Chemical treatment of Athabaska froth

Patent · Tue Jul 11 04:00:00 EDT 1967

OSTI ID:6159810

Bichard, J A

In this process for the separation of bitumen from tar sands, the tar sands are contacted in an initial stage with about 0.5-2.0 volumes of water per volume of tar sands at a temperature from about 140-200$F. The sands separate and a froth is formed which contains about 5-25% by weight of solids of which about 30-80% are heavy minerals. The froth and heavy minerals is passed to a secondary stage and countercurrently contacted with 0.5- 1.5 volumes of additional water per volume of froth. The additional water contains a chelating agent in a concentration of 0.01-0.5% by wt based on the froth and a transfer agent in a concentration of about 0.1-2.0% wt based upon the froth. Substantially all the remaining sands are removed from the froth. The froth is withdrawn from the upper area of the secondary stage and passed to a tertiary stage where it is contacted with a demulsifying agent to produce a substantially water-free oil phase. (7 claims)

• Assignee: Esso Research and Engineering Co.
• Patent Number(s): US 3330757
• OSTI ID: 6159810
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
040401 -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- In Situ Methods
True & Modified
ADDITIVES
BITUMENS
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
DEMULSIFIERS
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MATERIALS
MEDIUM TEMPERATURE
OIL SANDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
TAR
WATER