Abstract: The present invention is an improved process for the recovery of bitumen from tar sand by employing a vessel containing a liquid comprising an organic phase consisting of a hydrocarbon solvent which is immiscible in water and an aqueous phase. The tar sand optionally containing water is introduced into the organic phase and then subsequently passes into the aqueous phase.

Abstract: A process for the liquefaction of solid hydrocarbonaceous materials is disclosed. Particles of such materials are electroplated with a metal catalyst and are then suspended in a hydrocarbon oil and subjected to hydrogenolysis to liquefy the solid hydrocarbonaceous material. A liquid product oil is separated from residue solid material containing char and the catalyst metal. The catalyst is recovered from the solid material by electrolysis for reuse. A portion of the product oil can be employed as the hydrocarbon oil for suspending additional particles of catalyst coated solid carbonaceous material for hydrogenolysis.

Abstract: A method of designing the gas flow parameters of a vertical shaft oil shale retorting vessel involves determining the proportion of gas introduced in the bottom of the vessel and into intermediate levels in the vessel to provide for lateral distribution of gas across the vessel cross section, providing mixing with the uprising gas, and determining the limiting velocity of the gas through each nozzle. The total quantity of gas necessary for oil shale treatment in the vessel may be determined and the proportion to be injected into each level is then determined based on the velocity relation of the orifice velocity and its feeder manifold gas velocity. A limitation is placed on the velocity of gas issuing from an orifice by the nature of the solid being treated, usually physical tests of gas velocity impinging the solid.

Abstract: Liquid product rich in benzene, toluene and xylene and having a substantially lower mid-boiling point than heavy reformate feedstock or similar feedstock, such as, for example, from pyrolysis gasoline, of a class having an initial boiling point between about 230.degree. F and about 250.degree. F and an end point between about 350.degree. F and about 430.degree. F, and gaseous product rich in light olefins and isoparaffins which is good alkylation plant feed are produced by contacting said heavy reformate feedstock or said similar feedstock with a porous acid-active zeolite catalyst having a fluid activity index of at least about 18 in a fluidized catalyst system absent added hydrogen at a temperature of from about 800.degree. F to about 1200.degree. F, a catalyst/oil (i.e. heavy reformate or similar feedstock) weight ratio of from about 0.5 to about 40 and a catalyst residence time of from about 0.1 second to about 20 seconds.

Abstract: Heavy bottoms produced by the liquefaction of coal or similar carbonaceous solids are converted into more valuable products by adding an alkaline earth metal compound to the bottoms in a concentration sufficient to give, following pyrolysis of the bottoms, an alkaline earth metal-to-carbon atomic ratio of from about 0.005:1 to about 0.1:1; pyrolyzing the bottoms at a temperature of from about 900.degree. to about 1600.degree. F. to produce gases, hydrocarbon liquids and coke or char containing added alkaline earth metal constituents; and thereafter gasifying the char with steam.

Abstract: A process for obtaining oil, gas, sulfur and other products from shale whereby there is effected drying, pyrolysis, gasification, combustion and cooling of pyrobituminous shale or similar rocks in a single passage of said shale continuously in a moving bed, the charge and discharge of the shale being intermittent and wherein the maximum temperature of the bed is maintained in the range of about 1050.degree. C to 1200.degree. C (1900.degree. F to 2200.degree. F) or higher. The shale is essentially completely freed from the organic matter, fixed carbon and sulfur, resulting in a clean solid residue which can be disposed of without harming the ecology.

Abstract: Tar sands and like mineral solids-plus petroleum deposits are separated into a petroleum fraction and a solids fraction by contacting with an organic solvent or diluent (in one or more stages) to give a liquid slurry, providing in the system a small amount of an aqueous agglomerating liquid, mixing and agitating until discrete compact agglomerates of hydrophilic solids form, separating the solid easily-handled agglomerates and recovering the petroleum fraction and solvent or diluent. This process avoids the large volumes of aqueous effluent inherent in the "hot water" and other processes using large amounts of water. The solid agglomerates may be used as clean fill, sintered to aggregate, or modified to serve as soil amendments.

Abstract: Oil is efficiently solvent extracted from tar sands utilizing a trichloroethane solvent at mild conditions. The process preferably utilizes minor amounts of surfactant and polyelectrolytes. The process has resulted in unexpectedly high yields of oil with unexpectedly low solvent loss.

Abstract: Process characterized by comprising successively a dissolution zone fed with carbonaceous solids and with a solvent, a high pressure hydrogenation zone provided with a source of hydrogen, and a hydrogenation products separation zone, wherein the improvement consists mainly in chemical upgrading of the liquidform products derived from the separation zone, and recycling a part of the upgraded products to the dissolution zone, this recycled part being of either positively acidic or positively basic properties for enhancing the dissolution - decomposition of base-acid structures present in the carbonaceous solid feed.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for the retorting of shale and other similar hydrocarbon-containing solids in which the solids to be retorted are mixed with a hot solid heat transfer material to rapidly heat the hydrocarbon-containing solids to a high temperature and conveyed through the retorting vessel by means of a flexible, generically helical shaped, elongated, hollow longitudinal core element. The shale and heat transfer material are conveyed concurrently through a first section of a cylindrical vessel while a stripping gas is introduced into a latter section of the vessel and flows countercurrent to the movement of the two solids. The stripping gas along with entrained fines, gaseous hydrocarbons, and liquid hydrocarbons in the form of a mist are removed from a middle section of the vessel while the retorted shale is removed from the end of the vessel.

Abstract: Multi-phase mixtures are resolved into separate phases by introducing the mixture into a body of liquid which contains a solvent for one of said phases and has a specific gravity intermediate two insoluble phases of the mixture. The latter accordingly migrate to different levels in the body of liquid and can be separately recovered therefrom. Solvent laden with the soluble phase is also separately removed from the body of liquid, and the solvent can then be stripped to isolate the soluble phase.

Abstract: A method of removing bitumen from tar sand for subsequent recovery of the bitumen. The method comprises submerging tar sand in a sufficient amount of a circulating solvent in which the bitumen is soluble, and, while the tar sand is so submerged, sonicating within the solvent with a sufficient amount of sonic energy to break apart any connections between sand granules and to remove bitumen from the sand granules to thereby permit the bitumen so removed to go into solution in the solvent for subsequent removal of the solvent-plus-bitumen and recovery of the bitumen therefrom.

Abstract: A method of removing bitumen from tar sand for subsequent recovery of the bitumen. The method comprises contacting tar sand with an excess of solvent in which the bitumen is soluble, said contacting being performed within a vessel wherein simultaneously the solvent is being stirred and ultrasonic energy is being applied, the ultrasonic energy being of an intensity sufficient to break apart any connections between sand granules and to remove bitumen from the sand granules to thereby permit the bitumen so removed to go into solution in the solvent for subsequent removal of the solvent-plus-bitumen and recovery of the bitumen therefrom. Stirring within the vessel reduces residence time required for removal of the bitumen from the tar sand by constantly changing that portion of the solvent directly in contact with the surface of the tar sand to thereby cause even loading of all of the solvent with the bitumen.

Abstract: A process is provided for the simultaneous conversion of coal and residuum oil to predominantly liquid products, employing ebullated bed techniques. A fluid blend of particulate coal admixed with crude oil comprising from about 20 to 100% by weight of residuum oil boiling above about 975.degree. F. is contacted with hydrogen in the presence of an ebullated bed of particulate hydrogenation catalyst to effect conversion of at least about 50% of the residuum oil component and up to about 94% of the m.a.f. coal. In an alternate embodiment the oil feed includes recycled oil from the product liquids.

Abstract: This invention provides a method for solubilizing wood or wood and coal mixtures in a highly aromatic refinery petroleum solvent to produce homogeneous compositions which have a flowable pitch-like consistency at ambient temperatures. The invention compositions are directly applicable as liquid fuels, or can be further processed into other desirable products.

Abstract: A closed self-contained system (method and apparatus) for efficiently extracting oil and other hydrocarbons from oil-bearing hydrocarbonaceous solid material, which may be preheated to remove water and hydrocarbons which vaporize below about 600.degree. F., is advanced in the form of discrete individual pieces along a pathway in a substantially evacuated zone (e.g., less than 50 torr) while in the presence of heat energy sufficient to raise the temperature of the shale (e.g., to 600.degree. to no more than 900.degree. F.) to cause the oil and other hydrocarbons to be liberated as a vapor in the evacuated zone. The hydrocarbonaceous solid material advances in proximity with at least one condenser surface so that oil and other hydrocarbons are condensed and recovered from the liberated vapor. The system operates at temperatures which are at all times below 900.degree. F., and generally below 700.degree. F.

Abstract: A process for liquefying a particulate coal feed to produce useful petroleum-like liquid products by steps which include: (a) contacting, in a liquefaction zone, said coal feed with a hydrogen donor solvent at temperature and pressure sufficient to hydroconvert and liquefy the coal, (b) separating the product from the liquefaction zone by distillation into fractions inclusive of a liquid solvent fraction which contains at least 30 weight percent, and preferably at least 50 weight percent hydrogen donor compounds, particularly those fractions boiling within about the 350.degree.-850.degree. F. range, and preferably within about the 400.degree.-700.degree. F. range, (c) hydrotreating said liquid solvent fraction in a hydrogenation zone in the presence of a quinone catalyst, and (d) recycling the hydrogenated liquid solvent mixture to said coal liquefaction zone.

Abstract: Naphthas are upgraded in a two-stage process to give improved yields of high octane gasoline. The first stage operates at low temperatures of 100.degree.-300.degree. F using a highly active chlorinated alumina containing a metal of the platinum group, while the second stage operates at high temperatures using a reforming catalyst.

Abstract: A process for liquefying a particulate coal feed to produce useful petroleum-like liquid products by steps which include: (a) admixing said coal feed, a solvent, particularly a non-donor solvent, and a quinone compound, or admixture of quinone compounds, to form a coal liquid slurry, and then (b) contacting said coal liquid slurry with molecular hydrogen in a liquefaction zone at temperature and pressure sufficient to hydroconvert and liquefy the coal. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the product from the liquefaction zone is separated by distillation into fractions inclusive of fractions boiling within about the 350.degree.-850.degree. F. range, and preferably within about the 400.degree.-700.degree. F. range, which can be recycled to the coal liquefaction zone for use in slurrying the coal.

Abstract: A process for liquefying a particulate coal feed to produce useful petroleum-like liquid products by steps which include: (a) admixing said coal feed, a solvent, particularly a non-donor solvent, and an ortho-quinone compound, to form a coal liquid slurry, and then (b) contacting said coal liquid slurry with molecular hydrogen in a liquefaction zone at temperature and pressure sufficient to hydroconvert and liquefy the coal. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the product from the liquefaction zone is separated by distillation into fractions inclusive of fractions boiling within about the 350.degree.-850.degree. F. range, and preferably within about the 400.degree.-700.degree. F. range, which can be recycled to the coal liquefaction zone for use in slurrying the coal.