Abstract: A process for removing contaminants and breaking emulsions in a feedstream comprising a crude source composition comprising unconventional or opportunity crude oil, the process comprising: providing the feedstream comprising the crude source composition comprising unconventional or opportunity crude oil, the feedstream comprising an emulsion comprising one or more contaminants, a salt content, and a water content; and, contacting the feedstream directly with one or more mesopore structured materials and one or more demulsifiers under conditions effective to separate a majority of the water content, the salt content, and the one or more contaminants from the feedstream, thereby breaking the emulsion and producing a purified hydrocarbon phase.

Abstract: A process for removing contaminants and breaking emulsions in a feedstream comprising a crude source composition comprising unconventional or opportunity crude oil, the process comprising: providing the feedstream comprising the crude source composition comprising unconventional or opportunity crude oil, the feedstream comprising an emulsion comprising one or more contaminants, a salt content, and a water content; and, contacting the feedstream directly with one or more mesopore structured materials and one or more demulsifiers under conditions effective to separate a majority of the water content, the salt content, and the one or more contaminants from the feedstream, thereby breaking the emulsion and producing a purified hydrocarbon phase.

Abstract: The disclosed process removes or reduces impurities such as asphaltenes, solids (especially solid fines), sulfur, metals, chlorides, water, salts, and acids from bitumen, oil sands, and crude oils with a wide range of gravities. A crude source composition is contacted with one or more zeolite materials to remove asphaltenes, solids, sulfur, NSO, metals, chlorides, water, salts, and/or acids from the composition. The crude source is typically diluted with a hydrocarbon solvent such as naphtha before contacting the zeolite(s). The disclosed processes represent an improvement over prior and presently available processes because the disclosed processes are capable of processing emulsions.