Addition of light hydrocarbon gas to tar sand
Abstract
Abstract BITUMEN IS RECOVERED FROM BITUMINOUS SAND BY FORMING A FLUID SLURRY OF BITUMINOUS SAND, WATER AND LIQUID HYDROCARBON DILUENT HAVING NORMALLY GASEOUS HYDROCARBON MATERIAL DISSOLVED THEREIN AT A TEMPERATURE LESS THAN ABOUT 110*F., PREFERABLY BETWEEN 80 AND 110*F. THE SLURRY IS THEN INTRODUCED INTO A BODY OF WATER MAINTAINED IN A SEPARATION ZONE AT A TEMPERATURE GREATER THAN 150*F. USUALLY BETWEEN 150 AND 200*F. SO THAT THE GASEOUS HYDROCARBON COMES OUT OF THE SOLUTION AND AIDS IN FLOATATION OF THE BITUMEN TO THE TOP OF THE WATER WHILE SAND SETTLES TO THE BOTTOM FOR REMOVAL THEREFROM. NORMALLY GASEOUS HYDROCARBONS INCLUDING ETHANE, METHANE AND PROPANE MAY BE USED AND ARE PREFERABLY USED IN AMOUNTS BETWEEN ABOUT 0.5 AND ABOUT 2.0 STANDARD CUBIC FEET OF GAS PER STANDARD CUBIC FOOT OF BITUMEN. THE LIQUID HYDROCARBON DILUENT PREFERABLY BOILS BETWEEN 200 AND 500*F. AND IS USED IN AMOUNTS BETWEEN ABOUT 1 AND ABOUT 10 WT. PERCENT BASED UPON BITUMEN.
Inventors
- 👤 Clement W Bowman
- 👤 Douglas S Montgomery
Bibliographic Details
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