Abstract: The present invention is a method for extracting bitumen from an oil sand feed stream including at least the steps of: (a) providing an oil sand feed stream; (b) contacting the oil sand feed stream with a liquid comprising an aliphatic hydrocarbon solvent thereby obtaining a solvent-diluted oil sand slurry; (c) depositing the solvent-diluted oil sand slurry as a filter cake on a filter medium and filtering the solvent-diluted oil sand slurry, thereby obtaining a solids-enriched stream and a filtrate, wherein during the filtering the pressure above the filter cake is at least 1.7 bara; and (d) lowering the pressure of the solids-enriched stream to below 1.2 bara.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for extracting bitumen from an aged oil sands ore stream, the method comprising at least the steps of: (a) providing an aged oil sands ore stream, the oil sands ore stream containing connate water; (b) contacting the aged oil sands ore stream with a solvent thereby obtaining a solvent-diluted oil sand slurry; (c) filtering the solvent-diluted oil sand slurry obtained in step (b), thereby obtaining a solids-depleted stream and a solids-enriched stream; (d) removing solvent from the solids-depleted stream obtained in step (c) thereby obtaining a bitumen-enriched stream; wherein the solvent as used in step (b) comprises a non-aqueous solvent; and wherein the connate water in the aged oil sands ore stream as provided in step (a) has a sulphate concentration of at least 50 ppmv, as determined by ASTM D516.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of filtering a solvent-containing slurry stream including: (a) providing a solvent-containing slurry stream, the solvent comprising an aliphatic hydrocarbon; (b) depositing the solvent-containing slurry stream provided in step (a) as a filter cake on a filter medium, wherein a top layer of liquid is formed on the filter cake; (c) allowing the top layer of liquid as formed in step (b) to drain through the filter cake such that substantially no liquid remains on top of the filter cake; (d) allowing a gas to partially penetrate into the filter cake thereby obtaining a filter cake with a liquid solvent-depleted top layer; (e) passing liquid solvent through the filter cake with the liquid solvent-depleted top layer as obtained in step (d) thereby obtaining a washed filter cake; (f) removing solvent from the washed filter cake as obtained in step (e) thereby obtaining a solvent-depleted filter cake; and (g) removing the solvent-depleted filter cake as obtained in step (f) fro

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method which includes the steps of: contacting an oil sand with a suitable solvent to generate a solvated oil sand slurry; separating solvent-diluted bitumen from the solvated oil sand slurry to generate (a) a solvent-diluted bitumen and (b) a slurry with increased solids concentration; filtering the slurry with increased solids concentration; dropping the solids into a pressure reduction vessel wherein the pressure in the pressure reduction vessel is a pressure below a vapor pressure of the solvent; and drying the solids removed from the pressure reduction vessel to produce solids having dry tailings. The method of the present invention may be used to produce a low ash bitumen product and dry tailings from oil sands.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method comprising contacting an oil sand with a suitable solvent to generate a solvated oil sand slurry; separating solvent-diluted bitumen from the solvated oil sand slurry to generate (a) a solvent-diluted bitumen and (b) a slurry with increased solids concentration; and filtering the slurry with increased solids concentration. The method of the present invention may be used to produce a low ash bitumen product and dry tailings from oil sands.

Abstract: A method for extracting bitumen from an oil sand feed stream comprises at least the steps of: (a) providing an oil sand feed stream; (b) contacting the oil sand feed stream with a liquid comprising an aliphatic hydrocarbon solvent thereby obtaining a solvent-diluted oil sand slurry; (c) filtering the solvent-diluted oil sand slurry, thereby obtaining a first bitumen-enriched filtrate, a second bitumen-depleted filtrate and a bitumen-depleted sand; (d) reusing the second filtrate obtained in step (c) in the contacting of step (b); and (e) removing solvent from the first bitumen-enriched filtrate thereby obtaining a bitumen-enriched stream.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for extracting bitumen from an oil sand feed stream (10), the method comprising at least the steps of: (a) providing an oil sand feed stream (10); (b) contacting the oil sand feed stream (10) with a liquid (20) comprising an aliphatic hydrocarbon solvent thereby obtaining a solvent-diluted oil sand slurry (30); (c) depositing the solvent-diluted oil sand slurry (30,35) as a filter cake (32) on a filter medium (31) and filtering the solvent-diluted oil sand slurry (30,35), thereby obtaining a solids-enriched stream (50) and a filtrate (60), wherein during the filtering the pressure above the filter cake (32) is at least 1.7 bara; and (d) lowering the pressure of the solids-enriched stream (50) to below 1.2 bara.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for extracting bitumen from an oil sand feed stream (10), the method comprising at least the steps of: (a) providing an oil sand feed stream (10); (b) contacting the oil sand feed stream (10) with a liquid (40) comprising an aliphatic hydrocarbon solvent thereby obtaining a solvent-diluted oil sand slurry (20); (c) filtering the solvent-diluted oil sand slurry (20), thereby obtaining a first bitumen-enriched filtrate (30), a second bitumen-depleted filtrate (40) and a bitumen-depleted sand (50); (d) reusing the second filtrate (40) obtained in step (c) in the contacting of step (b); and (e) removing solvent (90) from the first bitumen-enriched filtrate thereby obtaining a bitumen-enriched stream (80).

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method comprising contacting an oil sand with a suitable solvent to generate a solvated oil sand slurry; separating solvent-diluted bitumen from the solvated oil sand slurry to generate (a) a solvent-diluted bitumen and (b) a slurry with increased solids concentration; and filtering the slurry with increased solids concentration. The method of the present invention may be used to produce a low ash bitumen product and dry tailings from oil sands.

Abstract: A process for sequestration of carbon dioxide comprising the following steps: (a) dispersing solid waste material comprising calcium oxide and a calcium-comprising mixed oxide in water to dissolve at least part of the calcium oxide and to form calcium oxide-depleted solid waste material in a calcium hydroxide solution; (b) separating the calcium hydroxide solution from the calcium oxide-depleted solid waste material; (c) converting the calcium hydroxide in the separated calcium hydroxide solution in precipitated calcium carbonate; and (d) contacting an aqueous slurry of the calcium oxide-depleted solid waste material with carbon dioxide for mineral carbonation of the carbon dioxide to form carbonated solid waste material.

Abstract: A process for sequestration of carbon dioxide comprising the following steps: (a) dispersing solid waste material comprising calcium oxide and a calcium-comprising mixed oxide in water to dissolve at least part of the calcium oxide and to form calcium oxide-depleted solid waste material in a calcium hydroxide solution; (b) separating the calcium hydroxide solution from the calcium oxide-depleted solid waste material; (c) converting the calcium hydroxide in the separated calcium hydroxide solution in precipitated calcium carbonate; and (d) contacting an aqueous slurry of the calcium oxide-depleted solid waste material with carbon dioxide for mineral carbonation of the carbon dioxide to form carbonated solid waste material.