Abstract: Methods for extracting bitumen from bituminous material through the use of a polar solvent. The method may include a primary leaching or extraction process that separates most of the bitumen from a material comprising bitumen and produces first solvent-wet tailings. A polar solvent is added to the first solvent-wet tailings in order to remove the first solvent (plus any entrained bitumen) from the tailings. A mixture of polar solvent and first solvent produced by the addition of the polar solvent to the first solvent-wet tailings may be phase separated by maintaining the polar solvent-first solvent mixture for a period of time. Alternatively, the polar solvent and first solvent may leave the tailings in a phase separated state. Phase separation may occur due to the presence of water in the polar solvent-first solvent mixture. Water may also be added to the mixture of solvents to serve as an antisolvent and initiate phase separation. The separated solvents may then be recovered and reused in the method.

Abstract: A method for processing asphaltenes is disclosed. The method can include separating asphaltenes from an asphaltene-containing composition and oxidizing the separated asphaltenes to form oxidation products. Alternatively, the method can include oxidizing asphaltenes within an asphaltene-containing composition without first separating the asphaltenes. Once formed, the oxidation products can be combined with other hydrocarbons. The amount of oxidation can be limited to an amount sufficient to produce a mixture suitable for the desired application. This method can be used to upgrade asphaltenes from a variety of sources, including oil sands. The oxidation step can be performed, for example, by introducing an oxidizing agent and, in some cases, a catalyst into the asphaltenes. A solvent or miscibility agent also can be introduced to improve mixing between the oxidizing agent and the asphaltenes.

Abstract: A method for obtaining heavy oil is disclosed. The method includes mixing a material including heavy oil (e.g., oil sand) with a solvent including biodiesel to form a mixture and separating the mixture into a oil-enriched solvent phase and a residual sand phase. The method also can include introducing a solvent including biodiesel into an in-situ geological formation including heavy oil and collecting a mixture including biodiesel and heavy oil from the formation. For example, the mixture can be collected after the solvent travels through at least a portion of the formation by gravity. A method for producing biodiesel also is disclosed. The method includes microbially digesting asphaltenes to form a liquor including a fatty acid and reacting the fatty acid with an alcohol to produce biodiesel. This method can be used to convert petroleum asphaltenes and/or coal asphaltenes into biodiesel.

Abstract: Embodiments of a nozzle reactor of the type useable to inject a first material feed stock and a second material feed stock to cause interaction between the first material feed stock and second material feed stock are described herein. According to some embodiments, the nozzle reactor may crack residual oil produced by other processing units in a refinery process. Furthermore, nozzle reactors may replace traditional processing units of a refinery process, such as cokers, hydrocrackers and deasphalting units.

Abstract: A method for processing asphaltenes is disclosed. The method can include separating asphaltenes from an asphaltene-containing composition and oxidizing the separated asphaltenes to form oxidation products. Alternatively, the method can include oxidizing asphaltenes within an asphaltene-containing composition without first separating the asphaltenes. Once formed, the oxidation products can be combined with other hydrocarbons. The amount of oxidation can be limited to an amount sufficient to produce a mixture suitable for the desired application. This method can be used to upgrade asphaltenes from a variety of sources, including oil sands. The oxidation step can be performed, for example, by introducing an oxidizing agent and, in some cases, a catalyst into the asphaltenes. A solvent or miscibility agent also can be introduced to improve mixing between the oxidizing agent and the asphaltenes.

Abstract: Methods for obtaining bitumen from bituminous material. The methods may include a dissolution step where a first solvent is added to material comprising bitumen to dissolve the bitumen contained therein. The majority of the dissolved bitumen is then removed from the mixture of first solvent and material comprising bitumen by filtering or settling the mixture of first solvent and material comprising bitumen. Any residual dissolved bitumen is then removed from the mixture of first solvent and material comprising bitumen by adding additional first solvent to the mixture to displace the residual dissolved bitumen from the mixture.

Abstract: Embodiments of a nozzle reactor of the type useable to inject a first material feed stock and a second material feed stock to cause interaction between the first material feed stock and second material feed stock are described herein. According to one embodiment, the nozzle reactor includes a reactor body having a reactor body passage with an injection end and an ejection end. The nozzle reactor also includes a first material injector having a first material injection passage and being mounted in the nozzle reactor in material injecting communication with the injection end of the reactor body. The first material injection passage can have an enlarged volume injection section, an enlarged volume ejection section, and a reduced volume mid-section intermediate the enlarged volume injection section and the enlarged volume ejection section. The first material injection passage can also have a material injection end and a material ejection end in injecting communication with the reactor body passage.

Abstract: A nozzle reactor system for increasing the conversion rate of material feed injected into the nozzle reactor system. The system includes two or more nozzle reactors aligned in series, such that material exiting a first nozzle reactor may be injected into a second nozzle reactor, Each nozzle reactor includes an interior reactor chamber and an injection passage and a material feed passage that are each in material injecting communication with the interior reactor chamber. Furthermore, the injection passage is aligned transversely to the injection passage. The injection passage is configured to accelerate cracking material passed therethrough to a supersonic speed. A method of increasing the conversion rate of material feed utilizing multiple cracking steps is also described.

Abstract: Embodiments of a method and a system for recovering energy, materials or both from asphaltene-containing tailings are disclosed. The asphaltene-containing tailings can be generated, for example, from a process for recovering hydrocarbons from oil sand. Embodiments of the method can include a flotation separation and a hydrophobic agglomeration separation. Flotation can be used to separate the asphaltene-containing tailings into an asphaltene-rich froth and an asphaltene-depleted aqueous phase. The asphaltene-rich froth, or an asphaltene-rich slurry formed from the asphaltene-rich froth, then can be separated into a heavy mineral concentrate and a light tailings. Hydrophobic agglomeration can be used to recover an asphaltene concentrate from the light tailings. Another flotation separation can be included to remove sulfur-containing minerals from the heavy mineral concentrate. Oxygen-containing minerals also can be recovered from the heavy mineral concentrate.

Abstract: Embodiments of a method and a system for recovering energy, materials or both from asphaltene-containing tailings are disclosed. The asphaltene-containing tailings can be generated, for example, from a process for recovering hydrocarbons from oil sand. Embodiments of the method can include a flotation separation and a hydrophobic agglomeration separation. Flotation can be used to separate the asphaltene-containing tailings into an asphaltene-rich froth and an asphaltene-depleted aqueous phase. The asphaltene-rich froth, or an asphaltene-rich slurry formed from the asphaltene-rich froth, then can be separated into a heavy mineral concentrate and a light tailings. Hydrophobic agglomeration can be used to recover an asphaltene concentrate from the light tailings. Another flotation separation can be included to remove sulfur-containing minerals from the heavy mineral concentrate. Oxygen-containing minerals also can be recovered from the heavy mineral concentrate.

Abstract: Embodiments of a method and a system for recovering energy, materials or both from asphaltene-containing tailings are disclosed. The asphaltene-containing tailings can be generated, for example, from a process for recovering hydrocarbons from oil sand. Embodiments of the method can include a flotation separation and a hydrophobic agglomeration separation. Flotation can be used to separate the asphaltene-containing tailings into an asphaltene-rich froth and an asphaltene-depleted aqueous phase. The asphaltene-rich froth, or an asphaltene-rich slurry formed from the asphaltene-rich froth, then can be separated into a heavy mineral concentrate and a light tailings. Hydrophobic agglomeration can be used to recover an asphaltene concentrate from the light tailings. Another flotation separation can be included to remove sulfur-containing minerals from the heavy mineral concentrate. Oxygen-containing minerals also can be recovered from the heavy mineral concentrate.