Addition of light hydrocarbon gas to tar sand

Patent · Tue Mar 30 04:00:00 EST 1971

OSTI ID:5605899

Bowman, C W; Montgomery, D S

Bitumen is recovered from bituminous sand by forming a fluid slurry of bituminous sand, water and liquid hydrocarbon diluent having normally gaseous hydrocarbon material dissolved therein at a temperature less than about 110/sup 0/F, preferably between 80/sup 0/ and 110/sup 0/F. The slurry is then introduced into a body of water maintained in a separation zone at a temperature greater than 150/sup 0/F usually between 150/sup 0/ and 200/sup 0/F so that the gaseous hydrocarbon comes out of the solution and aids in flotation of the bitumen to the top of the water while sand settles to the bottom for removal therefrom. Normally gaseous hydrocarbons including ethane, methane and propane may be used and are preferably used in amounts between about 0.5 and about 2.0 standard cu ft of gas per standard cu ft of bitumen. The liquid hydrocarbon diluent preferably boils between 200/sup 0/ and 500/sup 0/F and is used in amounts between about 1 and about 10% by wt based upon bitumon. (7 claims)

• Assignee: Cities Serv Athabasca Inc.
• Patent Number(s): US 3573195
• OSTI ID: 5605899
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
040401* -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- In Situ Methods
True & Modified
ALKANES
BITUMENS
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
DISPERSIONS
ENERGY SOURCES
ETHANE
FLOTATION
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HYDROCARBONS
MATERIALS
MEDIUM TEMPERATURE
METHANE
MIXTURES
OIL SANDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PROPANE
RECOVERY
ROCKS
SANDSTONES
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SLURRIES
SOLUBILITY
SUSPENSIONS
TAR