WO2015143561A1 - Procédé de polissage de bitume dilué - Google Patents

Procédé de polissage de bitume dilué Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2015143561A1
WO2015143561A1 PCT/CA2015/050233 CA2015050233W WO2015143561A1 WO 2015143561 A1 WO2015143561 A1 WO 2015143561A1 CA 2015050233 W CA2015050233 W CA 2015050233W WO 2015143561 A1 WO2015143561 A1 WO 2015143561A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
polisher
dilbit
product
impurities
polished
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/CA2015/050233
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
William Nicholas Garner
Barret HATTON
Saba Moetamed-Shariati
Shahrad KARIMI
Original Assignee
Total E&P Canada Ltd.
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Total E&P Canada Ltd. filed Critical Total E&P Canada Ltd.
Publication of WO2015143561A1 publication Critical patent/WO2015143561A1/fr

Links

Classifications

    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
    • C10G—CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION; RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES
    • C10G1/00—Production of liquid hydrocarbon mixtures from oil-shale, oil-sand, or non-melting solid carbonaceous or similar materials, e.g. wood, coal
    • C10G1/04—Production of liquid hydrocarbon mixtures from oil-shale, oil-sand, or non-melting solid carbonaceous or similar materials, e.g. wood, coal by extraction
    • C10G1/045—Separation of insoluble materials
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
    • C10G—CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION; RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES
    • C10G31/00—Refining of hydrocarbon oils, in the absence of hydrogen, by methods not otherwise provided for
    • C10G31/10—Refining of hydrocarbon oils, in the absence of hydrogen, by methods not otherwise provided for with the aid of centrifugal force

Definitions

  • Embodiments disclosed herein relate to processes for recovering bitumen from oil sand and, more particularly, to processes for polishing diluted bitumen product, particularly that following paraffinic froth treatment processes, to remove residual impurities therefrom.
  • Oil sands extracted from deposits such as those found in Alberta, Canada, comprise water-wet sands that are held together by a matrix of viscous heavy oil or "bitumen".
  • bitumen a matrix of viscous heavy oil or "bitumen”.
  • Various processes are required to liberate and separate the bitumen from its associated contaminants (e.g. water, sand, and clay), and to produce a marketable diluted bitumen ('dilbit') product having acceptable sediment specifications for pipeline transportation and downstream refining requirements.
  • froth treatment processes can involve the use of separators at various stages of the process. Typically after primary separation cell extraction, the resulting froth is treated to separate the bitumen from the water and solids. Naphthenic and paraffinic froth treatment process are employed.
  • separation In naphthenic froth treatment, separation typically requires the use of a plethora of various separation equipment, including counter-current decanters, cyclones, centrifuges and inclined plate separators, significantly adding to both capital and operating costs of the process in order to achieve minimum sediment requirements. Indeed, given a liquid density of dilbit of about 550-700 gm/liter and residual solid densities varying between 1400 to over 2700 gm/liter, some of the solids are not readily separable using conventional gravity separators. Thus, expensive and high maintenance centrifuges are usually required.
  • paraffinic froth treatment processes In high temperature paraffinic froth treatment processes, at least partial asphaltene precipitation occurs, bitumen-water emulsions being more effectively destabilized, resulting in improved separation. Regardless, the paraffinic processes still require the use of multi-stage and sizable froth separation units (FSUs) having high flux rates for rapid extraction of solids and water so as to meet minimum requirements.
  • FSUs multi-stage and sizable froth separation units
  • industry standard dilbit product contains residual small impurities that fail to settle out during known froth treatment processing.
  • the presence of the residual small impurities impacts on the marketability of the product and increases the risk to downstream operation, including fouling of solvent recovery units, upgraders and refineries.
  • Embodiments of a process taught herein subject a dilbit product, which has been produced from a conventional process, and which may already meet downstream processing requirements, to a High-G force environment for further removal or substantial elimination of residual impurities, such as water and fine solids, therefrom.
  • the resulting polished dilbit product may have impurities at least an order of magnitude less than the initial dilbit feedstream. Additional stages of polishing may be used.
  • a process for removing residual impurities in a dilbit product of a conventional oil sands paraffinic froth treatment process for treating the dilbit product comprising mainly hydrocarbons and the residual impurities for producing a polished dilbit product comprises feeding the dilbit product to an inlet of a separation chamber.
  • the dilbit product is subjected to centrifugal forces sufficient to separate the impurities from the hydrocarbons, the impurities including at least water and non-mineral and mineral solids having a size less than about 70 microns.
  • the polished dilbit product is removed as an overflow from the separation chamber.
  • the separated impurities are removed as an underflow from the separation chamber.
  • the separation chamber is in a polisher vessel.
  • the centrifugal force is 10-G or within the separation chamber. In other embodiments, the centrifugal force is 50-G or greater within the separation chamber.
  • Removal of the polished dilbit product is generally continuous. Removal of impurities from the underflow outlet can be semi-continuous or can be a batch discharge. A solids lock fluidly connected to the underflow outlet and/or the formation of a quiescent centrifugal area above the underflow outlet permits removal of the impurities, such as water and fine solids, when sufficient impurities are collected, without loss of valuable dilbit product.
  • Figure 1 A is a flow chart illustrating flow of conventional, contaminated dilbit product from upstream froth separation processes to a polishing step, using a polisher such as a cyclone, prior to further downstream operations;
  • Figure 1 B is a partial sectional view of a conical bottom of the polisher of Fig. 1A illustrating a solids lock fluidly connected to an outlet at the conical bottom for periodic discharge of underflow therefrom, the solids lock being shown in dotted lines as being in addition to or alternate to a quiescent or low centrifugal area formed above a discharge outlet;
  • Figure 2 illustrates two stages of the polisher according to Fig. 1 A; and Figure 3 illustrates a polisher according to Fig. 1A having a recycle of polished dilbit product to the initial dilbit feedstream circuit.
  • a process for the removal of residual impurities from diluted bitumen or 'dilbit' product following known froth treatment processes, particularly paraffinic froth treatment.
  • the process achieves a higher removal rate of such impurities than conventional froth separation processes.
  • the dilbit product is generally understood to be a partially de-asphalted bitumen product from froth separation units (FSU) used in known paraffinic froth separation processes.
  • the dilbit product typically comprises about 99.5% or greater hydrocarbon and 0.5 wt% or less impurities, which include, but are not limited to water and mineral or non-mineral solids in the order of 70 microns and less in size.
  • results from a particle size distribution of conventional dilbit product following conventional bitumen extraction processes show that at least some residual impurities, remaining following paraffinic froth treatment processes, comprise fine solids having particle sizes between approximately 0.01 microns to approximately 70 microns.
  • extremely slow conventional settling processes for example operated at an upward flux rate of about 20 mm/min, have generally been required to achieve separation of the fine solids from the dilbit product.
  • FSUs used to achieve such low flux rates are typically very large and costly. Further, at such flux rates, Brownian motion and convection become relevant factors and can prevent separation in a 1 -G environment.
  • centrifuges and cyclones are known in oil sands processing, they are typically applied for removal of residual oil in tailings streams, such as from inclined plate setters (IPS), rather than to clean a final bitumen product.
  • Cyclones are typically used in situations where the feedstream comprises at least 10% water, either as free water or in an emulsion, which is not the case for a conventional dilbit product.
  • Embodiments of apparatus and methodologies taught herein receive, as a feedstream, a conventionally cleaned dilbit product from known paraffinic froth treatment processes that meet minimum sedimentation standards.
  • the conventional dilbit product is rapidly further purified or "super-cleaned” by the removal of residual impurities or periodic surge or carryovers of fine solids and water from the FSU, according to processes taught herein.
  • high-centrifugal forces are applied to the conventional dilbit product for successful separation of purified diluted bitumen from residual impurities including fine solids.
  • separation can be achieved at dilbit inlet velocities at about 0.7 m/s and greater.
  • the initial circulation rate of the feed is at a minimum of about 1 cycle per second.
  • a polisher such as a cyclonic separator, operable at high gravitational forces (High-G force), receives the conventional dilbit feedstream containing residual impurities, for example, in the size range of about 0.01 to about 70 microns.
  • dilbit product from conventional processes comprises about 0.5 wt% impurities or less and greater amounts periodically upon spontaneous carryover on upset or statistical periodicity.
  • the High-G force is applied to the conventional dilbit for separating the feedstream into a purified dilbit product, for example having in the order of about 0.02 wt% solids or less.
  • An underflow of the impurities is removed.
  • a continuous feedstream- through-to-purified dilbit product process is advantageously coupled with a batch or semi-continuous fine solids waste or underflow removal for minimal dilbit product loss with the waste.
  • the term "high”, with respect to the centrifugal or gravitational forces imparted by the polisher, is intended to mean an acceleration sufficient to apply a force to remove water and fine solids, such as having a size of less than about 70 microns, from the dilbit for producing a polished or super-cleaned product. More particularly, the impurities separated from the dilbit product have a size from about 0.01 microns to about 70 microns.
  • the polisher described herein is capable of providing a minimum High-G force environment of about 10-G. In other embodiments, the High-G force environment is about 50-G or greater.
  • diluted bitumen product or “dilbit product” refers to a partially de-asphalted, paraffinic froth treatment bitumen product, having been diluted with a suitable paraffinic solvent.
  • the dilbit product is substantially free of water and a majority of mined solids, resulting from known paraffinic froth treatment processes.
  • the initial dilbit product may comprise greater than approximately 99.5 wt% hydrocarbon and less than approximately 0.5 wt% of residual impurities (e.g. water, mineral, or non-mineral solids in the order of 70 microns or less). It is contemplated the initial dilbit product may already have sediment specifications that satisfy conventional, standard pipeline and refinery requirements.
  • FSU operation is also periodically subject to process upset or spontaneous carryover of at least fine solids which can result in off-spec impurities in the dilbit product.
  • Embodiments provided herein describe final "polishing" processes for cleaning the dilbit product to further remove or substantially eliminate the residual impurities, mainly water and fine solids, therefrom.
  • apparatus and methodology taught herein may be used to produce a polished diluted bitumen, containing for example in the order of about 0.02wt% fine particles or less.
  • the High-G force removes about 95% of the impurities at steady state and acts to intercept most of any carryover amounts.
  • dilbit product from a paraffinic froth treatment process 10 is delivered as a dilbit feedstream 18 to a dilbit polishing apparatus or process, termed herein as a bitumen polisher 20.
  • the bitumen polisher 20 can be a low retention-time separator, capable of rapid extraction of in the order of 0.5wt% fine impurities therefrom, such as water, non-mineral or mineral particles.
  • the non-mineral or mineral particles have, for example, mean particle sizes up to about 70 microns, and preferably have an average particle size of approximately 20 microns.
  • the high- centrifugal action of the bitumen polisher 20 may produce a polished, dilbit product 22 having impurities an order of magnitude less that in the initial dilbit feedstream 18.
  • the bitumen polisher 20 may comprise apparatus having a separation chamber 23 having at least one feed inlet 24 for receiving the dilbit feedstream 18, a clean product outlet 26 at a top 25 of the chamber 23 for removing the polished diluted bitumen product 22, and an impurities or underflow outlet 28, such as at a conical bottom 27 of the chamber 23.
  • the underflow outlet 28 is available for continuous or periodic removal of an accumulated and separated fine solids waste stream 30 extracted from the dilbit feedstream 18.
  • said at least one feed inlet 24 may be in direct or indirect fluid communication with the bitumen extraction process 10.
  • the bitumen polisher 20 may be operated in a semi- continuous or semi-batch manner.
  • the dilbit feedstream 18 may be fed to the bitumen polisher 20 via the at least one feed inlet 24 substantially continuously for treatment, for subsequent, and substantially continuous, discharge from clean product outlet 26 as the polished diluted bitumen product 22 for transport to downstream operations, such as to a refinery 40.
  • the accumulated impurities may be discharged from the chamber 23 at underflow outlet 28 as the fine solids waste stream or underflow 30.
  • configurations include rotary locks, and screw conveyance devices for controlled removal of underflow streams therefrom.
  • the batch, or periodic discharge of the underflow 30 has an advantage wherein loss of product or recovery of the polished diluted bitumen product 22 is minimized compared to some continuous solids waste underflow processes.
  • a low centrifugal or quiescent zone Q and, or in the alternative, a solids lock is provided at or adjacent the underflow outlet 28
  • the bitumen polisher 20 may comprise a High-G centrifugal separator, such as a cyclone, having the periodic or batch solids lock 32 fluidly connected to the underflow outlet 28.
  • a periodic purge of the solids lock 32 discharges only settled impurities, such as fine solids and water, without disturbing the valuable polished diluted bitumen product 22 thereabove.
  • the batch solids lock 32 minimizes loss of valuable polished diluted bitumen product 22, as described above.
  • a first stage polisher 20a routes the first stage polished diluted bitumen 22a to a second stage polisher 20b for removal of residual impurities therefrom to produce a second stage polished diluted bitumen product 22b.
  • Underflow streams 30 are discharged from the first and second stage polishers 20a, 20b separately or can be combined.
  • a slipstream 36 of the polished bitumen product 22 from outlet 26 of polisher 20 can be recycled to the feedstream 18 for improving fines removal.
  • bitumen polisher 20 be configured without any moving mechanical parts, thereby having lower capital costs, operational costs and maintenance costs. It is understood that while various elements required to operate the bitumen polisher 20 have been described herein, many additional, known elements, such as valves, pumps and other tanks interconnected with the bitumen polisher 20 not described herein can be used in the operation of the bitumen polisher 20.
  • Applicant tested an embodiment of the system, as shown in Fig. 1A, using a dilbit product from a conventional paraffinic froth treatment process as a feedstream 18.
  • a Lakos (Fresno, California) High-G separator with a solids purge transfer system was suitable. Solids S were collected in the bottom of the polisher 20 for discharge from the underflow outlet 28. While the resolution of solids removal was measured in mere ppm, the testing evidenced tangible collection and removal of solids with polisher purge indicating further removal of solids S from the dilbit product, resulting in improved downstream processing thereof.

Landscapes

  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Oil, Petroleum & Natural Gas (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
  • Production Of Liquid Hydrocarbon Mixture For Refining Petroleum (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un procédé de polissage d'un produit dilbit produit à partir d'un procédé de traitement de mousse paraffinique classique, aboutiss ant à un courant de produit dilbit poli comprenant des impuretés, notamment de l'eau et des matières solides minérales et non minérales, en quantité minimale. Le produit dilbit provenant d'une unité de séparation de mousse (FSU) est introduit dans un séparateur à force G élevée, pour l'élimination d'impuretés de ce dernier. Généralement, les impuretés dans le produit dilbit initial sont présentes en quantité inférieure à environ 0,5 % en poids et peuvent être réduites selon l'invention à un niveau inférieur d'au moins un ordre de grandeur. De multiples étapes de polissage peuvent être effectuées.
PCT/CA2015/050233 2014-03-26 2015-03-26 Procédé de polissage de bitume dilué WO2015143561A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US201461970447P 2014-03-26 2014-03-26
US61/970,447 2014-03-26

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2015143561A1 true WO2015143561A1 (fr) 2015-10-01

Family

ID=54193821

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/CA2015/050233 WO2015143561A1 (fr) 2014-03-26 2015-03-26 Procédé de polissage de bitume dilué

Country Status (1)

Country Link
WO (1) WO2015143561A1 (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20160348010A1 (en) * 2015-05-27 2016-12-01 SYNCRUDE CANADA LTD. in trust for the owners of the Syncrude Project as such owners exist now and Fungible bitumen from paraffinic centrifugation

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CA2759610A1 (fr) * 2010-11-29 2012-05-29 Marathon Oil Canada Corporation Procedes et appareil pour l'extraction du bitume
CA2783837A1 (fr) * 2011-07-26 2013-01-26 Marathon Oil Canada Corporation Methodes et appareil d'extraction du bitume
CA2820040A1 (fr) * 2013-07-02 2015-01-02 Syncrude Canada Ltd. In Trust For The Owners Of The Syncrude Project Methode de reduction du volume de couche de mousse dans le traitement de mousse stationnaire
US20150008161A1 (en) * 2013-07-02 2015-01-08 Syncrude Canada Ltd. In Trust For The Owners Of The Syncrude Project Method for reducing rag layer volume in stationary froth treatment

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CA2759610A1 (fr) * 2010-11-29 2012-05-29 Marathon Oil Canada Corporation Procedes et appareil pour l'extraction du bitume
CA2783837A1 (fr) * 2011-07-26 2013-01-26 Marathon Oil Canada Corporation Methodes et appareil d'extraction du bitume
CA2820040A1 (fr) * 2013-07-02 2015-01-02 Syncrude Canada Ltd. In Trust For The Owners Of The Syncrude Project Methode de reduction du volume de couche de mousse dans le traitement de mousse stationnaire
US20150008161A1 (en) * 2013-07-02 2015-01-08 Syncrude Canada Ltd. In Trust For The Owners Of The Syncrude Project Method for reducing rag layer volume in stationary froth treatment

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20160348010A1 (en) * 2015-05-27 2016-12-01 SYNCRUDE CANADA LTD. in trust for the owners of the Syncrude Project as such owners exist now and Fungible bitumen from paraffinic centrifugation

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US7998342B2 (en) Separation of tailings that include asphaltenes
CA2638120C (fr) Methode de traitement de mousse de bitume avec recuperation a efficacite elevee de bitume et production de bitume de double qualite
US8114274B2 (en) Method for treating bitumen froth with high bitumen recovery and dual quality bitumen production
CA2659938C (fr) Methode de traitement de mousse de bitume comprenant l'ajout de silicates
US9238183B2 (en) System to process effluent brine and interface rag from an oil dehydration/desalting system
CN113121076B (zh) 一种油泥砂的处理方法
CA2790766C (fr) Decanteur a mousse a contre-courant et multi-etape et sa methode d'utilisation
US20130175203A1 (en) Method for Separating Entrained Catalyst and Catalyst Fines from Slurry Oil
WO2015143561A1 (fr) Procédé de polissage de bitume dilué
CA2936316C (fr) Procede et appareil de deasphaltage partiel du bitume
US9296954B2 (en) Treatment of poor processing bitumen froth using supercritical fluid extraction
CA2981593C (fr) Unites de decantation d'ecume a grande vitesse
CA2800815C (fr) Recyclage d'eau de cokeur pour un procede de cokefaction de bitume de sables bitumineux
CA3089213C (fr) Capture de fines gouttelettes d`eau de bitume dilue
US10544369B2 (en) Supercritical bitumen froth treatment from oil sand
US9238184B2 (en) Apparatus and method for refining a process liquor by gravity settling
CA2734611C (fr) Unite de recuperation de naphta dans des residus et procede pour purifier des particules de residus entrainees par un circuit de solvant naphteniques de tete
CA2882172A1 (fr) Procede d'extraction de fines du bitume de sables bitumineux
CA2816435A1 (fr) Traitement de mousse de bitume a faible aptitude au traitement utilisant l~extraction de fluide supercritique

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
121 Ep: the epo has been informed by wipo that ep was designated in this application

Ref document number: 15770177

Country of ref document: EP

Kind code of ref document: A1

NENP Non-entry into the national phase

Ref country code: DE

122 Ep: pct application non-entry in european phase

Ref document number: 15770177

Country of ref document: EP

Kind code of ref document: A1