Alkali recycle process for recovery of heavy oils and bitumens

Patent · Tue Jul 12 00:00:00 EDT 1983

OSTI ID:5613788

Kessick, M A

Heavy oils, including oil sand oils, are recovered from mined or in-situ formation by a novel procedure which involves an initial emulsification of the oil with aqueous alkali, usually sodium hydroxide solution, at a pH above about 11. After separation of any residual solid phase, such as sand, the resulting oil-in-water emulsion is inverted by the use of slaked lime to form a water-in-oil emulsion and thereby regenerating part of the sodium hydroxide solution. The water-in-oil emulsion is dewatered to recover the oil phase while the aqueous phase is recycled to the initial emulsification, after removal of clay particles when oil sands are treated.

• Assignee: Research Council of Alberta (Canada)
• Patent Number(s): US 4392944
• OSTI ID: 5613788
• 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
040402 -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- Surface Methods
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
BITUMENS
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
EMULSIFICATION
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROXIDES
IN-SITU PROCESSING
MATERIALS
OIL SANDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM
PROCESSING
RECOVERY
RECYCLING
SODIUM COMPOUNDS
SODIUM HYDROXIDES
TAR
VISCOSITY