Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090288994 | PROCESS FOR EXTRACTION OF BITUMEN FROM OILSANDS - Bitumen within raw oilsands may be cracked and fully recovered by light hydrocarbon extraction following exposure to modified natural zeolite catalysts under cracking conditions. The recovered bitumen is reduced in viscosity, with lower boiling point distributions. Effective cracking of oilsands bitumen using economical, abundant and readily disposable natural zeolites represents a significant step towards a waterless and environment friendly extraction process. | 11-26-2009 |
20110061610 | Heat and Water Recovery From Oil Sands Waste Streams - Methods and systems for recovering heat and water from waste streams produced during oil sands extraction to form dry, stackable tailings. A tailings stream is preheated in a heat exchanger, thereby reducing the energy required to dry the tailings. The preheated tailings are then dried, thereby reducing the tailings to dry stackable tailings or thickened tailings suitable for mine backfill. Heat and high-quality water are recovered from the drying operation and re-used in the preheat operation, or in other steps of oil sands extraction or treatment processes, thereby reducing the overall heat and water requirements. | 03-17-2011 |
20140069641 | INTEGRATION OF VISCOUS OIL RECOVERY PROCESSES - The present disclosure relates generally to the integration of at least two viscous oil recovery processes (VORPs), at least one of which is a solvent-dominated recovery process (SDRP). Integration of the SDRP and the VORP may be achieved through at least one of: solvent, heat, a production stream, and a viscous oil reservoir. | 03-13-2014 |
20140190872 | METHOD OF PROCESSING A BITUMEN STREAM USING A MEMBRANE - Disclosed is a method of processing bitumen streams using membrane filtration. In one aspect, membrane filtration replaces paraffinic froth treatment, with one or more filtration steps replacing gravity settling. In another aspect, the bitumen stream is subjected to paraffmic solvent treatment at much higher flow rates, with an “almost cleaned” product being subsequently filtered by the membrane system. In this case, some contaminants are removed by conventional gravity settling equipment, while additional contaminants are removed by membrane filtration. In another aspect, membrane filtration is applied to a bitumen product effluent stream following naphthenic froth treatment. In another aspect, membrane filtration is applied to a bitumen product effluent stream from a solvent-based extraction process. In yet another aspect, membrane filtration is applied to a bitumen product effluent stream from a solvent extraction with solids agglomeration process. In still another aspect, membrane filtration is applied to bitumen produced by SAGD. | 07-10-2014 |
20140238905 | PROCESSING A HYDROCARBON STREAM USING SUPERCRITICAL WATER - A bitumen stream is upgraded by heating to near-critical or super-critical conditions in the stream. The bitumen stream may be from a water-based extraction process, an in situ bitumen recovery process, or a solvent-based bitumen extraction process. To achieve an appropriate feed stream composition, water and/or clay may be added. The clay offers a catalytic effect. To achieve an appropriate feed stream composition, water may alternatively be removed. | 08-28-2014 |
20150107833 | Recovery From A Hydrocarbon Reservoir - Methods and systems for recovering heavy oil, such as bitumen, by steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) from subterranean formations having a water and/or gas containing layer overlying a heavy oil containing layer. A fluid blocking agent is injected into the water and/or gas containing layer above at least one pair of horizontal wells. The blocking agent undergoes a change of density, viscosity or solidity when elevated to a temperature between an initial ambient reservoir temperature and 175 degrees by heat from steam used in the SAGD process, thereby creating a seal within the reservoir above the at least one pair of horizontal wells limiting or preventing movements of fluid through the seal. | 04-23-2015 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100258308 | Water Integration Between An In-Situ Recovery Operation And A Bitumen Mining Operation - The present invention relates to a method and system for integrating water between an in-situ bitumen recovery operation and a bitumen mining operation for improving efficiencies and synergies there between. A method of integrating water between a bitumen mining and extraction operation and an in-situ bitumen recovery operation comprises a) providing water associated with the bitumen mining and extraction operation; and b) directing the water, or boiler feed water or steam generated therefrom, to the in-situ bitumen recovery operation for use therein. Steam generated is used to assist in bitumen recovery at the in-situ facility. A basic system for integrating water between a bitumen mining and extraction operation and an in-situ bitumen recovery operation comprises a) a bitumen mining and extraction facility having a source of water; b) an in-situ bitumen recovery facility; c) a transporter for transporting the water, or boiler feed water or steam generated therefrom, to the in-situ bitumen recovery facility for use in an in-situ bitumen recovery operation. | 10-14-2010 |
20100275600 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF RECOVERING HEAT AND WATER AND GENERATING POWER FROM BITUMEN MINING OPERATIONS - A method recovering heat and water from a warm slurry, such as warm tailings from a oil sands extraction mining operation, is provided. The method comprises providing the tailings to a vacuum vessel, removing, from the vacuum vessel, warm vapor derived from the tailings, condensing the warm vapor in a condenser to produce water, and recovering the water from the condenser. Cool river or pond water can be warmed with the heat from the vapor for additional uses in the mining operation. Essentially pure water can be obtained in the process. This can also be achieved using one or flash vessels in series to condense the vapor. Power can also be generated from the vapor using a turbine. | 11-04-2010 |
20100276341 | Heat and Water Recovery From Tailings Using Gas Humidification/Dehumidification - A system and method of recovering heat and water from a slurry, such as tailings from oil sands extraction, is provided. The method includes providing the tailings to a humidification vessel, adding a sufficiently dry gas directly to the slurry in the vessel to form warm, water-saturated gas, such that heat and water are recovered from the slurry, removing the warm, water-saturated gas from the humidification vessel, providing the warm, water-saturated gas to a direct contact condensation vessel, cooling the gas in the condensation vessel to condense the water from the gas, thereby extracting water from the warm, water-saturated gas and recycling the dry gas, and recovering the water from the condensation vessel. Water which is of high quality, suitable for steam generation is obtained by a method in accordance with the present invention. | 11-04-2010 |
20100276983 | INTEGRATION OF AN IN-SITU RECOVERY OPERATION WITH A MINING OPERATION - This description is directed to a method and system for integrating an in-situ bitumen recovery operation with a bitumen mining operation for improved efficiencies and synergies therebetween. The method comprises obtaining a production fluid from the in-situ bitumen recovery operation, directing the production fluid to the bitumen mining operation, and incorporating the production fluid into the bitumen mining operation. The basic integrated system comprises a production well for recovering production fluid from the in-situ bitumen recovery operation, a bitumen mining and extraction facility, and a transporter for directing the production fluid from the production well to the bitumen mining and extraction facility for incorporation into the mining and extraction operation. The in-situ recovery operation may be a thermal operation, such as steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD), cyclic steam stimulation (CSS), or a derivative thereof. | 11-04-2010 |
20100282593 | RECOVERY OF HIGH WATER FROM PRODUCED WATER ARISING FROM A THERMAL HYDROCARBON RECOVERY OPERATION USING VACCUM TECHNOLOGIES - A method for reducing and re-using waste heat and water resulting from thermal hydrocarbon recovery operations involving accessing a hot water stream produced in a thermal hydrocarbon recovery operation; vaporizing water from the water stream by applying a vacuum, thereby producing water vapor; and condensing the water vapor to produce high quality water. A system is described including a hot water intake interfacing with a hot water stream from a thermal hydrocarbon recovery operation; a vaporization module receiving the hot water stream from the hot water intake, comprising a vacuum chamber in which a vacuum is applied to produce water vapor from the hot water stream; a condensation module in which water vapor produced in the vaporization module is condensed to form high quality water; and a water outlet for releasing the high quality water from the condensation module for re-use within the thermal hydrocarbon recovery operation. | 11-11-2010 |