Abstract: A water extraction process for separating bitumen from tar sands comprises slurrying tar sands in water, mixing the aqueous slurry with a magnetic substance for a time sufficient to release bitumen from tar sands and to uniformly disperse the magnetic substance with the bitumen, and subjecting the resulting slurry to froth flotation for recovery of a bitumen product and production of sand tails. The magnetic substance may comprise a magnetic surfactant. Alternatively, the magnetic substance comprises a magnetic nanoparticle together with a frother having the characteristics of methyl-isobutyl-carbinol and can be mixed with the aqueous slurry by attrition scrubbing or by flotation cell mixing. The magnetic substance may be recovered for further reuse by applying a magnetic or electromagnetic field to the tailings. The process may suitably applied in both so-called hot water extraction processes as well in an “ambient” temperature (from about freezing to 35° C.) process.

Abstract: The invention relates to a class of novel surfactants that have utility in the recovery and/or extraction of oil.

Abstract: A process for producing paraffin extracted clarified slurry oil (raffinate) with improved aromaticity from the feed stock such as clarified slurry oil (CSO) is provided. The obtained paraffin extracted clarified slurry oil with improved aromaticity is suitable for a variety of industrial applications. For example, it can be used as a valuable feedstock for producing carbon black.

Abstract: The invention relates to a class of novel surfactants that have utility in the recovery and/or extraction of oil.

Abstract: Method and device for manufacturing at least one low olefin from an oxygenate-containing first reaction mixture (11) through conversion by a catalyst (20) to an olefin and paraffin-containing second reaction mixture (21) where the second reaction mixture (21) is flowed through a separation system (300), in which one at least one low olefin-containing first product stream (31) and at least one paraffin-enriched fraction (321) is extracted and where the remaining product stream (322) is at least partially recirculated to the catalyst (20).

Abstract: Extra heavy lube base stocks are separated from heavy lube oils with a polar solvent in an amount sufficient to form a first light phase and a second heavy phase. The phases are then separated and the solvent is removed from the second heavy phase to yield an extra heavy lube.

Abstract: An improved methanol-to-olefin (MTO) product recovery scheme is provided which enables substantial reduction in the amount of light olefins that are undesirably captured in a dimethylether (DME) recycle stream when a portion of the methanolic feed to the MTO reaction zone is used as the scrubbing solvent in a primary DME absorption zone in order to recycle this DME oxygenate by-product to the MTO reaction zone. In accordance with the present invention, a liquid solvent stream recovered from the primary DME absorption zone is subjected in a stripping zone to light olefin stripping conditions sufficient to lift a substantial portion of the light olefins that are absorbed in the DME solvent without stripping a significant portion of this methanol solvent, thereby increasing the recovery of desired light olefins while simultaneously diminishing the amount of light olefins carried by the DME recycle stream back to MTO conversion step.

Abstract: An improved methanol-to-olefin (MTO) product recovery scheme is provided which enables substantial reduction in the amount of light olefins that are undesirably captured in a dimethylether (DME) recycle stream and improved recovery of methanol when a portion of the methanolic feed to the MTO reaction zone is used as the scrubbing solvent in a primary DME absorption zone in order to recycle this DME oxygenate by-product to the MTO reaction zone. In accordance with the present invention, a liquid solvent stream recovered from the primary DME absorption zone is subjected in a stripping zone to light olefin stripping conditions sufficient to lift a substantial portion of the light olefins that are absorbed in the DME solvent without stripping a significant portion of this methanol solvent, thereby increasing the recovery of desired light olefins while simultaneously diminishing the amount of light olefins carried by the DME recycle stream back to MTO conversion step.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a method of removing acetaldehyde, CO2 and/or water from an ethylene and/or propylene containing stream. In this invention, acetaldehyde and C4+ olefins are substantially removed from the ethylene and/or propylene containing stream. The stream is then acid gas treated. The ethylene and/or propylene streams which are separated and recovered according to this invention can be further processed, for example, to make polymers such as polyethylene and polypropylene.

Abstract: A process to improve the performance of furfural for aromatics extraction from gas oils and lube distillates by the addition of ethers and/or aldehydes, preferably having a dielectric constant less than about 40 @ 25.degree. C.

Abstract: Processes are provided for the recovery of aromatic hydrocarbons from feeds comprising mixtures of aromatic and non-aromatic hydrocarbons using a mixed aromatic extraction solvent at extraction temperature of less than 250.degree. F. The mixed extraction solvent is comprised of a solvent component containing low molecular weight polyalkylene glycols and a cosolvent component containing glycol ethers. Extractive distillation and steam distillation operations are employed to separate the hydrocarbon components from the rich solvent extract. Low temperature extraction followed by subsequent heating of the rich solvent stream results in improved solvent selectivity, reduced solvent to feed ratios, improved thermal stability and energy savings.

Abstract: Hydrocarbons are recovered from acid sludge by mixing the sludge with methyl ethyl ketone and base. A hydrocarbon-rich methyl ethyl ketone stream and a solids-containing stream are separated from the mixture, and a hydrocarbon stream is separated from the hydrocarbon-rich methyl ethyl ketone stream.

Abstract: A lubricating oil stock is extracted with N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone to yield a primary raffinate useful as a high VI lubricating base oil and a primary extract. The primary extract is mixed with antisolvent and chilled to yield a secondary raffinate. This secondary raffinate is sufficiently reduced in aromatics that it is solvent extracted to yield medium to high VI lubricating base oil.

Abstract: Processes are provided for the recovery of aromatic hydrocarbons from feeds comprising mixtures of aromatic and non-aromatic hydrocarbons using a mixed aromatic extraction solvent at extraction temperature of less than 250.degree. F. The mixed extraction solvent is comprised of a solvent component containing low molecular weight polyalkylene glycols and a cosolvent component containing glycol ethers. Extractive distillation and steam distillation operations are employed to separate the hydrocarbon components from the rich solvent extract.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for hydrocarbon fractionation and extraction making it possible to obtain a petrol with an improved octane number and a kerosene with an improved smoke point.According to the invention a charge with a final boiling point of at least 220.degree. C. is fractionated into three fractions:a light petrol containing less than 10% aromatics and boiling points at 25.degree. to 80.degree. C.,a medium petrol (80.degree. C. and at the most 150.degree. C.), whose end point is determined by a nitrogen content below 50 ppm,a heavy petrol with an end point equal to or below 220.degree. C.,be a selective liquid solvent aromatics are then extracted from the heavy petrol producing a refined product which is poured into the kerosene pool or diesel fuel,the solvent is regenerated by reextraction using light petrol so as to produce an aromatics-enriched petrol fraction with an improved octane number.

Abstract: A low temperature process for separating bitumen from tarsands comprises slurrying tarsands in water at a temperature in the range of above about freezing to 35.degree. C., preferably in the range of 2.degree. to 15.degree. C., mixing said aqueous slurry with a conditioning agent for a time sufficient to release bitumen from tarsands and to uniformly disperse the conditioning agent on the bitumen, and subjecting the resulting slurry to froth flotation for recovery of a bitumen product and production of sand tails.

Abstract: This invention relates to an energy efficient process for the solvent extraction of aromatic hydrocarbons from hydrocarbon streams containing the same, using as the solvent ethyl acetoacetate. This solvent may be recovered from the aromatics by cooling the aromatic/solvent mixture, whereby separation takes place without distillation.

Abstract: A coal-based heavy oil is refined so as to remove quinoline insolubles and provide a hydrocarbon product suitable for making carbon stocks by heating to remove the volatile components which have boiling points ranging from the initial boiling point of the heavy oil to up to at least 200.degree. C. and at most 270.degree. C., thereby leaving a residual coal-based heavy oil, the residual coal-based heavy oil is mixed with a ketone-type solvent having a boiling point less than 200.degree. C. to form an insoluble precipitate (including quinoline insolubles) and a supernatent, the supernatent is treated to recover the ketone-type solvent, and the remaining hydrocarbon mixture is easily processed by vacuum distillation to produce a hydrocarbon product suitable for making carbon stocks.