Abstract: A feedwell is provided for an inclined plate separator having a separation chamber containing parallel plates defining separation passages. The feedwell includes a plenum defining a plenum chamber external to the separation chamber, an upward-facing deflector surface in the plenum chamber, an inlet for discharging influent fluid onto a receiving region of the deflector surface, and an outlet for discharging the influent fluid out of the plenum and transversely into the separation chamber. The feedwell also includes parallel fins. The fins define between them plenum passages that extend from a fin end to outlet. The fin ends are disposed between the outlet and the receiving region, and are arranged in a horizontal semi-elliptical path defining a center that horizontally coincides with the receiving region.

Abstract: A method is provided for controlling bitumen recovery from an oil sands ore body in a bitumen extraction process by establishing and using a predictive ore processability model that accounts for multiple ore characteristics in planning ore deliveries from different locations of the ore body to produce a blended ore feedstock.

Abstract: A process for operating multiple oil sand mine sites for extracting bitumen from oil sand is disclosed, comprising preparing a first conditioned oil sand slurry at a first location using a first oil sand slurry preparation and slurry conditioning process; preparing a second conditioned oil sand slurry at a second location using a second oil sand slurry preparation and slurry conditioning process; combining the first conditioned oil sand slurry and the second conditioned oil sand slurry in at least one slurry distributor to produce a combined oil sand slurry; and distributing the combined oil sand slurry to at least one separation vessel to produce bitumen froth.

Abstract: A process for dewatering oil sands tailings is provided, comprising providing a tailings feed having a solids content in the range of about 10 wt % to about 45 wt %; adding a flocculant to the tailings feed and mixing the tailings feed and flocculant to form flocs; and centrifuging the flocculated tailings feed to produce a centrate having a solids content of less than about 3 wt % and a cake having a solids content of at least about 50 wt %.

Abstract: There is provided a method including: combining storage pond tailings with a heated tailings stream to form a tailings mixture, the storage pond tailings having a temperature and a solids content and the tailings mixture having a resulting solids content less than the solids content of the storage pond tailings; and treating the tailings mixture to recover bitumen therefrom.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a process for extracting bitumen from poor oil sand ore involving mixing the poor oil sand ore with heated water to produce a slurry, and conditioning the slurry to yield a poor ore stream. In a separate train, good oil sand ore is mixed with heated water to produce a slurry, and conditioned to yield a good ore stream. Both the conditioned poor ore and good ore streams are combined in specified proportions to yield a blended slurry which is then fed to a primary separation vessel to produce primary bitumen froth.

Abstract: A feedwell for a gravity separation vessel for introducing a feed stream such as oil sand slurry to the gravity separation vessel is provided comprising a walled member having an upper perimeter edge, a lower perimeter edge and a substantially continuous wall extending from the upper perimeter edge to the lower perimeter edge; an inlet for introducing the feed stream into the walled member positioned adjacent the substantially continuous wall; and a bottom floor having an opening and extending generally beneath the lower perimeter edge; whereby a perimeter of the opening is less than a perimeter of the walled member.

Abstract: A feedwell for a gravity separation vessel for introducing a feed stream such as oil sand slurry to the gravity separation vessel is provided comprising a walled member having an upper perimeter edge, a lower perimeter edge and a substantially continuous wall extending from the upper perimeter edge to the lower perimeter edge; an inlet for introducing the feed stream into the walled member positioned adjacent the substantially continuous wall; and a bottom floor having an opening and extending generally beneath the lower perimeter edge; whereby a perimeter of the opening is less than a perimeter of the walled member.

Abstract: A process for extracting bitumen from oil sand, comprising: mixing oil sand with process water to produce an oil sand slurry containing bitumen, sand, water and entrained air; conditioning the oil sand slurry; optionally flooding the conditioned oil sand slurry with flood water to dilute the slurry, if required; introducing the slurry into a primary separation vessel wherein separate layers of primary bitumen froth, middlings and sand tailings are formed; removing a portion of the primary bitumen froth from the primary separation vessel and recycling the portion of primary bitumen froth to that step of the process upstream of the primary separation vessel to join and mix with the feed stream moving to the primary separation vessel; and thereafter retaining said feed stream in said primary separation vessel to produce primary bitumen froth.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for recovering bitumen as froth from a feed stream having solids, water and bitumen is provided using a separating vessel having mounted thereon a downpipe assembly, the downpipe assembly having at least one downpipe and a nozzle in fluid communication with each downpipe, for aerating a stream of middlings withdrawn from the separating vessel and reintroducing the aerated middlings back to the separating vessel.

Abstract: An improved low energy extraction process for recovering bitumen from oil sand whereby essentially all of the thermal energy input for processing the oil sand takes place at the slurry mixing step as opposed to at both the slurry mixing step and the slurry flooding step. Mined oil sand is mixed with sufficient hot slurry water to produce an oil sand slurry having a density in the preferred range of about 1.50 g/cc to about 1.60 g/cc and a temperature in the preferred range of about 40° C. to about 55° C., more preferably greater than about 43° C. The oil sand slurry is conditioned, preferably by pumping it through a pipeline for a sufficient length of time, and then flooded with cold flood water to produce a diluted slurry having a density in the range of about 1.4 g/cc to about 1.5 g/cc and a temperature generally below 40° C. and typically in the range of about 30° C. to about 35° C. The diluted slurry is introduced into a gravity separation vessel where bitumen froth is recovered.

Abstract: Average grade oil sand is mixed with water to produce a low temperature (20-35.degree. C.), dense (1.4-1.65 g/cc) slurry. The slurry is pumped through a pipeline for sufficient time to condition it. Air is injected into the slurry after the last pump. The slurry density is adjusted to about 1.5 g/cc by adding flood water near the end of the pipeline. The slurry is introduced into a primary separation vessel slurry as it is introduced into the (PSV), excess air is vented from the PSV and a hot water underwash is used to heat the froth produced. Slurry loading to the PSV is greater than about 4.78 tonnes of oil sand/hour/square meter to reduce velocity gradient in the fluid in the vessel. Bitumen froth is recovered. When fed low grade oil sand, the process is modified by adding flotation aid chemicals to the slurry in the pipeline and subjecting the PSV tailings and middlings to secondary recovery with agitation and aeration in a secondary separation vessel.