Abstract: A process and apparatus is provided for flocculating and/or agglomerating oil sand solids during solvent extraction, the process using a mixing tank comprising a vertical baffle-free cylindrical vessel having at least one impeller mounted vertically therein.

Abstract: A process for forming a deaerated oil sand slurry is provided comprising: providing a first vessel having an overhead space and a bottom space; delivering oil sand and a low vapor pressure hydrocarbon liquid into the overhead space and mixing the oil sand and hydrocarbon liquid to release air trapped in the oil sand and form the deaerated slurry; optionally adding an inert gas stream to the overhead space to displace the air released from the oil sand; and collecting the deaerated slurry in the bottom space to form a slurry layer to prevent gas exchange between the first vessel and downstream extraction equipment.

Abstract: A process for forming a deaerated oil sand slurry is provided comprising: providing a first vessel having an overhead space and a bottom space; delivering oil sand and a low vapor pressure hydrocarbon liquid into the overhead space and mixing the oil sand and hydrocarbon liquid to release air trapped in the oil sand and form the deaerated slurry; optionally adding an inert gas stream to the overhead space to displace the air released from the oil sand; and collecting the deaerated slurry in the bottom space to form a slurry layer to prevent gas exchange between the first vessel and downstream extraction equipment.

Abstract: A process for solvent extraction of bitumen from mined oil sand ore is provided, comprising mixing the mined oil sand ore with at least one solvent to produce a solvent/oil sand slurry; adding water to the solvent/oil sand slurry to produce a slurry having a water-to-solids mass ratio of less than about 0.1; mixing the slurry in a mixing tank having a diameter to agglomerate the solids present in the slurry, the mixing tank operating at a power input of between 20 and 50 W/kg of slurry, to produce an agglomerated slurry; and subjecting the agglomerated slurry to solid-liquid separation to produce a first liquids stream containing bitumen and a first solids stream; whereby the slurry height in the mixing tank is 0.1 to 0.3 of the tank diameter.

Abstract: A process for separating solvent from spent oil sand solids involves drying the solids using superheated steam, and thereby producing a vapor comprising the vaporized solvent and vaporized water. The vapor is conveyed through a hot side of a first heat exchanger to produce a cooled stream comprising condensed solvent and condensed water, while a water stream is conveyed under vacuum through a cold side of the first heat exchanger to produce steam. A vacuum blower that applies the vacuum may also compress the steam to adiabatically heat the steam, before the steam is further heated by a steam superheater. The condensed water is separated from the cooled stream, and used in producing the water stream that is conveyed through the cold side of the heat exchanger, as the process continues. The steam is used in producing the superheated steam for drying the solids, as the process continues.

Abstract: A method for continuously filtering a liquid slurry, such as an oil sand and solvent slurry, in a horizontal pan filtering device is provided. In particular, separate filtrate receivers are built under the wet and the dry sectors of a pan filter to take advantage of the liquid seal at the wet sectors so that the solids in the slurry can be compressed by having a higher vacuum under the wet sectors.

Abstract: A process for solvent extraction of bitumen from mined oil sand ore is provided, comprising mixing the mined oil sand ore with at least one solvent to produce a solvent/oil sand slurry; adding water to the solvent/oil sand slurry to produce a slurry having a water-to-solids mass ratio of less than about 0.1; mixing the slurry in a mixing tank having a diameter to agglomerate the solids present in the slurry, the mixing tank operating at a power input of between 20 and 50 W/kg of slurry, to produce an agglomerated slurry; and subjecting the agglomerated slurry to solid-liquid separation to produce a first liquids stream containing bitumen and a first solids stream; whereby the slurry height in the mixing tank is 0.1 to 0.3 of the tank diameter.

Abstract: A process for separating solvent from spent oil sand solids involves drying the solids using superheated steam, and thereby producing a vapor comprising the vaporized solvent and vaporized water. The vapor is conveyed through a hot side of a first heat exchanger to produce a cooled stream comprising condensed solvent and condensed water, while a water stream is conveyed under vacuum through a cold side of the first heat exchanger to produce steam. A vacuum blower that applies the vacuum may also compress the steam to adiabatically heat the steam, before the steam is further heated by a steam superheater. The condensed water is separated from the cooled stream, and used in producing the water stream that is conveyed through the cold side of the heat exchanger, as the process continues. The steam is used in producing the superheated steam for drying the solids, as the process continues.

Abstract: A method for recovering hydrocarbon diluent from froth treatment tailings comprising bitumen, solids, hydrocarbon diluent and water is provided, comprising: introducing the froth treatment tailings into a vessel chamber and allowing the coarse solids to settle to the bottom of the vessel and form a solids layer having a portion of hydrocarbon diluent and a portion of water trapped therein; and heating the water in the solids layer to generate steam bubbles in-situ and strip the hydrocarbon diluent associated with the coarse solids to produce stripped tailings.

Abstract: A process for extracting bitumen from oil sand is provided, comprising: contacting mined oil sand with a high-flash point heavy solvent (HS) to produce a dense oil sand slurry; mixing the dense slurry with a first light solvent (LS) stream and a second LS stream to give a heavy solvent to light solvent (HS/LS) mass ratio of about 75/25 to about 40/60; subjecting the HS/LS-diluted oil sand slurry to a first stage solid-liquid separation to produce a first liquids stream containing bitumen and a first solids stream; and washing the first solids stream with a mixed solvent having a HS/LS mass ratio of about 50/50 to about 20/80 and subjecting the solids and the mixed solvent to a second stage solid-liquid separation to produce a second liquids stream and a second solids stream.

Abstract: A method is provided for producing a marketable bitumen product having low solids and essentially no water. The method can be integrated into existing solvent extraction processes for extracting bitumen from mined oil sand. A high-solids diluted bitumen is produced from a solvent extraction process and then mixed with a light solvent (LS) stream in at least a first mixer to produce a diluted bitumen-LS mixture. The diluted bitumen-LS mixture is subjected to separation in at least a first separator to produce low-solids diluted bitumen and high-solids asphaltene-rich tails. The LS is removed from the low-solids diluted bitumen to produce the marketable bitumen product.

Abstract: A process for extracting bitumen from oil sand using a combination of heavy solvent and light solvent is provided comprising digesting mined oil sand with a high-flash point heavy solvent (HS) to produce a dense oil sand slurry; mixing the dense slurry with a light solvent (LS) to give a heavy solvent to light solvent (HS/LS) mass ratio of about 70/30 to about 50/50 and subjecting the thinned oil sand slurry to a first stage solid-liquid separation to produce a first liquids stream containing bitumen and a first solids stream.

Abstract: A process for recovering solvent from spent oil sands solids is provided, comprising drying the solids using superheated steam to vaporize solvent and water; compressing and condensing the vapors in a first heat exchanger (hot side) to produce condensates, comprising primarily condensed hot water, and uncondensed vapors; separating condensed hot water and solvent from the uncondensed vapors in a first separator; flowing the hot water through the first heat exchanger (cold side) to produce near-saturated steam; and superheating the near-saturated steam in a second heat exchanger to produce the superheated steam for drying the solids. Uncondensed vapors from the first separator can be further condensed in a third heat exchanger to produce warm water, recovered solvent and uncondensed off gas, which can be separated in a second separator. Some of the warm water is combined with the hot water to produce the near-saturated steam for superheating.

Abstract: A process for extracting bitumen from oil sand using a combination of heavy solvent and light solvent is provided comprising digesting mined oil sand with a high-flash point heavy solvent (HS) to produce a dense oil sand slurry; mixing the dense slurry with a light solvent (LS) to give a heavy solvent to light solvent (HS/LS) mass ratio of about 70/30 to about 50/50 and subjecting the thinned oil sand slurry to a first stage solid-liquid separation to produce a first liquids stream containing bitumen and a first solids stream. The first solids stream is washed with a mixed solvent having a HS/LS mass ratio of about 75/25 to about 55/45 and the solids and mixed solvent are subjected to a second stage solid-liquid separation to produce a second liquids stream and a second solids stream. This process may be integrated with the existing water-based extraction through ore segregation, energy integration and MFT reduction/sequestration to further enhance its economical and environmental benefits.

Abstract: A process for extracting bitumen from oil sand using a combination of heavy solvent and light solvent is provided comprising contacting mined oil sand with a non-flammable heavy solvent (HS) to produce a dense oil sand slurry; mixing the dense slurry with a light solvent (LS) to give a heavy solvent to light solvent (HS/LS) mass ratio of about 70/30 to 50/50 and subjecting the diluted oil sand slurry to a first stage solid-liquid separation to produce a first liquids stream containing bitumen and a first solids stream; mixing the solids stream with a mixed solvent having a HS/LS mass ratio of about 75/25 to 55/45 and subjecting the diluted solids stream to a second stage solid-liquid separation to produce a second liquids stream and a second solids stream; rinsing the solids stream with a countercurrent flow of LS to recover the HS and produce spent solids; and drying the spent solids to LS concentration of less than 160 g/tonne solids.

Abstract: A method for recovering NH3 present in a sour water stream containing odiferous compounds such as pyridines, indoles, ketones and mercaptans produced during an upgrading process for upgrading bitumen from oil sands into synthetic crude comprising treating the sour water stream in a sour water treatment unit to produce a NH3-rich stream and a H2S-rich stream; and hydrotreating the NH3-rich stream in a hydrotreater in the presence of hydrogen to remove the odiferous compounds such as pyridines, indoles, ketones and mercaptans and produce a treated NH3-rich stream.

Abstract: A method for recovering NH3 present in a sour water stream containing odiferous compounds such as pyridines, indoles, ketones and mercaptans produced during an upgrading process for upgrading bitumen from oil sands into synthetic crude comprising treating the sour water stream in a sour water treatment unit to produce a NH3-rich stream and a H2S-rich stream; and hydrotreating the NH3-rich stream in a hydrotreater in the presence of hydrogen to remove the odiferous compounds such as pyridines, indoles, ketones and mercaptans and produce a treated NH3-rich stream.