GB1094973A - Improved method for the production of emulsifiable bitumen and emulsified bitumen produced thereby - Google Patents

Abstract

An emulsifiable bitumen is made by blowing an oxygen-containing gas through a heavy petroleum oil at 120 DEG to 200 DEG C. to produce an acidic bituminous material containing highly condensed components. A proportion at least of the components may be extracted from the material, and the material, or the extracted components, optionally after mixing with a blown or unblown heavy oil, is mixed with water to form the emulsion. By "heavy petroleum oil" is meant a solvent extract, heavy naphthenic, aromatic or mixed distillates, distillation residues, and mixtures thereof. Oxidation catalysts may be used to reduce the blowing time, e.g. organic salts or chelates of Group VIII metals, or compounds of Cu, Br, Mn and V, and sulphur compounds may be used to promote condensation. The blown material produced by the invention may be mixed with other bitumens to make them emulsifiable (Examples 4 to 7), and Example 6 deals with the case in which acid components are removed from the blown material and subjected to further blowing. All examples give details of blowing times and flow rates of the blowing gas.ALSO:A bitumen emulsion is made by mixing with water a bituminous material produced by blowing a heavy oil at 120 DEG to 200 DEG C (see Division C5). The bituminous material may be the product of the blowing operation, or highly condensed acidic components extracted therefrom, or the product after extraction of some at least of the components, and a blown or unblown heavy oil or other bitumen may be mixed with the bituminous material prior to emulsifying. Specific examples giving proportions of the mixes and compositions of the resulting emulsifiable bituminous materials are described. Residues of fatty acids may be incorporated in the bituminous material.