulic pipe 44 passing through mechanical excavator 26 to undercut the oil sands formation and to further enlarge the diameter of stope 14 while disintegrating the oil sands by means of high pressure hot water discharged radially outwardly by peripheral jets 46. The mechanical excavator 26 ~L~3~ 51 supported by drill strinq 22 is advanced ahead of hydraulic head 42 either in stages, such as by 1 m advances indicated in Figure 5, or is advanced continuously at the same rate at which the rotatory hydraulic head 42 is capable of disinteqrating the oil sands in the stope and flushing the oil sands down into collection raise 18 for removal from sump 30 by slurry pump 36. The rate of vertical retreat of the roof 17 of stope 14 will vary according to the rate at which the oil sands is removed from the stope. As illustrated in Fiqures 3d and 4, 10 the oil sands about the entrance 50 to collection raise 18 forms a cone shape with an an~le of repose established by the characteristics of the disintegrated oil sands directing the oil sands slurry into collection raise 18.
Mechanical excavator or back reaming bit 26, as shown most clearly in Figures 5 and 6, has an inverted cone shaped upper surface 54 with cutting teeth 56 journaled for rotation thereon. Rotation of mechanical excavator 26 with the application of an upward force by means of drill string 22 operatively connected to the surface raise bore machine 25 20 mounted on trailer 58 forces the mechanical excavator up through the oil sands while providing support for the roof immediately surrounding the mechanical excavator. This effectively supports the roof to prevent major caving of the roo~ during stopinq operations and significantly extends the diameter of ~he stope during mining operations to optimize yield from each stope.
Raising and lowering of the hydraulic monitor 42 and rotation of the said head through 360 degrees on inner string 44 is independent of the operation oE the mechanical 30 excavator 26. The mechanical excavator 26 can be advanced intermittently a predetermined height and then remain ~L~3~L3~
vertically stationary until the hydraulic head has excavated the stope to its outer limit up to the level of the mechanical excavator, or the mechanical excavator can be continuously advanced slightly ahead of or with the hydraulic head to provide support for the roof while providing an enlarged bore opening for effective operation of the hydraulic head.
The use of a 2 m diameter backreaming bit, as shown on Figure 6, rotatively supported by drill string 22 having a 30 cm outside diameter and a 16 cm inside diameter allows the lO use of a hydraulic head supported therebelow by means of a 15.5 cm outside diameter hydraulic pipe 44 having an inside diameter of 14 cm. The hydraulic head may have a peripheral diameter of about 150 cm with 40 hydraulic nozzles 70 equispaced about the circumference 72 thereof in communication with liquid under high pressure in the interior 72 of the hydraulic feed-pipe.
A downwardly inclined axial jet nozzle 74 is directed at the centre of collection raise 18 at all times and ensures raise 18 is maintained free of bridging oil sands.
Hydraulic head 42 can be selectively raised and lowered 20 independently of mechanical excavator 26 and rotated independently at a desired rotational speed for hydraulic stope excavation as desired.
The mechanical excavator 26, at the commencement of mining of an oil sand stope 14, can be raised about 50 cm into the oil sands formation and the hydraulic head actuated at the bottom level 24 of the oil sands formation 15 to jet a high pressure hot water stream radially outwardly. The hydraulic head 42 preferably discharges high pressure water at a pressure in the range of 300 to 2500 psi with a water temperature of 30 25 to 45C.
10 .
~L~3~3~
With reference to Figure 7, rotary mechanical-hydraulic excavator head 80 has a back reaming bit 81, a hydraulic monitor head 82 and a forward reaming bit 84 rigidly connected together to form a single unit suspended for rotation by drill string 22. A single drill string 22 can thus be used to ream the collection raise and to enlarge pilot hole 12 while continuously supporting the stope roof in the vicinity of the eXCavatGr. The hydraulic monitor head 82 rotates as an integral part of unit 80 to supply high pressure water to disintegrate and slurry the discrete solids. Lowering of unit 86 while it rotates permits redrilling of any materials bridged or lodged in collection raise 18 by cone shaped forward reaming bit 84.
The disintegration and excavation of oil sands formations, or deposits of other discrete solids, is primarily achieved by altering and breaking down the cohesiveness and shear strength of the materials by use of the hydraulic liquid jet under high pressure and high temperature. The temperature component of the water reduces the viscosity of the viscous oil which binds the sand particles toqether and the high velocity of the water discharged under pressure provides the energy necessary to complete the disintegration and slurrying of the oil sands.
The boring-hydraulic action is continued until the mechanical-hydraulic excavator reaches the upper portion 60 of the oil sands formation 15 and the stope is extended to its full width. The excavator is then lowered through the stope 14 and through the collection raise 18 for removal from the drill string 12 and re-use for repeat of the excavating cycle.
Once a stope has been mined out, a perforated drainage pipe 66 shown in Figure 7 is lowered through pilot hole 12 to rest on the base of sump 30. Access drift 10 is 11 .
~Lf~ 3 ~ ~ 5~
closed at both ends and sand 90 backfilled as a sand-water slurry through slurry pipe 6~ inserted through hole 12. Excess water is drained from the stope by means of a perforated pipe 66 and pumped to the surface.
The method and apparatus of the present invention provides a number of important advantages. A major portion of oil sands buried under thick layers of overburden can be substantially recovered by means of an inexpensive and safe mining operation. Subsidence and caving of the overburden is effectively avoided by backfilling of mined-out stopes with the substantial quantities of sand tailinq produced by the excavation and recovery of oil from the oil sands. The roof support provided by the excavating apparatus effectively increases the maximum span of a stope for a substantial increase in recovery of oil sands from each stope.
It will be understood of course that modifications can be made in the embodiments of the invention described and illustrated herein without departing from the scope and purview of the invention as defined in the appended claims.
12.
This invention relates to a method of mining deposits of discrete materials and, more particularly, relates to a method of mining oil bearing sands such as bituminous oil sands.
Bituminous oil sands, tar sands and the like hydrocarbon bearing sandsr hereinafter referred to as "oil sands", comprise a viscous hydrocarbon as a matrix in a formation of discrete inorganic solids such a sand and clay particles. The sand and clay particles typically are water wetted by a thin film of water which, together with the oil and connate water, fill the void space between the inorganic solids to bind the mixture together to form a fairly cohesive mass.
Conventional mining of oil sands such as the extensive Athabasca Oil Sands of Alberta, Canada for the recovery of hydrocarbons involves removal of overburden such as glacial drift and till to expose the oil sands and mining of the oil sands by means of power shovels, rotary cutter wheels and the like larg~ excavating equipment.
The major portion of the Athabasca oil sands, approximately 90 per cent, is covered by a substantial thickness of overburden and recovery of oil must therefore be accomplished by in situ or underground mining techniquesO The use of solvent extraction in which the viscous oil is diluted with a compatible light oil, s~eam heating of the oil, and underground combustion of the oil to produce heat to reduce oil viscosity and to permit a flow of bituminous oil for its in situ recovery, have been tested for many years but no commercially successful operation has been established to-date.
The concept of underground mininy and slurrying oil sands with hot water introduced by high pressure jets to 5~
disintegrate the oil sands to form a pumpable slurry is known.
Canadian Patent 1,021,809 discloses such a method in which parallel tunnels are established underneath an oil sands formation and a line of bore holes drilled vertically upwardly from the tunnels into the oil sands formation. Oscillating and/or rotating high pressure jet stream nozzles are introduced through the bore holes into the oil sands formation so as to direct high pressure, high velocity streams of fluid such as hot water into the oil sands formation, a slurry of the hot 1~ water, sand and bituminous oil is formed, and the slurry is collected as it flows downwardly into a sump for direction to a separation plant in which the oil is separated from the sand and water. The stope areas covered by the jet streams from ad~acent bore holes overlap to ensure that oil sand pillars, which would support overlying formations of oil sands and overburden, are not left in the oil sands formation, permitting caving of overlying formations into the stope chambers. The operation of this method necessitates collapse of overburden into mined out stopes with inherent destruction of the surface topography and of forest growth.
Other underground techniques are disclosed in Canadian Patents 310, 420; 1,018,556; 1,026,387; 1,035,797;
1,060,340; and 1,112,561.
Although the description of the method and apparatus of the invention will largely proceed with reference to the treatment of oil sands, it will be understood that the scope of the invention is not to be limited thereto and it is contemplated that the method and apparatus of the invention can also be used for the mining of formations of discrete solids such as potash and phosphate which occur in beds covered by overburden and underlain by a competent rock stratum.
3S~L
In a broad aspect of our invention, an effective method of mining a formation of discrete solids between an overburden and an underlying competent rock stratum can be accomplished by drilling a pilot hole vertically from the surface downwardly through the overburden and through the formation of discrete solids into the underlying competent rock stratum, driving a drift or tunnel in the competent rock stratum to intersect the said pilot hole, forming a sump in the drift or tunnel below the pilot hole, excavating a collection raise upwardly from the drift or tunnel concentric with said pilot hole to the bottom of the formation of discrete solids, and jetting a li~uid under high pressure radially into the said formation of discrete solids commencing at the bottom of the formation of discrete solid and continuing upwardly towards the top of the formation of discrete solids to progressively upwardly undercut the formation and to disintegrate the discrete solids whereby the discrete solids are flushed by the high pressure liquid downwardly through the collection raise into the sump for removal. A mechanical-hydraulic excavator preferably is attached to the drill string in the drift after the sump is formed for excavating the collection raise and for radially jetting the liquid under high pressure into the formation of discrete solids.
In a preferred aspect of our invention, the effective mining of an oil bearing formation such as Athabasca oil sands disposed between an overburden and an underlying competent rock stratum can be accomplished by drilling a pilot hole vertically from the surface through the overburden and through the oil sands into the underlying competent rock stratum, driving a drift or tunnel in the competent rock stratum to intersect the vertical pilot hole, forming a sump in ~3 ~34~5i31 the drift below the pilot 7O1e, attaching a mechanical hydraulic excavator to a drill string in the drift, excavatiny a collection raise upwardly from the drift concentric with the pilot hole to the bottom of the oil sands formation and jetting a liquid under high pressure radially from said mechanical-hydraulic excavator into the oil sands formation commencing at the bottom of the oil sands formation and continuing upwardly towards the top of the oil sands formation to progressively upwardly undercut the said formation and to disintegrate the oil sands whereby the oil sands are flushed by the high pressure liquid downwardly through the collection raise into the sump for removal.
The liquid for mining oil sands normally is ambient temperature water, or water heated if required, to a temperature up to about 45C, preferably at a temperature of about 38 C, jetted at a pressure in the range of 300 to 2500 psi radially from the mechanical-hydraulic excavator suspended from the surface by a drill string in the pilot hole.
The mechanical-hydraulic excavator normally comprises a rotating back reaming bit with a hydraulic monitor head suspended below the bit. The backreaming bit is adapted to ream an enlarged bore hole upwardly in the competent underlying rock stratum from the drift to the bottom of the oil sands formation to form the collection raise and upwardly through the oil sands formation concentric with the pilot hole to enlarge the pilot hole while continuously providing support for the stope roof in the vicinity of the bit. The hydraulic monitor head may be independently suspended through the bit concentric with the bit by a hydraulic pipe for rotation through 360 and for selective raising and lowering beneath the bit for jetting the water under high pressure to ~2~9L3~i~
disintegrate and to dislodge the oil sands and to slurry the disintegrated material.
A preferred mechanical-hydraulic excavator head is comprised of a rotating back reaming bit, a rotating blind bore or forward reaming bit and a hydraulic head situated between the back reaming and blind bore bit. The entire mechanical-hydraulic bit is operated by a single drill string from surface.
The back reaming bit is adapted to ream an enlarged bore hole upwardly in the competent underlying rock stratum from the'drift or tunnel to the bottom of the oil sands formation to form the collection raise and upwardly through the oil sands formation concentric with the pilot hole to enlarqe the pilot hole while continuously providing support for the stope roof in the vicinity of the bit.
The hydraulic monitor head is an integral and fixed part of the entire unit and turns in unison with the back reaming and blind boring bits.
The forward reaming bit/ located underneath the hydraulic head, serves as a means to maintain the oil sand 20 collection raise open. In the event that a large piece of oil sands falls over and bridges the mouth of the collection raise, the mechanical-hydraulic excavator can be lowered down and "redrill" the opening to allow the oil sands to fall into the collection sump.
A line of pilot holes are drilled for linear aligment with the drift such that a plurality of stopes can be mined from a single drift. A plurality of parallel lines of drill holes with associated drifts are formed an equispaced distance apart substantially equal to the linear spacing of the 30 pilot holes such that stopes mined concentric with the pilot holes are equispaced longitudinally and laterally of the drifts ~3~35~
and control of the diameters of the stopes permits maintenance of stope walls for support of the stope roofs.
The method and apparatus of our invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which;
Figure 1 is a perspective view of mine stopes illustrating the method of excavation according to the present invention;
Figure 2 is a horizontal section of the stopes shown in Figure 1 taken along line 2-2 illustrating pillar arrangement;
Figures is vertical section depicting 3a-d sequentially the stages of preparing and establishing a stope;
Figure 4 is a vertical section taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 3d;
Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view of an embodiment of mechanical-hydraulic excavator shown in Figure 3;
Figure 6 is a more detailed view of the mechanical-hydraulic excavator shown in Figure 5;
Figure 7 is a sectional view of a preferred embodiment of mechanical-hydraulic excavator; and Figure 8 is a vertical section through a stope illustrating backfilling of the stope with sand tailings.
In accordance with the method of the present invention, a service and ventilation shaft is sunk from the ~3~35~
surface throuqh the overburden and formation of discrete solids into an underlying competent rock stratum. The Athabasca oil sands, for example, comprise a formation of sand and oil deposited on generally flat lying Devonian limestone covered by shale and/or glacial till. The thickness of the oil sands formation varies from about 30 to 60 metres and the thickness of the overburden varies from no overburden to in excess of 350 m depending on the surface topography and location down dip.
Horizontal access tunnels or drifts are driven from the shaft through the competent rock stratum and normally intersected by a plurality of transverse secondary access and collection drifts. With reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3, secondary access and collection drifts 10 are shown arranged parallel and equispaced with each other in competent rock stratum 11. Each drift 10 is intersected by a line of a plurality of equispaced pilot holes 12 which have been drilled vertically from the surface through the overburden 13 and the oil sands formation 15 into the underlying competent rock stratum 11. Lines of pilot holes 12 normally are drilled prior to the driving of the drifts to permit pre-draining of gas and water, if necessary, for disposal of the qas by burning or collection in a portable gas storage units and pumpinq of the water to the surface with the use of deep well pumps. The diameter of the pilot hole will be determined by the size of drill strings to be used according to the method of the invention, to be described, a pilot hole diameter of about ; 30 cm normally being satisfactory.
The parallel and equispaced secondary access and collection drifts 10 are spaced on centers substantially equal 30 to the linear spacing of pilot holes 12. The dimensions of the stopes 14 and associated stope pillars 16, which depend on the 3L23435i~
characteristics of the deposits to be mined, determine lateral and longitudinal spacing of the pilot holes 12.
With particular reference now to Figure 3a-d, a sump 30 is formed in the floor of drift 10 below pilot hole 12 and a pair of spaced apart dams 32, 34 are built across access drift 10 to minimize escape of slurry and liquid from slump 30. One or more large-volume slurry sump pumps 36, each having a suction line 38, is located in the access drit 10, or is submerged in sump 30, for distributing the oil sands slurry by discharge line 40 to a separation plant for recovery of the oil.
A collection raise 18 is excavated vertically upwardly from drift 10 in rock stratum 11 concentric with the axis of pilot hole 12. Collection raise 18 normally is excavated by a mechanical excavator head such as a back reaming bit attached to the bottom of a drill string 22 lowered from the surface through the pilot hole 12 by a trailer-mounted raise bore machine 2S. A back reaming bit 26 having a diameter of about 2 m, shown in Figure 6, is attached to drill string 22 in drift 10 and the collection raise is excavated upwardly from the access drift to the bottom 24 of the oil sands formation 15 in a conventional manner.
Back reaming bit 26 bores vertically upwardly through the oil sands formation 15 to enlarge pilot hole 12 from about 30 cm to about 2 m to permit rotating hydraulic monitor head 42 which is suspended below excavator 26 by an inner string of hydraulic pipe 44 passing through mechanical excavator 26 to undercut the oil sands formation and to further enlarge the diameter of stope 14 while disintegrating the oil sands by means of high pressure hot water discharged radially outwardly by peripheral jets 46. The mechanical excavator 26 ~L~3~ 51 supported by drill strinq 22 is advanced ahead of hydraulic head 42 either in stages, such as by 1 m advances indicated in Figure 5, or is advanced continuously at the same rate at which the rotatory hydraulic head 42 is capable of disinteqrating the oil sands in the stope and flushing the oil sands down into collection raise 18 for removal from sump 30 by slurry pump 36. The rate of vertical retreat of the roof 17 of stope 14 will vary according to the rate at which the oil sands is removed from the stope. As illustrated in Fiqures 3d and 4, 10 the oil sands about the entrance 50 to collection raise 18 forms a cone shape with an an~le of repose established by the characteristics of the disintegrated oil sands directing the oil sands slurry into collection raise 18.
Mechanical excavator or back reaming bit 26, as shown most clearly in Figures 5 and 6, has an inverted cone shaped upper surface 54 with cutting teeth 56 journaled for rotation thereon. Rotation of mechanical excavator 26 with the application of an upward force by means of drill string 22 operatively connected to the surface raise bore machine 25 20 mounted on trailer 58 forces the mechanical excavator up through the oil sands while providing support for the roof immediately surrounding the mechanical excavator. This effectively supports the roof to prevent major caving of the roo~ during stopinq operations and significantly extends the diameter of ~he stope during mining operations to optimize yield from each stope.
Raising and lowering of the hydraulic monitor 42 and rotation of the said head through 360 degrees on inner string 44 is independent of the operation oE the mechanical 30 excavator 26. The mechanical excavator 26 can be advanced intermittently a predetermined height and then remain ~L~3~L3~
vertically stationary until the hydraulic head has excavated the stope to its outer limit up to the level of the mechanical excavator, or the mechanical excavator can be continuously advanced slightly ahead of or with the hydraulic head to provide support for the roof while providing an enlarged bore opening for effective operation of the hydraulic head.
The use of a 2 m diameter backreaming bit, as shown on Figure 6, rotatively supported by drill string 22 having a 30 cm outside diameter and a 16 cm inside diameter allows the lO use of a hydraulic head supported therebelow by means of a 15.5 cm outside diameter hydraulic pipe 44 having an inside diameter of 14 cm. The hydraulic head may have a peripheral diameter of about 150 cm with 40 hydraulic nozzles 70 equispaced about the circumference 72 thereof in communication with liquid under high pressure in the interior 72 of the hydraulic feed-pipe.
A downwardly inclined axial jet nozzle 74 is directed at the centre of collection raise 18 at all times and ensures raise 18 is maintained free of bridging oil sands.
Hydraulic head 42 can be selectively raised and lowered 20 independently of mechanical excavator 26 and rotated independently at a desired rotational speed for hydraulic stope excavation as desired.
The mechanical excavator 26, at the commencement of mining of an oil sand stope 14, can be raised about 50 cm into the oil sands formation and the hydraulic head actuated at the bottom level 24 of the oil sands formation 15 to jet a high pressure hot water stream radially outwardly. The hydraulic head 42 preferably discharges high pressure water at a pressure in the range of 300 to 2500 psi with a water temperature of 30 25 to 45C.
10 .
~L~3~3~
With reference to Figure 7, rotary mechanical-hydraulic excavator head 80 has a back reaming bit 81, a hydraulic monitor head 82 and a forward reaming bit 84 rigidly connected together to form a single unit suspended for rotation by drill string 22. A single drill string 22 can thus be used to ream the collection raise and to enlarge pilot hole 12 while continuously supporting the stope roof in the vicinity of the eXCavatGr. The hydraulic monitor head 82 rotates as an integral part of unit 80 to supply high pressure water to disintegrate and slurry the discrete solids. Lowering of unit 86 while it rotates permits redrilling of any materials bridged or lodged in collection raise 18 by cone shaped forward reaming bit 84.
The disintegration and excavation of oil sands formations, or deposits of other discrete solids, is primarily achieved by altering and breaking down the cohesiveness and shear strength of the materials by use of the hydraulic liquid jet under high pressure and high temperature. The temperature component of the water reduces the viscosity of the viscous oil which binds the sand particles toqether and the high velocity of the water discharged under pressure provides the energy necessary to complete the disintegration and slurrying of the oil sands.
The boring-hydraulic action is continued until the mechanical-hydraulic excavator reaches the upper portion 60 of the oil sands formation 15 and the stope is extended to its full width. The excavator is then lowered through the stope 14 and through the collection raise 18 for removal from the drill string 12 and re-use for repeat of the excavating cycle.
Once a stope has been mined out, a perforated drainage pipe 66 shown in Figure 7 is lowered through pilot hole 12 to rest on the base of sump 30. Access drift 10 is 11 .
~Lf~ 3 ~ ~ 5~
closed at both ends and sand 90 backfilled as a sand-water slurry through slurry pipe 6~ inserted through hole 12. Excess water is drained from the stope by means of a perforated pipe 66 and pumped to the surface.
The method and apparatus of the present invention provides a number of important advantages. A major portion of oil sands buried under thick layers of overburden can be substantially recovered by means of an inexpensive and safe mining operation. Subsidence and caving of the overburden is effectively avoided by backfilling of mined-out stopes with the substantial quantities of sand tailinq produced by the excavation and recovery of oil from the oil sands. The roof support provided by the excavating apparatus effectively increases the maximum span of a stope for a substantial increase in recovery of oil sands from each stope.
It will be understood of course that modifications can be made in the embodiments of the invention described and illustrated herein without departing from the scope and purview of the invention as defined in the appended claims.
12.
Claims (17)
1. A method of mining a formation of discrete solids between an overburden and an underlying competent rock stratum comprising the steps of drilling a pilot hole through the overburden and through the formation of discrete solids into the underlying competent rock stratum, driving a drift in the competent rock stratum to intersect the said pilot hole, forming a sump in the drift below the pilot hole, excavating a collection raise upwardly from the drift concentric with said pilot hole to the bottom of the formation of discrete solids, and jetting a liquid under high pressure radially into the said formation of discrete solids commencing at the bottom of the formation of discrete solids and continuing upwardly towards the top of the formation of discrete solids to progressively upwardly undercut the formation and disintegrate the discrete solids whereby the discrete solids are flushed by the high pressure liquid downwardly through the collection raise into the sump for removal.
2. A method as claimed in Claim 1 in which a drill string is lowered through said pilot hole, a mechanical-hydraulic excavator is attached to the drill string in the drift for excavating the collection raise, for enlarging the pilot hole and for jetting the liquid under high pressure into the formation of discrete solids.
3. A method as claimed in Claim 2 in which said liquid is water at a temperature of from ambient to about 45°C.
4. A method as claimed in Claim 2 in which said liquid is water at a temperature of from ambient to about 45°C at a pressure in the range of from about 300 to 2500 psi.
5. A method of mining a formation of oil sands disposed between an overburden and an underlying competent rock stratum comprising the steps of drilling a pilot hole vertically from the surface through the overburden and through the oil sands into the underlying competent rock stratum, driving a drift in the competent rock stratum to intersect the vertical pilot hole, forming a sump in the drift below the pilot hole, attaching a mechanical-hydraulic excavator to a drill string in said drift, excavating a collection raise upwardly from the drift concentric with the pilot hole to the bottom of the oil sands formation, and jetting a liquid under high pressure radially from said mechanical-hydraulic excavator into the oil sands formation commencing at the bottom of the oil sands formation and continuing upwardly towards the top of the oil sands formation to progressively upwardly undercut the said formation and to disintegrate the oil sands about said pilot hole whereby the oil sands are flushed by the high pressure liquid downwardly through the collection raise into the sump for removal.
6. A method as claimed in Claim 5 in which the mechanical-hydraulic excavator comprises a back reaming bit and a hydraulic monitor, excavating the collection raise with said back reaming bit, enlarging the pilot hole with the back reaming bit while supporting the stope roof in the proximity of the pilot hole with the back reaming bit, and concurrently jetting the water radially from the hydraulic monitor through 360° about the monitor below the back reaming bit into the oil sands formation.
7. A method as claimed in Claim 6 in which the pilot hole is enlarged with the back reaming bit in stages ahead of the hydraulic monitor and the hydraulic monitor is raised and lowered and rotated independently of the back reaming bit.
8. A method as claimed in Claim 6 in which the pilot hole is enlarged with the back reaming bit continuously at the rate at which the hydraulic monitor is capable of disintegrating the oil sands in the stope.
9. A method as claimed in Claim 6 in which the mechanical-hydraulic excavator comprises a back reaming bit, a hydraulic monitor suspended below said back reaming bit, and a forward reaming bit suspended below said hydraulic monitor rigidly connected together to form a single unit suspended from the drill string for rotating said back reaming bit, hydraulic monitor and forward reaming bit together, raising said rotating unit to enlarge the pilot hole and lowering said rotating unit to redrill any material bridged in the collection raise.
10. A method as claimed in Claim 7, 8 or 9 in which said liquid is water at a temperature of from ambient to about 45°C at a pressure in the range of from about 300 to 2500 psi.
11. A method of mining a formation of discrete solids between an overburden and an underlying competent rock stratum comprising the steps of drilling a plurality of parallel lines of equispaced pilot drill holes a distance apart substantially equal to the linear spacing of the pilot holes vertically from the surface through the overburden and through the formation of discrete solids into the underlying component rock stratum, driving a drift in the component rock stratum below each line of vertical drill holes to intersect said drill holes, forming a sump in the drifts below the pilot holes, attaching a mechanical-hydraulic excavator to a drill string extending through each pilot hole in a drift, excavating collection raises upwardly from the drifts concentric with the pilot holes to the bottom of the formation of discrete solids, jetting a liquid under high pressure radially into the said formation of discrete solids commencing at the bottom of the formation of discrete solids whereby the discrete solids are flushed by the high pressure liquid downwardly through the collection raise into the sump for removal to form a plurality of stopes concentric with the pilot holes equispaced longitudinally and laterally of the drifts, and controlling the diameters of the stopes to maintain pillars between the stopes to support the overburden.
12. A method of mining a formation of oil sands between an overburden and an underlying competent rock stratum comprising the steps of drilling a plurality of parallel lines of equispaced pilot drill holes a distance apart substantially equal to the linear spacing of the pilot holes vertically from the surface through the overburden and through the formation of oil sands into the underlying component rock stratum, driving a drift in the competent rock stratum below each line of vertical drill holes to intersect said drill holes, forming a sump in the drifts below the pilot holes, attaching a mechanical-hydraulic excavator to a drill string extending through each pilot hole in a drift, excavating collection raises upwardly from the drifts concentric with the pilot holes to the bottom of the formation of oil sands, jetting a liquid under high pressure radially into the said formation of oil sands commencing at the bottom of the formation of oil sands and continuing upwardly towards the top of the formation of oil sands to progressively upwardly undercut the formation and disintegrate the oil sands whereby the oil sands are flushed by the high pressure liquid downwardly through the collection raise into the sump for removal to form a plurality of stopes concentric with the pilot holes equispaced longitudinally and laterally of the drifts, and controlling the diameters of the stopes to maintain pillars between the stopes to support the overburden.
13. A method as claimed in Claim 11 or 12 in which the mechanical-hydraulic excavator comprises a back reaming bit and a hydraulic monitor, excavating the collection raises with said back reaming bit, enlarging the pilot holes with the back reaming bit while supporting the stope roof in the proximity of the pilot holes with the back reaming bit, and concurrently jetting the water radially from the hydraulic monitor through 360° about the monitor below the back reaming bit into the discrete solids or oil sands formation.
14. A method as claimed in Claim 11 or 12 in which the pilot holes are enlarged with the back reaming bit in stages ahead of the hydraulic monitor and the hydraulic monitor is raised and lowered and rotated independently of the back reaming bit.
15. A method as claimed in Claim 11 or 12 in which the pilot holes are enlarged with the back reaming bit continuously at the rate at which the hydraulic monitor is capable of disintegrating the discrete solids or oil sands in the stope.
16. A method as claimed in Claim 11 or 12 in which the mechanical-hydraulic excavator comprises a back reaming bit, a hydraulic monitor suspended below said back reaming bit, and a forward reaming suspended below said hydraulic monitor rigidly connected together to form a single unit suspended from the drill string for rotating said back reaming bit, hydraulic monitor and forward reaming bit together, raising said rotating unit to enlarge the pilot holes and lowering said rotating unit to redrill any material bridged in the collection raises.
17. A method as claimed in Claim 11 or 12 in which said liquid is water at a temperature of from ambient to about 45°C at a pressure in the range of from about 300 to 2500 psi.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000428536A CA1234351A (en) | 1983-05-19 | 1983-05-19 | Tar sands treatment |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000428536A CA1234351A (en) | 1983-05-19 | 1983-05-19 | Tar sands treatment |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1234351A true CA1234351A (en) | 1988-03-22 |
Family
ID=4125286
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000428536A Expired CA1234351A (en) | 1983-05-19 | 1983-05-19 | Tar sands treatment |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1234351A (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US7695697B2 (en) | 2004-12-23 | 2010-04-13 | Franco D'Orazio Pessia | Devices for crude oil treatment and upgrading |
-
1983
- 1983-05-19 CA CA000428536A patent/CA1234351A/en not_active Expired
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US7695697B2 (en) | 2004-12-23 | 2010-04-13 | Franco D'Orazio Pessia | Devices for crude oil treatment and upgrading |
Similar Documents
| Publication | Publication Date | Title |
|---|---|---|
| US4189184A (en) | Rotary drilling and extracting process | |
| US8313152B2 (en) | Recovery of bitumen by hydraulic excavation | |
| US4452491A (en) | Recovery of hydrocarbons from deep underground deposits of tar sands | |
| US5879057A (en) | Horizontal remote mining system, and method | |
| CA2614569C (en) | Method of increasing reservoir permeability | |
| RU2287666C2 (en) | Method for controlling usage of accompanying products from underground zones | |
| US4319784A (en) | Apparatus for water jet and impact drilling and mining | |
| US6688702B1 (en) | Borehole mining method | |
| CA2752461C (en) | Enhanced permeability subterranean fluid recovery system and methods | |
| US4076311A (en) | Hydraulic mining from tunnel by reciprocated pipes | |
| US3439953A (en) | Apparatus for and method of mining a subterranean ore deposit | |
| US3393013A (en) | Process of mining ore from beneath an overburden of earth formation | |
| EP2400111A1 (en) | Producing hydrocarbon material from a layer of oil sand | |
| US20130106166A1 (en) | Horizontal Borehole Mining System and Method | |
| WO2012009759A1 (en) | Hydraulic mining system for tabular orebodies utilising directional drilling techniques | |
| CA1234351A (en) | Tar sands treatment | |
| CA2176100C (en) | Method of removing a minable product from an underground seam | |
| US5380127A (en) | Non-entry method of underground excavation in weak or water bearing grounds | |
| EP2400112A1 (en) | Producing hydrocarbon material from a layer of oil sand | |
| CA1129446A (en) | Method and apparatus for drilling and mining | |
| CA1067819A (en) | Mining and extracting process and apparatus | |
| US5139312A (en) | Method and apparatus removing a mineable product from an underground seam | |
| US4508389A (en) | Apparatus and method for hydraulically mining unconsolidated subterranean mineral formations | |
| RU2235881C1 (en) | Method for extraction of slanted bed of hard mineral resource by means of method of well hydro-extraction (variants) | |
| Walker | An example of the use of jet grouting to permit tunneling in chemically weathered limestone |
Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKEX | Expiry |