Patents by Inventor Trevor Bugg
Trevor Bugg has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20220135450Abstract: Various techniques are provided in relation to flocculation and/or dewatering of thick fine tailings, with shear conditioning of flocculated tailings material in accordance with a pre-determined shearing parameter, such as the Camp Number. One example method of treating thick fine tailings including dispersing a flocculant into the thick fine tailings to form a flocculating mixture; shearing the flocculating mixture to increase yield stress and produce a flocculated mixture; shear conditioning the flocculated mixture to decrease the yield stress and break down flocs, the shear conditioning being performed in accordance with the pre-determined shearing parameter to produce conditioned flocculated material within a water release zone where release water separates from the conditioned flocculated material. The conditioned flocculated material can then be subjected to dewatering, for example by depositing, thickening or filtering.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 13, 2022Publication date: May 5, 2022Inventors: MARVIN WEISS, ANA SANCHEZ, TREVOR BUGG, ADRIAN REVINGTON
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Patent number: 11267730Abstract: Various techniques are provided in relation to flocculation and/or dewatering of thick fine tailings, with shear conditioning of flocculated tailings material in accordance with a pre-determined shearing parameter, such as the Camp Number. One example method of treating thick fine tailings including dispersing a flocculant into the thick fine tailings to form a flocculating mixture; shearing the flocculating mixture to increase yield stress and produce a flocculated mixture; shear conditioning the flocculated mixture to decrease the yield stress and break down flocs, the shear conditioning being performed in accordance with the pre-determined shearing parameter to produce conditioned flocculated material within a water release zone where release water separates from the conditioned flocculated material. The conditioned flocculated material can then be subjected to dewatering, for example by depositing, thickening or filtering.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2019Date of Patent: March 8, 2022Assignee: Suncor Energy Inc.Inventors: Marvin Weiss, Ana Sanchez, Trevor Bugg, Adrian Revington
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Publication number: 20210102125Abstract: Techniques for dewatering thick fine tailings may include flocculant dosing on a clay basis and then subjecting the flocculated tailings to dewatering, for instance by pipelining the flocculated material from flocculant addition to a deposition site. The thick fine tailings can be pre-treated by removing hydrocarbons and shear-thinning prior to flocculant addition.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 17, 2020Publication date: April 8, 2021Inventors: Adrian Peter Revington, Ana Cristina Sanchez, Trevor Bugg, Oladipo Omotoso
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Patent number: 10899969Abstract: Techniques for dewatering thick fine tailings may include one or more pre-treatment steps, such as pre-shearing to reduce the yield stress prior to flocculation, hydrocarbon removal below a threshold to improve flocculation and dewatering, flocculant dosing on a clay basis, and providing certain properties of the thick fine tailings related to coarse and fine particle sizes and/or chemistry such as divalent cation content. Various advantages may result from pre-treatments based on thick fine tailings properties, such as reduced flocculant dosage requirements, improved dispersion of flocculant into the thick fine tailings and/or enhanced dewatering, for example. One or more of the pre-treatments may be performed.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2013Date of Patent: January 26, 2021Assignee: SUNCOR ENERGY INC.Inventors: Adrian Revington, Ana Sanchez, Trevor Bugg, Oladipo Omotoso
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Publication number: 20200157432Abstract: A process for dewatering oil sand fine tailings is provided and comprises a dispersion and floc build-up stage comprising in-line addition of a flocculent solution comprising an effective amount of flocculation reagent into a flow of the oil sand fine tailings; a gel stage wherein flocculated oil sand fine tailings is transported in-line and subjected to shear conditioning; a floc breakdown and water release stage wherein the flocculated oil sand fine tailings releases water and decreases in yield shear stress, while avoiding an oversheared zone; depositing the flocculated oil sand fine tailings onto a deposition area to form a deposit and to enable the release water to flow away from the deposit, preferably done in a pipeline reactor and managing shear according to yield stress and CST information and achieves enhanced dewatering.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 25, 2020Publication date: May 21, 2020Inventors: Adrian Peter Revington, Oladipo Omotoso, Patrick Sean Wells, Thomas Charles Hann, Marvin Harvey Weiss, Trevor Bugg, Jamie Eastwood, Stephen Joseph Young, Hugues Robert O'Neill, Ana Cristina Sanchez
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Publication number: 20200123030Abstract: Various techniques are provided in relation to flocculation and/or dewatering of thick fine tailings, with shear conditioning of flocculated tailings material in accordance with a pre-determined shearing parameter, such as the Camp Number. One example method of treating thick fine tailings including dispersing a flocculant into the thick fine tailings to form a flocculating mixture; shearing the flocculating mixture to increase yield stress and produce a flocculated mixture; shear conditioning the flocculated mixture to decrease the yield stress and break down flocs, the shear conditioning being performed in accordance with the pre-determined shearing parameter to produce conditioned flocculated material within a water release zone where release water separates from the conditioned flocculated material. The conditioned flocculated material can then be subjected to dewatering, for example by depositing, thickening or filtering.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 23, 2019Publication date: April 23, 2020Inventors: MARVIN WEISS, ANA SANCHEZ, TREVOR BUGG, ADRIAN REVINGTON
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Patent number: 10590347Abstract: A process for dewatering oil sand fine tailings is provided and comprises a dispersion and floc build-up stage comprising in-line addition of a flocculent solution comprising an effective amount of flocculation reagent into a flow of the oil sand fine tailings; a gel stage wherein flocculated oil sand fine tailings is transported in-line and subjected to shear conditioning; a floc breakdown and water release stage wherein the flocculated oil sand fine tailings releases water and decreases in yield shear stress, while avoiding an oversheared zone; depositing the flocculated oil sand fine tailings onto a deposition area to form a deposit and to enable the release water to flow away from the deposit, preferably done in a pipeline reactor and managing shear according to yield stress and CST information and achieves enhanced dewatering.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2017Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: Suncor Energy Inc.Inventors: Adrian Peter Revington, Oladipo Omotoso, Patrick Sean Wells, Thomas Charles Hann, Marvin Harvey Weiss, Trevor Bugg, Jamie Eastwood, Stephen Joseph Young, Hugues Robert O'Neill, Ana Cristina Sanchez
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Patent number: 10494277Abstract: Various techniques are provided in relation to flocculation and/or dewatering of thick fine tailings, with shear conditioning of flocculated tailings material in accordance with a pre-determined shearing parameter, such as the Camp Number. One example method of treating thick fine tailings including dispersing a flocculant into the thick fine tailings to form a flocculating mixture; shearing the flocculating mixture to increase yield stress and produce a flocculated mixture; shear conditioning the flocculated mixture to decrease the yield stress and break down flocs, the shear conditioning being performed in accordance with the pre-determined shearing parameter to produce conditioned flocculated material within a water release zone where release water separates from the conditioned flocculated material. The conditioned flocculated material can then be subjected to dewatering, for example by depositing, thickening or filtering.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2013Date of Patent: December 3, 2019Assignee: Suncor Energy Inc.Inventors: Marvin Weiss, Ana Sanchez, Trevor Bugg, Adrian Revington
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Publication number: 20180079966Abstract: A process for dewatering oil sand fine tailings is provided and comprises a dispersion and floc build-up stage comprising in-line addition of a flocculent solution comprising an effective amount of flocculation reagent into a flow of the oil sand fine tailings; a gel stage wherein flocculated oil sand fine tailings is transported in-line and subjected to shear conditioning; a floc breakdown and water release stage wherein the flocculated oil sand fine tailings releases water and decreases in yield shear stress, while avoiding an oversheared zone; depositing the flocculated oil sand fine tailings onto a deposition area to form a deposit and to enable the release water to flow away from the deposit, preferably done in a pipeline reactor and managing shear according to yield stress and CST information and achieves enhanced dewatering.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 22, 2017Publication date: March 22, 2018Inventors: Adrian Peter Revington, Oladipo Omotoso, Patrick Sean Wells, Thomas Charles Hann, Marvin Harvey Weiss, Trevor Bugg, Jamie Eastwood, Stephen Joseph Young, Hugues Robert O'Neill, Ana Cristina Sanchez
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Patent number: 9909070Abstract: A process for dewatering oil sand fine tailings is provided and comprises a dispersion and floc build-up stage comprising in-line addition of a flocculent solution comprising an effective amount of flocculation reagent into a flow of the oil sand fine tailings; a gel stage wherein flocculated oil sand fine tailings is transported in-line and subjected to shear conditioning; a floc breakdown and water release stage wherein the flocculated oil sand fine tailings releases water and decreases in yield shear stress, while avoiding an oversheared zone; depositing the flocculated oil sand fine tailings onto a deposition area to form a deposit and to enable the release water to flow away from the deposit, preferably done in a pipeline reactor and managing shear according to yield stress and CST information and achieves enhanced dewatering.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 2010Date of Patent: March 6, 2018Assignee: SUNCOR ENERGY INC.Inventors: Adrian Peter Revington, Oladipo Omotoso, Patrick Sean Wells, Thomas Charles Hann, Marvin Harvey Weiss, Trevor Bugg, Jamie Eastwood, Stephen Joseph Young, Hugues Robert O'Neill, Ana Cristina Sanchez
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Publication number: 20170267558Abstract: Techniques are described that relate to enhancing flocculation and dewatering of thick fine tailings, for example by reducing process oscillations. One example method includes dispersing a flocculant into thick fine tailings having a turbulent flow regime to produce turbulent flocculating tailings; subjecting the turbulent flocculating tailings to shear to build up flocs and increase yield stress, to produce a flocculated material having a non-turbulent flow regime; and shear conditioning the flocculated material to decrease the yield stress and produce conditioned flocculated tailings within a water release zone; and dewatering the conditioned flocculated tailings, for example by employing sub-aerial deposition. The thick fine tailings may have a Bingham Reynolds Number of at least 40,000 upon flocculant addition.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 30, 2017Publication date: September 21, 2017Inventors: TREVOR BUGG, ANA SANCHEZ, ADRIAN REVINGTON, JAMES PATRICK MACAULAY
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Patent number: 9708206Abstract: Techniques are described that relate to enhancing flocculation and dewatering of thick fine tailings, for example by reducing process oscillations. One example method includes dispersing a flocculant into thick fine tailings having a turbulent flow regime to produce turbulent flocculating tailings; subjecting the turbulent flocculating tailings to shear to build up flocs and increase yield stress, to produce a flocculated material having a non-turbulent flow regime; and shear conditioning the flocculated material to decrease the yield stress and produce conditioned flocculated tailings within a water release zone; and dewatering the conditioned flocculated tailings, for example by employing sub-aerial deposition. The thick fine tailings may have a Bingham Reynolds Number of at least 40,000 upon flocculant addition.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2013Date of Patent: July 18, 2017Assignee: SUNCOR ENERGY INC.Inventors: Trevor Bugg, Ana Sanchez, Adrian Revington, James Patrick Macaulay
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Publication number: 20150299005Abstract: Various techniques are provided in relation to flocculation and/or dewatering of thick fine tailings, with shear conditioning of flocculated tailings material in accordance with a pre-determined shearing parameter, such as the Camp Number. One example method of treating thick fine tailings including dispersing a flocculant into the thick fine tailings to form a flocculating mixture; shearing the flocculating mixture to increase yield stress and produce a flocculated mixture; shear conditioning the flocculated mixture to decrease the yield stress and break down flocs, the shear conditioning being performed in accordance with the pre-determined shearing parameter to produce conditioned flocculated material within a water release zone where release water separates from the conditioned flocculated material. The conditioned flocculated material can then be subjected to dewatering, for example by depositing, thickening or filtering.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 21, 2013Publication date: October 22, 2015Inventors: MARVIN WEISS, ANA SANCHEZ, TREVOR BUGG, ADRIAN REVINGTON
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Publication number: 20150203385Abstract: Techniques for injecting gas, such as compressed air, into thick fine tailings can promote water release or flocculant dosage reduction and thereby ameliorate dewatering operations of the thick fine tailings. Gas injection may be done before, during or after addition of a polymer flocculant into the thick fine tailings. Gas injection may be done in an amount, pressure or with gas bubbles so as to reduce the flocculant dosage requirements or increase the water release from released thick fine tailings.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 21, 2013Publication date: July 23, 2015Inventors: Adrian Revington, Ana Sanchez, Trevor Bugg, Jamie Eastwood
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Patent number: 9068776Abstract: Methods for drying oil sand fine tailings treated to comprise flocculated fine tailings, by deposition and farming techniques, are provided. A deposition cell is provided with a sloped bottom surface and the flocculated fine tailings are deposited to undergo channelless advancement in the cell while allowing drainage of release water. When the deposit is uneven, the deposit may be plowed while wet for spreading and ensuring water release conditioning is imparted thereto, while avoiding over-shearing, and maintaining sufficient shear strength to allow standing. Once a dried upper crust forms, the deposit may be harrowed to break up the crust, expose wet regions there-beneath and create furrows in the standing deposit. The methods improve the dewatering and drying of mature fine tailings in oil sands.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2009Date of Patent: June 30, 2015Assignee: SUNCOR ENERGY INC.Inventors: Trevor Bugg, Jamie Eastwood, Adrian Peter Revington, Marvin Harvey Weiss, Patrick Sean Wells, Thomas Charles Hann, Stephen Joseph Young, Hugues Robert O'Neill
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Publication number: 20150176893Abstract: Techniques for dewatering thick fine tailings may include one or more pre-treatment steps, such as pre-shearing to reduce the yield stress prior to flocculation, hydrocarbon removal below a threshold to improve flocculation and dewatering, flocculant dosing on a clay basis, and providing certain properties of the thick fine tailings related to coarse and fine particle sizes and/or chemistry such as divalent cation content. Various advantages may result from pre-treatments based on thick fine tailings properties, such as reduced flocculant dosage requirements, improved dispersion of flocculant into the thick fine tailings and/or enhanced dewatering, for example. One or more of the pre-treatments may be performed.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 21, 2013Publication date: June 25, 2015Inventors: Adrian Peter Revington, Ana Cristina Sanchez, Trevor Bugg, Oladipo Omotoso
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Publication number: 20150144571Abstract: Techniques are described that relate to enhancing flocculation and dewatering of thick fine tailings, for example by reducing process oscillations. One example method includes dispersing a flocculant into thick fine tailings having a turbulent flow regime to produce turbulent flocculating tailings; subjecting the turbulent flocculating tailings to shear to build up flocs and increase yield stress, to produce a flocculated material having a non-turbulent flow regime; and shear conditioning the flocculated material to decrease the yield stress and produce conditioned flocculated tailings within a water release zone; and dewatering the conditioned flocculated tailings, for example by employing sub-aerial deposition. The thick fine tailings may have a Bingham Reynolds Number of at least 40,000 upon flocculant addition.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 21, 2013Publication date: May 28, 2015Inventors: Trevor Bugg, Ana Sanchez, Adrian Revington, James Macaulay
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Publication number: 20130081298Abstract: Methods for drying oil sand fine tailings treated to comprise flocculated fine tailings, by deposition and farming techniques, are provided. A deposition cell is provided with a sloped bottom surface and the flocculated fine tailings are deposited to undergo channelless advancement in the cell while allowing drainage of release water. When the deposit is uneven, the deposit may be plowed while wet for spreading and ensuring water release conditioning is imparted thereto, while avoiding over-shearing, and maintaining sufficient shear strength to allow standing. Once a dried upper crust forms, the deposit may be harrowed to break up the crust, expose wet regions there-beneath and create furrows in the standing deposit. The methods improve the dewatering and drying of mature fine tailings in oil sands.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 30, 2009Publication date: April 4, 2013Applicant: SUNCOR ENERGY INC.Inventors: Trevor Bugg, Jamie Eastwood, Adrian Peter Revington, Marvin Harvey Weiss, Patrick Sean Wells, Thomas Charles Hann, Stephen Joseph Young, Hugues Robert O'Neill
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Publication number: 20120175315Abstract: A process for dewatering oil sand fine tailings is provided and comprises a dispersion and floc build-up stage comprising in-line addition of a flocculent solution comprising an effective amount of flocculation reagent into a flow of the oil sand fine tailings; a gel stage wherein flocculated oil sand fine tailings is transported in-line and subjected to shear conditioning; a floc breakdown and water release stage wherein the flocculated oil sand fine tailings releases water and decreases in yield shear stress, while avoiding an oversheared zone; depositing the flocculated oil sand fine tailings onto a deposition area to form a deposit and to enable the release water to flow away from the deposit, preferably done in a pipeline reactor and managing shear according to yield stress and CST information and achieves enhanced dewatering.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 22, 2010Publication date: July 12, 2012Applicant: SUNCOR ENERGY INC.Inventors: Adrian Peter Revington, Oladipo Omotoso, Patrick Sean Wells, Thomas Charles Hann, Marvin Harvey Weiss, Trevor Bugg, Jamie Eastwood, Stephen Joseph Young, Hugues Robert O'Neill, Ana Cristina Sanchez