Severe cold poses challenge

Journal Article · Mon Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1996 · InTech

OSTI ID:508564

Verhappen, I

Confronted with highly viscous product streams in a severe winter operating environment, technical personnel using online process analyzers at Syncrude Canada Ltd.`s northern Alberta synthetic crude oil facility have mastered special techniques - some unique - to preserve sample integrity. Syncrude Canada Ltd. is a large integrated complex that extracts bitumen from oil sands and then converts bitumen into synthetic crude oil at a rate of 26,235 m{sup 3}/day (165,000 barrels/day), or 12% of Canada`s oil production. The chemistry is quite complex and varied, so many different analyses are routinely performed to monitor the plant operation. Specifically, this article will deal with measuring solids in a liquid stream using nuclear density techniques, process chromatograph applications, difficulties with and solutions to boiling-point analyzer installations, and sample system design criteria, plus some rules of thumb. Many considerations are necessary to install and operate process analyzers in the oil sands industry of northern Alberta. First, the process involves three unique materials: oil sand, bitumen, and synthetic crude oil. Oil sand is composed of three layers; a water wet sand core, a water layer, and the external bitumen, or oil layer. Bitumen consists of C200+ hydrocarbon chains similar to vacuum unit bottoms which are upgraded to gas oil and naphtha streams. Synthetic crude oil, or Syncrude Sweet Blend as it is now called on the market, is a blend of gas oils and naphtha streams. 6 figs.

• OSTI ID: 508564
• Journal Information: InTech, Journal Name: InTech Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 43; ISSN 0192-303X; ISSN INTCDD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
CANADA
OIL SAND INDUSTRY
PROCESS CONTROL
SYNTHETIC PETROLEUM
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0065-0273 K