Abstract: Asphalt binders and related methods and uses are provided. In some embodiments, the asphalt binder is produced by: providing a high-asphaltene content petroleum feedstock; performing solvent deasphalting on the feedstock to produce a partially deasphalted oil and an asphaltene-rich residue; and collecting the partially deasphalted oil (DAO). The high-asphaltene content petroleum feedstock may comprise residue from vacuum distillation or flash separation of extra heavy oil or bitumen, or recycled asphalt. The DAO may itself be used as the asphalt binder or may be a component of a blend with the original feedstock. Asphalt binders may also be produced by blending residue and heavy distillate produced from vacuum distillation or flash separation, with DAO or the asphaltene-rich residue of the solvent deasphalting process. The disclosed methods allow for production of asphalt binders of a wide variety of performance grades.

Abstract: A solid bitumen pellet, including a mixture of bitumen and an additive, where the additive operates to increase the viscosity of the mixture. Optionally, the pellet includes a protective shell.

Abstract: Historically, bitumen from oil sands has been carried over land using trucks, pipelines, or by rail, and over water using tankers. Each mode of transportation faces economic or technical challenges of its own. Here there is provided a method for transporting bitumen, comprising: receiving in a dry bulk shipping container a load of discrete pellets with bitumen entrapped into the pellets, wherein the pellets have non-stick outer surfaces configured to prevent the bitumen from sticking to walls of the container when the pellets are carried in the container; and transporting the dry bulk shipping container containing the pellets over a distance. Alternatively or additionally, the pellets may have non-stick outer surfaces configured to prevent the load from caking when the pellets are carried in the container such that the load of bitumen pellets is substantially free-flowing when the transporting is completed.

Abstract: A non-aqueous extraction (NAE) process for producing bitumen from oil sands ore can include a multistage bitumen extraction step where paraffinic solvent and deasphalted oil are added at a downstream stage of extraction at solvent-to-bitumen ratios below asphaltene precipitation onset threshold to remove bitumen from the solid mineral material, while the ore is added to a first stage to mix with the solvent-bitumen mixture and produce solvent diluted bitumen. The process includes recovering the solvent diluted bitumen and the solvent diluted tailings from the extraction step. The solvent diluted bitumen is subjected to deasphalting to produce solvent diluted deasphalted bitumen that is used as a source of the paraffinic solvent and deasphalted oil supplied to extraction. The tailings and asphaltene fraction from deasphalting can be subjected to washing and the washed material can then be subjected to sand solvent recovery.

Abstract: A non-aqueous extraction (NAE) process for producing bitumen from oil sands ore can include a multistage bitumen extraction step where paraffinic solvent and deasphalted oil are added at a downstream stage of extraction at solvent-to-bitumen ratios below asphaltene precipitation onset threshold to remove bitumen from the solid mineral material, while the ore is added to a first stage to mix with the solvent-bitumen mixture and produce solvent diluted bitumen. The process includes recovering the solvent diluted bitumen and the solvent diluted tailings from the extraction step. The solvent diluted bitumen is subjected to deasphalting to produce solvent diluted deasphalted bitumen that is used as a source of the paraffinic solvent and deasphalted oil supplied to extraction. The tailings and asphaltene fraction from deasphalting can be subjected to washing and the washed material can then be subjected to sand solvent recovery.

Abstract: Historically, bitumen from oil sands has been carried over land using trucks, pipelines, or by rail, and over water using tankers. Each mode of transportation faces economic or technical challenges of its own. Here there is provided a method for transporting bitumen, comprising: receiving in a dry bulk shipping container a load of discrete pellets with bitumen entrapped into the pellets, wherein the pellets have non-stick outer surfaces configured to prevent the bitumen from sticking to walls of the container when the pellets are carried in the container; and transporting the dry bulk shipping container containing the pellets over a distance. Alternatively or additionally, the pellets may have non-stick outer surfaces configured to prevent the load from caking when the pellets are carried in the container such that the load of bitumen pellets is substantially free-flowing when the transporting is completed.

Abstract: A solid bitumen pellet, including a mixture of bitumen and an additive, where the additive operates to increase the viscosity of the mixture. Optionally, the pellet includes a protective shell.

Abstract: A solid bitumen pellet, including a mixture of bitumen and an additive, where the additive operates to increase the viscosity of the mixture. Optionally, the pellet includes a protective shell.

Abstract: A solid bitumen pellet, including a mixture of bitumen and an additive, where the additive operates to increase the viscosity of the mixture. Optionally, the pellet includes a protective shell.

Abstract: A solid bitumen pellet, including a mixture of bitumen and an additive, where the additive operates to increase the viscosity of the mixture. Optionally, the pellet includes a protective shell.

Abstract: A solid bitumen pellet, including a mixture of bitumen and an additive, where the additive operates to increase the viscosity of the mixture. Optionally, the pellet includes a protective shell.

Abstract: A solid bitumen pellet, including a mixture of bitumen and an additive, where the additive operates to increase the viscosity of the mixture. Optionally, the pellet includes a protective shell.

Abstract: A solid bitumen pellet, including a mixture of bitumen and an additive, where the additive operates to increase the viscosity of the mixture. Optionally, the pellet includes a protective shell.

Abstract: A solid bitumen pellet, including a mixture of bitumen and an additive, where the additive operates to increase the viscosity of the mixture. Optionally, the pellet includes a protective shell.