Method of removing bitumen from tar sand for subsequent recovery of the bitumen

Patent · Tue Oct 18 04:00:00 EDT 1977

OSTI ID:6541474

Hart, Jr, L I; Schmidt-Collerus, J J; Burroughs, L R

A method is described for removing bitumen from tar sand for subsequent recovery of the bitumen. Tar sand is submerged in a sufficient amount of a circulating solvent in which the bitumen is soluble. While the tar sand is so submerged, the slurry is subjected to sonic energy to break apart any connections between sand granules and to remove bitumen from the sand granules. In a preferred embodiment, the solvent is a mixture of ethylbenzene, ortho-xylene, meta-xylene, and para-xylene in a relation. However, the percent relationship is not critical, and any one of these alone or any mixture of 2, 3 or 4 of these can be utilized, as can any other solvent in which the bitumen is soluble. In the preferred embodiment, the amount of solvent used in relation to the dead volume of the tar sand is 2:1, and the amount of sonic energy utilized is 600 kc for 60 sec for 110 g of tar sand. (5 claims)

• Assignee: Western Oil Sand Ltd.
• Patent Number(s): US 4054505
• OSTI ID: 6541474
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

04 OIL SHALES AND TAR SANDS
040402* -- Oil Shales & Tar Sands-- Surface Methods
BITUMENS
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
MATERIALS
OIL SANDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PROBES
PROCESSING
RECOVERY
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SOLVENTS
SONIC PROBES
TAR
USES