Abstract: A process to convert asphaltenes found in heavy hydrocarbon sources, remove the converted solid asphaltene portion from the hydrocarbon source at operating conditions and to prepare the separated solid asphaltenes for easier handling, storage or bulk transport, with a minimal amount of heavy hydrocarbon remaining with the asphaltenes to serve as an inherent binder for larger and robust formed solid asphaltene pieces.

Abstract: A process to convert asphaltenes found in heavy hydrocarbon sources, remove the converted solid asphaltene portion from the hydrocarbon source at operating conditions and to prepare the separated solid asphaltenes for easier handling, storage or bulk transport, with a minimal amount of heavy hydrocarbon remaining with the asphaltenes to serve as an inherent binder for larger and robust formed solid asphaltene pieces.

Abstract: Non-condensable gas is used as an alternate to steam at hydrocarbon processing facilities removing any steam requirements thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and improving profitability through capital and operating cost reductions. The non-condensable gas serves at least two functions sequentially in heavy hydrocarbon processing; firstly, providing the non-condensable gas as a stripping medium to evolve lighter hydrocarbons from the heavy hydrocarbon feedstock followed by secondly directing the same non-condensable gas and any evolved non-condensable gas at operating conditions for use as at least one of heat through combustion or power through electricity generation.

Abstract: Non-condensable gas is used as an alternate to steam at hydrocarbon processing facilities removing any steam requirements thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and improving profitability through capital and operating cost reductions. The non-condensable gas serves at least two functions sequentially in heavy hydrocarbon processing; firstly, providing the non-condensable gas as a stripping medium to evolve lighter hydrocarbons from the heavy hydrocarbon feedstock followed by secondly directing the same non-condensable gas and any evolved non-condensable gas at operating conditions for use as at least one of heat through combustion or power through electricity generation.

Abstract: An apparatus and process is provided for improved asphaltene separation from heavy hydrocarbon or bitumen with low process complexity through mass transfer using solvent and counter-current flows, with three sections: an upper DAO/solid-asphaltene separation zone, a middle solvent mixing and segregation zone, and a bottom clarification zone. Solvent mixed with heavy hydrocarbon forms a process feed introduced to the process vessel's upper zone and exposed to counter-current solvent removing DAO from solid asphaltene particles in the feed, the particles fall through the middle zone and are mixed with introduced solvent, which introduced solvent segregates DAO-rich solution in the upper zone (for extraction from that zone) from solvent-rich mixtures in the middle mixing and lower clarification zones. Solvent flows and precipitate movement are controlled to optimize mass transfer in process, resulting in high DAO recovery and dry, solid asphaltene product.

Abstract: A process to convert asphaltenes found in heavy hydrocarbon sources, remove the converted solid asphaltene portion from the hydrocarbon source at operating conditions and to prepare the separated solid asphaltenes for easier handling, storage or bulk transport, with a minimal amount of heavy hydrocarbon remaining with the asphaltenes to serve as an inherent binder for larger and robust formed solid asphaltene pieces.

Abstract: An apparatus and process is provided for improved asphaltene separation from heavy hydrocarbon or bitumen with low process complexity through mass transfer using solvent and counter-current flows, with three sections: an upper DAO/solid-asphaltene separation zone, a middle solvent mixing and segregation zone, and a bottom clarification zone. Solvent mixed with heavy hydrocarbon forms a process feed introduced to the process vessel's upper zone and exposed to counter-current solvent removing DAO from solid asphaltene particles in the feed, the particles fall through the middle zone and are mixed with introduced solvent, which introduced solvent segregates DAO-rich solution in the upper zone (for extraction from that zone) from solvent-rich mixtures in the middle mixing and lower clarification zones. Solvent flows and precipitate movement are controlled to optimize mass transfer in process, resulting in high DAO recovery and dry, solid asphaltene product.

Abstract: An apparatus and process is provided for improved asphaltene separation from heavy hydrocarbon or bitumen with low process complexity through mass transfer using solvent and counter-current flows, with three sections: an upper DAO/solid-asphaltene separation zone, a middle solvent mixing and segregation zone, and a bottom clarification zone. Solvent mixed with heavy hydrocarbon forms a process feed introduced to the process vessel's upper zone and exposed to counter-current solvent removing DAO from solid asphaltene particles in the feed, the particles fall through the middle zone and are mixed with introduced solvent, which introduced solvent segregates DAO-rich solution in the upper zone (for extraction from that zone) from solvent-rich mixtures in the middle mixing and lower clarification zones. Solvent flows and precipitate movement are controlled to optimize mass transfer in process, resulting in high DAO recovery and dry, solid asphaltene product.

Abstract: A process for producing pipeline-ready or refinery-ready feedstock from heavy hydrocarbons using a high-performance solvent extraction process with high local solvent-to-process fluid ratios yet maintaining low overall solvent-to-process fluid ratios, by first performing mild thermal cracking on the heavy hydrocarbons and then separating asphaltene-rich fractions from a resulting thermally affected fluid so that the high solvent-to-oil ratio portion of the process acts only on those asphaltene-rich fractions, and producing a dry, solid asphaltene as an end-product.

Abstract: The invention provides improved apparatus and method for producing a pipeline-ready or refinery-ready feedstock from heavy, high asphaltene crude, comprising a pre-heater for pre-heating a process fluid to a design temperature at or near the operating temperature of a reactor; moving the process fluid into the reactor for conversion of the process fluid by controlled application of heat to the process fluid in the reactor so that the process fluid maintains a substantially homogenous temperature to produce a stream of thermally affected asphaltene-rich fractions, and a stream of vapor. The stream of vapor is separated into two further streams: of non-condensable vapor, and of light liquid hydrocarbons. The thermally affected asphaltene-rich fraction is deasphalted using a solvent extraction process into streams of heavy deasphalted oil liquid, and concentrated asphaltene, respectively.

Abstract: The invention provides improved apparatus and method for producing a pipeline-ready or refinery-ready feedstock from heavy, high asphaltene crude, comprising a pre-heater for pre-heating a process fluid to a design temperature at or near the operating temperature of a reactor; moving the process fluid into the reactor for conversion of the process fluid by controlled application of heat to the process fluid in the reactor so that the process fluid maintains a substantially homogenous temperature to produce a stream of thermally affected asphaltene-rich fractions, and a stream of vapour. The stream of vapour is separated into two further streams: of non-condensable vapour, and of light liquid hydrocarbons. The thermally affected asphaltene-rich fraction is deasphalted using a solvent extraction process into streams of heavy deasphalted oil liquid, and concentrated asphaltene, respectively.

Abstract: The invention provides improved apparatus and method for producing a pipeline-ready or refinery-ready feedstock from heavy, high asphaltene crude, comprising a pre-heater for pre-heating a process fluid to a design temperature at or near the operating temperature of a reactor; moving the process fluid into the reactor for conversion of the process fluid by controlled application of heat to the process fluid in the reactor so that the process fluid maintains a substantially homogenous temperature to produce a stream of thermally affected asphaltene-rich fractions, and a stream of vapor. The stream of vapor is separated into two further streams: of non-condensable vapor, and of light liquid hydrocarbons. The thermally affected asphaltene-rich fraction is deasphalted using a solvent extraction process into streams of heavy deasphalted oil liquid, and concentrated asphaltene, respectively.

Abstract: A process for producing pipeline-ready or refinery-ready feedstock from heavy hydrocarbons using a high-performance solvent extraction process with high local solvent-to-process fluid ratios yet maintaining low overall solvent-to-process fluid ratios, by first performing mild thermal cracking on the heavy hydrocarbons and then separating asphaltene-rich fractions from a resulting thermally affected fluid so that the high solvent-to-oil ratio portion of the process acts only on those asphaltene-rich fractions, and producing a dry, solid asphaltene as an end-product.

Abstract: Improvements to open-art Solvent Deasphalting (SDA) processes have been developed to reduce capital and operating costs for processing hydrocarbon streams are provided whereby open art SDA scheme is modified to include appropriately placed mixing-enabled precipitators (MEP's) to reduce solvent use requirements in an asphaltene separation step and to increase overall reliability for SDA processes, particularly suitable for Canadian Bitumen. When integrated with a mild thermal cracker, the improved SDA configuration further improves crude yield to be pipeline-ready without additional diluent and for use to debottleneck existing facilities such as residue hydrocrackers and coking units.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of improving a heavy hydrocarbon, such as bitumen, to a lighter more fluid product and, more specifically, to a final hydrocarbon product that is refinery-ready and meets pipeline transport criteria without the addition of diluent. A solid asphaltene by-product is created for easy handling and further processing. The invention is targeted to enhance Canadian bitumen, but has general application in improving any heavy hydrocarbon.

Abstract: A process for producing pipeline-ready or refinery-ready feedstock from heavy hydrocarbons using a high-performance solvent extraction process with high local solvent-to-process fluid ratios yet maintaining low overall solvent-to-process fluid ratios, by first performing mild thermal cracking on the heavy hydrocarbons and then separating asphaltene-rich fractions from a resulting thermally affected fluid so that the high solvent-to-oil ratio portion of the process acts only on those asphaltene-rich fractions, and producing a dry, solid asphaltene as an end-product.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of improving a heavy hydrocarbon, such as bitumen, to a lighter more fluid product and, more specifically, to a final hydrocarbon product that is refinery-ready and meets pipeline transport criteria without the addition of diluent. A solid asphaltene by-product is created for easy handling and further processing. The invention is targeted to enhance Canadian bitumen, but has general application in improving any heavy hydrocarbon.

Abstract: An apparatus and process is provided for improved asphaltene separation from heavy hydrocarbon or bitumen with low process complexity through mass transfer using solvent and counter-current flows, with three sections: an upper DAO/solid-asphaltene separation zone, a middle solvent mixing and segregation zone, and a bottom clarification zone. Solvent mixed with heavy hydrocarbon forms a process feed introduced to the process vessel's upper zone and exposed to counter-current solvent removing DAO from solid asphaltene particles in the feed, the particles fall through the middle zone and are mixed with introduced solvent, which introduced solvent segregates DAO-rich solution in the upper zone (for extraction from that zone) from solvent-rich mixtures in the middle mixing and lower clarification zones. Solvent flows and precipitate movement are controlled to optimize mass transfer in process, resulting in high DAO recovery and dry, solid asphaltene product.