Process and apparatus for combination upgrading of oil in situ and refining thereof

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR PRODUCING SELECTED HYDROCARBONS FROM SUBTERRANEAN OIL SAND PENETRATED BY AN INJECTION WELL AND A PRODUCTION WELL, WHICH COMPRISES THE STEPS OF: (A) HEATING SAID OIL BY IN SITU COMBUSTION OF A PORTION THEREOF SO AS TO HEAT AND CRACK ANOTHER SUBSTANTIAL PORTION THEREOF TO LIGHTER NORMALLY GASEOUS AND LIQUID HYDROCARBONS, THEREBY PRODUCING AN EFFLUENT VAPOR STREAM AT A TEMPERATURE IN THE RANGE OF ABOUT 500 TO 800*F. AND A PRESSURE IN THE RANGE OF ABOUT 500 TO 2000 P.S.I.G.; (B) RECOVERING THE VAPOR STREAM OF STEP (A) FROM SAID PRODUCTION WELL; (C) REMOVING ANY SAND CONTAINED IN THE VAPOR STREAM OF STEP (B); (D) REDUCING THE PRESSURE OF THE VAPOR STREAM OF STEP (C) TO ABOUT 300 P.S.I.G. AND THE TEMPERATURE TO NOT MORE THAN ABOUT 500*F.; (E) SEPARATING THE LIQUID OIL FROM THE VAPOR FRACTION OF THE STREAM OF STEP (D) UNDER THE PRESSURE AND TEMPERATURE CONDITIONS OF STEP (D) AND SEPARATELY RECOVERING EACH FRACTION; (F) FURTHER COOLING THE VAPOR FRACTION OF STEP (E) TO A TEMPERATURE SUBSTANTIALLY BELOW THE BOILING POINT OF WATER AT AMBIENT PRESSURE TO SEPARATE A WATER FRACTION, A LIQUID OIL FRACTION, AND A VAPOR FRACTION AND SEPARATELY RECOVERING EACH FRACTION; AND (G) FRACTIONATING THE OIL FRACTION OF (F) INTO AN OVERHEAD LIGHT HYDROCARBON FRACTION, AT LEAST ONE INTERMEDIATE FRACTION, AND A HEAVIER BOTTOMS FRACTION.