US4648964A — Separation of hydrocarbons from tar sands froth

Claim 1

Independent Claim 92 words

A process suitable for separating the hydrocarbon fraction from a fluid stream comprising a tar sands froth comprising: pressurizing said stream to a treatment pressure above about 1000 psig and heating said stream to a treatment temperature above about 300° C., said pressurizing and heating being effective to produce a treated stream capable of gravity separation of the hydrocarbon fraction; reducing the pressure on said treated stream to produce a separation pressure which is less than said treatment pressure; and separating said hydrocarbon fraction from said treated stream at said separation pressure.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 92 words

A process suitable for separating the hydrocarbon fraction from a fluid stream comprising a tar sands froth comprising: pressurizing said stream to a treatment pressure above about 1000 psig and heating said stream to a treatment temperature above about 300° C., said pressurizing and heating being effective to produce a treated stream capable of gravity separation of the hydrocarbon fraction; reducing the pressure on said treated stream to produce a separation pressure which is less than said treatment pressure; and separating said hydrocarbon fraction from said treated stream at said separation pressure.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 15 words

The process of claim 1 wherein said separating step comprises gravitationally settling said treated stream.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 12 words

The process of claim 2 wherein said gravitational settling occurs substantially instantaneously.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 32 words

The process of claim 1 wherein said froth comprises between about 15 weight percent and about 35 weight percent water and between about 65 weight percent and about 85 weight percent hydrocarbons.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 30 words

The process of claim 1 wherein said froth comprises more than about 1 weight percent solids and wherein said separated hydrocarbon fraction comprises less than about 1 weight percent solids.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 18 words

The process of claim 5 wherein said separated hydrocarbon fraction comprises less than about 0.5 weight percent solids.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 14 words

The process of claim 1 further comprising adding a diluent to said treated stream.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 19 words

The process of claim 7 wherein said diluent is added at a treated stream temperature above about 80° C.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 10 words

The process of claim 7 wherein said diluent comprises naphtha.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 26 words

The process of claim 9 wherein sufficient naphtha is added to produce a naphtha to treated stream weight ratio of between about 0.5 and about 1.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 15 words

The process of claim 10 wherein said ratio is between about 0.75 and about 1.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 21 words

The process of claim 1 further comprising conducting said treated stream to said separating step in a substantially laminar flow mode.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 21 words

The process of claim 1 wherein said pressure is produced by the hydrostatic head of a column of said fluid stream.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 11 words

The process of claim 1 further comprising cooling said treated stream.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 21 words

The process of claim 1 wherein said heating step comprises placing said fluid in heat exchange relationship with said treated stream.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 18 words

The process of claim 1 wherein said treatment pressure is between about 1800 psig and about 3700 psig.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 17 words

The process of claim 1 wherein said treatment pressure is between about 2100 psig and 3000 psig.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 14 words

The process of claim 1 wherein said treatment temperature is above about 350° C.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 18 words

The process of claim 1 wherein said treatment temperature is between about 400° C. and about 450° C.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 15 words

The process of claim 1 wherein said treatment temperature is less than about 415° C.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 30 words

The process of claim 1 further comprising maintaining said fluid stream at said treatment temperature and said treatment pressure for a time period between about 1 and about 60 minutes.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 17 words

The process of claim 21 wherein said period is between about 1 minute and about 30 minutes.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 17 words

The process of claim 21 wherein said period is between about 1 minute and about 15 minutes.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 120 words

A process suitable for separating the hydrocarbon fraction from a tar sands froth comprising: pressurizing a fluid stream comprising a tar sands froth to a treatment pressure between about 1800 psig and 3700 psig and heating said stream to a treatment temperature above about 350° C.; maintaining said fluid stream at said treatment temperature and said treatment pressure for a time period between about 1 minute and about 30 minutes, said pressurizing and heating being effective to produce a treated stream capable of gravity separation of the hydrocarbon fraction; reducing the pressure on said treated stream to produce a separation pressure which is less than said treatment pressure; separating said hydrocarbon fraction from said treated stream at said separation pressure.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 120 words

A process suitable for separating the hydrocarbon fraction from a tar sands froth comprising: pressurizing a fluid stream comprising a tar sands froth to a treatment pressure between about 1800 psig and 3700 psig and heating said stream to a treatment temperature above about 350° C.; maintaining said fluid stream at said treatment temperature and said treatment pressure for a time period between about 1 minute and about 30 minutes, said pressurizing and heating being effective to produce a treated stream capable of gravity separation of the hydrocarbon fraction; reducing the pressure on said treated stream to produce a separation pressure which is less than said treatment pressure; separating said hydrocarbon fraction from said treated stream at said separation pressure.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 41 words

The process of claim 24 wherein: said treatment temperature is between about 400° C. and about 450° C.; said treatment pressure is between about 2100 psig and 3000 psig; and said period is between about 1 minute and about 15 minutes.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 129 words

In a process for extracting hydrocarbon values from tar sands comprising forming a pulp of tar sands with steam, caustic soda and makeup water, subjecting said pulp to a froth flotation operation, removing the froth fraction produced by said froth flotation operation, and recovering hydrocarbons from said froth fraction, the improvement comprising performing said recovering of hydrocarbons by a process comprising: heating the froth above about 300° C. at a treatment pressure above about 1000 psig, said heating at said treatment pressure being effective to produce a treated froth capable of gravity separation of the hydrocarbon fraction; reducing the pressure on said treated froth to produce a separation pressure which is less than said treatment pressure; and separating a hydrocarbon fraction from said treated froth at said separation pressure.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 129 words

In a process for extracting hydrocarbon values from tar sands comprising forming a pulp of tar sands with steam, caustic soda and makeup water, subjecting said pulp to a froth flotation operation, removing the froth fraction produced by said froth flotation operation, and recovering hydrocarbons from said froth fraction, the improvement comprising performing said recovering of hydrocarbons by a process comprising: heating the froth above about 300° C. at a treatment pressure above about 1000 psig, said heating at said treatment pressure being effective to produce a treated froth capable of gravity separation of the hydrocarbon fraction; reducing the pressure on said treated froth to produce a separation pressure which is less than said treatment pressure; and separating a hydrocarbon fraction from said treated froth at said separation pressure.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 48 words

The process of claim 26 wherein said separating step comprises: cooling said treated froth to above about 80° C.; adding diluent to said treated froth; gravity settling said treated froth to produce a hydrocarbon fraction and a water fraction; and separating said hydrocarbon fraction from said water fraction.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 10 words

The process of claim 27 wherein said diluent is naphtha.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 30 words

The process of claim 26 wherein said froth comprises more than about 1 weight percent solids and wherein said separated hydrocarbon fraction comprises less than about 1 weight percent solids.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 59 words

The process of claim 26 wherein said separating step is a continuous stream process comprising: contacting said treated froth with a layer of water which comprises a previously separated water fraction of tar sands froth; gravitationally separating said treated froth into a hydrocarbon fraction and a solids-containing water fraction; and continuously removing said hydrocarbon fraction and said water fraction.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 20 words

The process of claim 26 wherein said pressure is provided by the hydrostatic head of a column of said froth.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 70 words

A process suitable for separating the hydrocarbon fraction from a fluid stream comprising a tar sands froth comprising: a continuous flow treatment including substantially continuously pressurizing said stream to a treatment pressure above about 1000 psig and heating said stream to a treatment temperature above about 300° C. to produce a treated stream; and separating said hydrocarbon fraction from said treated stream at a pressure less than said treatment pressure.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 70 words

A process suitable for separating the hydrocarbon fraction from a fluid stream comprising a tar sands froth comprising: a continuous flow treatment including substantially continuously pressurizing said stream to a treatment pressure above about 1000 psig and heating said stream to a treatment temperature above about 300° C. to produce a treated stream; and separating said hydrocarbon fraction from said treated stream at a pressure less than said treatment pressure.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1990-03-09	1990-09-08	1991-03-10	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1994-03-09	1994-09-08	1995-03-10	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1998-03-09	1998-09-08	1999-03-10	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Separation of hydrocarbons from tar sands froth

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag