Abstract: A process for beneficiating oil shale is disclosed including the steps of grinding the shale to fine particles in an aqueous medium, portions of which are kerogen-rich and kerogen-poor, scrubbing the particles, conditioning using a collector and a frother, and separating using froth flotation and oil agglomeration/dewatering.

Abstract: A process for the extraction of oil and bitumen fractions from tar sands comprising the steps of heating the tar sands to 70.degree.-150.degree. F., mixing with an aqueous solutions of water soluble separation chemicals, particularly sulfonated fatty acids or salts, holding the tar sand and the separation chemicals for a sufficient period of time to allow the bitumen to float to the top and the sand to sink to the bottom, and separation of the oil or bitumen fractions from water and the separation chemicals.

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: Oil bearing soil is contacted in a contacting zone with a liquid medium comprising water and a lipophilic solvent which is miscible or soluble with water. The medium can include a yield improving agent comprising a water soluble acidic ionic salt or a water soluble ionic acid. The contacting produces an emulsion which comprises the oil from the oil bearing soil and the liquid medium. The inorganic portion of the soil is dispersed in the emulsion and it is separated from the emulsion by gravity or other suitable means. The emulsion is broken by an emulsion breaking agent into two phases. The two phases are allowed to separate into two layers. The first layer comprises the oil and minor amounts of the liquid medium. The second layer comprises the liquid medium and minor amounts of the oil. The first layer is then recovered. The medium from the second layer can be recycled into the contacting zone.

Abstract: A process for removing fines from a tar sands extract is provided. The tar sands extract is contacted with a specific solvent to form agglomerates and a substantial portion of the agglomerates are separated from the balance of the extract prior to any substantial attrition of the agglomerates.

Abstract: Hydrocarbon liquids are recovered from carbonaceous materials such as tar sands utilizing a separation reagent formed in situ by reacting polar resin components of tar sands with an inorganic base such as sodium silicate in sonicated aqueous solution in absence of an organic solvent to form a surfactant.When tar sands are added to the sonicated separation reagent, the surfactant penetrates the bitumen which aids in removing the bitumen from the sand particles. The lighter, non-polar hydrocarbon oil fraction separate from the emulsion and rise to the top and are recovered by skimming. The heavier asphaltenes and preasphaltenes complex with the polyvalent metals to form charcoal-like agglomerates which settle to the bottom of the treatment tank. The separation reagent forms during the reaction and can reach a concentration capable of dissolving bitumen. The separation reagent can be recovered and used in other processes after removal and recovery of the clay.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a combined solvent and hot water extraction of bitumen oils from tar-sands ore. The crushed tar-sands ore is conditioned in hot water while excluding air, after which oversized and inert rocks are removed by screening. The bitumen content of the resulting slurry is then extracted with a water immisible hydrocarbon solvent of low density to form a solution of bitumen oils in solvent or bitumen extract phase, a middle water phase and a lower spent wet solids phase. Each of these phases is thereafter processed to produce product bitumen oils and to recover solvent and water for reuse within the process. The product bitumen oils are further processed to separate the fines, and may be refined and separated into synthetic crude oil and asphaltenes residue components. The asphaltenes residue component may be burned in a fluidized bed boiler to provide process heat and electrical power for the method.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for separating an organic material from a composition comprising said organic material intermixed with particulate solids, the process comprising advancing a light hydrocarbon fluid through said particulate solids at an effective rate to drive at least some of said organic material from said particulate solids, adding water to said composition containing particulate solids and residual organic material to produce a second composition, and adding an oxidizing agent to said second composition in an amount sufficient to remove substantially all of the residual organic material.

Abstract: A membrane-like material forming component is obtained by dissolving material crude oil, bitumen or an amphipathic lipid in a solvent to form a solution thereof, the solvent being selected from the group consisting of halogenated hydrocarbons and p-xylene and being capable of forming in the presence of water and the oil, bitumen or amphipathic lipid and interfacial membrane-like material. Water is then admixed so as to cause the membrane-like material to form and the solution, water and membrane-like material are allowed to separate by relative densities, thereby forming a bottom layer of the solution, a top layer of water and an intermediate layer between the bottom and top layers, the intermediate layer comprising the membrane-like material. The membrane-like material is extended into the top layer of water from which it is isolated.

Abstract: Heavy crude oil is recovered from tar sand by treating the tar sand with a low concentration emulsion of a solvent in water containing 0.5 to 15% by volume of the solvent. Suitable solvents include hydrocarbons and halogenated hydrocarbons. Solvent-in-water emulsions are efficient in extracting bitumen with the major advantage of greatly reduced solvent: tar sand ratios.

Abstract: A process for removing mineral impurities such as metal oxides from coal and shale oil structures is disclosed. The process is carried out by subjecting crushed coal or shale to a hydrocarbon fluoride leaching solution, separating the HF leach liquor from the coal or shale, washing the coal or shale with water, leaching the washed coal or shale with hydrogen chloride solution, separating the HCl leach liquor from the coal or shale, washing the coal or shale with water, and removing residual impurities from the treated coal or shale by heating under a vacuum. The process allows for the recovery of carbons and hydrocarbons of high purity from coal or shale which do not require expensive emission control equipment when combusted.

Abstract: A method for stripping adsorbed organic solvent from a solid comprising feeding a slurry of the solid containing the adsorbed solvent into a packed column and countercurrently contacting the slurry with stripping gas, removing an overhead stream comprising desorbed solvent and a bottom stream comprising a solvent stripped solids slurry. A preferred embodiment uses a vertical packed column, an aqueous slurry of the solid, and steam as the stripping gas. The method is particularly suitable for stripping extraction solvents from spent tar sands or spent diatomite resulting from bitumen extraction methods.The vertical packed-bed stripping column has two separate zones: (a) a hot stripping zone where the feed enters at the top and the hot stripping gas enters at the bottom of the hot stripping zone; (b) and a cold stripping zone where the depleted feed from the hot stripping zone enters at the top and a cold stripping gas is introduced at the bottom of th cold stripping zone.

Abstract: Froth, produced by induced air flotation in the hot water process circuit for extracting bitumen from tar sand, is recycled and added to the fresh slurry being introduced to the primary separation vessel. An increase in bitumen recovered as primary froth from the circuit is produced.

Abstract: Hydrocarbon liquids are recovered from carbonaceous materials such as tar sands utilizing a separation reagent formed in situ by reacting polar resin components of tar sands with an inorganic base such as sodium silicate in sonicated aqueous solution in absence of an organic solvent to form a surfactant. Under the influence of sonication a microemulsion of polar-external micelles forms.When tar sands are added to the sonicated separation reagent, the surfactant penetrates the bitumen. Metal ions complex with the polar groups and aid in removing the bitumen from the sand particles. The polar-organic asphaltene materials are carried into the aqueous phase by the anion and stabilized within the micelle structure. The lighter, non-polar hydrocarbon oil fraction separate from the emulsion and rise to the top and is recovered by skimming. The heavier asphaltenes and preasphaltenes complex with the polyvalent metals to form charcoal-like agglomerates which settle to the bottom of the treatment tank.

Abstract: An improved tar sands derived bitumen and coal liquification process is disclosed wherein substantial percentages of subdivided coal particles and tar sands derived bitumen liquids are mixed and then corefined with hydrogen under hydrocracking conditions, but in the absence of a separate catalyst, at a temperature range of 800.degree. to 900.degree. F. and a pressure of about 2400 psig. The resutling fluid after removal of residual solids is a suitable liquid feedstock for conventional refinery equipment to produce petroleum fractions useful as transportation and heating fuels. Preferably, a portion of the corefined bitumen-coal liquid product may be recycled for mixture with the bitumen liquid and coal. Raw or native tar sands may also be mixed with the liquid butumen and coal in the process.

Abstract: A method for the recovery of bitumen from tar sand comprises slurrying tar sand with about 0.5 to about 4.0 pound of a organic solvent per pound of tar sand, then adding greater than about 0.50 pound water per pound of tar sand, and separating a bitumen rich solvent phase. The method has the advantage of permitting separation of sand from the bitumen rich solvent extract without formation of a stable emulsion.

Abstract: Oil sands and similar hydrocarbon-solids mixtures are separated into their components by steps comprising: mixing with a solvent for the hydrocarbon in an extraction-contacting stage including a controlled light milling action, in the presence of hydrophilic bridging liquid, under selected conditions favoring the formation of large agglomerates of substantially all hydrophilic solids; controlling the milling action to break down continuously the agglomerates so that at equilibrium the agglomerate size is much smaller than expected; separating the agglomerates from the concentrated hydrocarbon solution and stripping solvent from this solution to leave hydrocarbon product; washing the agglomerates with solvent and recycling this dilute wash solution preferably to the extraction-contacting; desolventizing the agglomerates and recycling solvent preferably to the wash stage.

Abstract: A liquefaction process for coal lignite or heavy oil is disclosed utilizing a hydrogen-donor solvent. The preferred hydrogen-donor solvent is recovered as a vapor from the liquefaction mixture. The preferred method for converting the vapor into active hydrogen-donor solvent form involves passage of the vapor over a catalyst bed positioned in the vapor space of the catalyst vessel. Novel apparatus for so positioning the catalyst bed is also disclosed.

Abstract: The separation of oil or bitumen from a surface of a substrate covered with same is effected by first dissolving the oil or bitumen in a solvent to form a solution thereof. A liquid which does not dissolve the oil or bitumen, is non-miscible with the solvent and has substantially higher surface wetting properties than the solvent on subtstrate is then intimately contacted with the surface of the substrate; the solvent and liquid are capable of forming in the presence of the oil or bitumen an interfacial membrane-like material which is impermeable thereto.

Abstract: Process for pretreatment at atmospheric pressure or a pressure close to atmospheric pressure by alkaline wetting and holding at temperature of natural materials whose gangue comprises argillaceous compounds capable of forming a stable plastic suspension in the presence of water and containing at least one combustible element which can be put into useful form wherein, in order to permit subsequent easy operations for separation of the liquid aqueous and solid phases of the gangue:(a) the natural material which was possibly been subjected to a preliminary drying operation is brought into intimate contact with at least 4 kg expressed in terms of OH.sup.- of at least one alkaline agent per ton of clay contained in said material, the total volume of liquid present in the natural material after the contacting operation being such that the ratio L/S of said volume expressed in terms of cubic meters to the weight of solid expressed in tons of dry ore is at most equal to 0.

Abstract: This invention relates to an improved process for extraction organic material from bituminous sands or oil bearing sand, including: diluent slurrying in a conditioning drum; screening the slurry and directing it into one or two helical classifiers in counter-current with diluent, to obtain in the overflow the organic matter in solution with diluent; feeding the mineral matter, withdrawn from the classifiers, substantially free of bitumen or oil, but saturated with diluent, into a column where it settles towards the bottom through diluent and then through an aqueous medium, under and in direct contact with the diluent. Process control agents are added to the aqueous medium. Diluent and fresh water are continuously fed into the vessel.

Abstract: A method for removing solid fines in an extraction of bitumen by (1) extracting bitumen with a mixed solvent comprising at least one solvent with a solubility parameter higher than that of the bitumen and at least one solvent with a solubility parameter lower than that of the bitumen to obtain a bitumen laden solvent mixture and (2) treating the bitumen laden solvent mixture to remove the lower solubility parameter solvent to precipitate undissolved asphaltenic bitumen and solid fines.

Abstract: The separation of a chlorine-based contaminant from a surface of a substrate covered with same is effected by dissolving the contaminant in a first solvent to form a solution thereof and admixing a further solution consisting of a membrane-like material forming component derived from mineral crude oil, bitumen or amphipathic lipids in a second solvent selected from the group consisting of halogenated hydrocarbons and p-xylene, the second solvent being miscible with the first solvent and capable of forming in the presence of water and the membrane-like material forming component an interfacial membrane-like material which has a water side and is impermeable to the contaminant.

Abstract: A method and a device usable in particular for washing solid products contaminated by hydrocarbons.According to this method, a desorbent liquid phase is used to wash solid products which are brought into contact with this desorbent liquid phase forming a mixture consisting of solution, desorbed hydrocarbons and washed products. Said mixture, freed from gravel, undergoes at least one separation stage, this separation giving a underflow comprising at least the major part of the washed sand and an overflow from which the hydrocarbons and the aqueous phase are recovered.This method is applicable to de-oiling oil-contaminated sands and gravels.

Abstract: Bitumen recovered from tar sand by direct solvent extraction followed by washing of the sand tailings with countercurrent solvent flow and a solvent/aqueous phase separation step to recover solvent and residual bitumen.

Abstract: There is disclosed a process of oil recovery from tar sands or separation of hydrocarbons from a solid or viscous bitumen source wherein carboxylic acids or carboxylic acid mixtures are utilized as a solvent or diluent and are mixed with heavy crude oil, injected into an oil reservoir or mixed with tar sands in a surface vessel to reduce the viscosity of the crude oil and to increase the mobility of the oil. The process is characterized by the use of an amphiphilic phase separation induced by injection of isopropanol or other alcohol to facilitate the recovery of carboxylic acid diluent from the bitumen product, and another phase separation step may be employed to separate the carboxylic acid component from the alcohol. Sodium chloride or other brine solution is usually mixed with the alcohol and many embodiments combine a light hydrocarbon such as heptane with the carboxylic acid as an additional solvent. Carboxylic acids in the form of fatty acids with from 8 to 20 carbon atoms are preferred.

Abstract: A process suitable for separating the hydrocarbon fraction from a tar sands froth is provided. The process comprises heating a fluid stream comprising the froth to above about 300.degree. C., pressurizing the stream to above about 1000 psig and separating the hydrocarbon fraction, having less than 1 percent solids and less than 5 percent water, from the treated stream. Separation is preferably by gravitational settling in a settler and occurs substantially instantaneously. The heat/pressure treatment can be optionally followed by addition of a diluent, such as naphtha. The pressure is preferably produced by the hydrostatic head of a column of froth.

Abstract: Tar sands are solvent extracted to form an oil-containing extract and a sandy residue. The solvent can be distilled from the oil and recycled. Residual solvent vapors can be adsorbed on an adsorbent bed. The sandy residue can be flash pyrolyzed to provide a combustible synthesis gas and/or combusted to provide process heat. Where the adsorber bed is formed from activated charcoal, a pair of beds on swing adsorption/regeneration cycles can be regenerated with steam and provide for continuous adsorption solvent vapors.

Abstract: Materials of particular utility in separating hydrocarbon values from mineral deposits, e.g. bitumen from tar sands, are prepared by a microbiological fermentation process using certain selected microorganisms. The fermentation process is conducted under aerobic conditions, with the selected microorganisms growing on a hydrocarbon substrate. The materials have surfactant properties, in greater or lesser degree. The materials may be subsequently separated from the fermentation broth, or alternatively the broth may be used as is, since it contains relatively large proportions of suitable separation effecting materials.

Abstract: The hot water process is controlled in response to viscosity measurements taken in situ in the middlings in the primary separation vessel. The viscosity in the middlings is found to vary. Therefore, the layer of maximum viscosity is located and the viscosity at this depth is monitored. Adjustments are made to the process to keep this maximum viscosity below a pre-determined limit.

Abstract: A rotating grizzly having a downwardly slanting axis of rotation for reducing the size of agglomerated mineral particles comprising a rotatable framework made up from a series of spaced axial baffles interconnected by a series of parallel spaced bars wherein the baffles extend inwardly toward the axis of rotation a greater distance than the bars.

Abstract: The separation of a chlorine-based contaminant from a surface of a substrate covered with same is effected by dissolving the contaminant in a first solvent to form a solution thereof and admixing a further solution consisting of a membrane-like material forming component derived from mineral crude oil, bitumen or amphipathic lipids in a second solvent selected from the group consisting of halogenated hydrocarbons and p-xylene, the second solvent being miscible with the first solvent and capable of forming in the presence of water and the membrane-like material forming component an interfacial membrane-like material which has a water side and is impermeable to the contaminant.

Abstract: A process for extracting bitumen from tar sands comprises a two-stage extraction wherein both specific and non-specific solvents are used to obtain a bitumen product low in fines and asphaltenes.

Abstract: A process for the conversion of high boiling saturated organic materials is described. The method comprises contacting said high boiling organic materials at a temperature of at least about 300.degree. C. and at a reaction pressure of at least about 2000 psi with an aqueous acidic medium containing at least one olefin, and a halogen-containing compound selected from the group consisting of a halogen, a hydrogen halide, a compound which can form a halide or a hydrogen halide in the aqueous acidic medium under the process conditions, or mixtures thereof whereby the high boiling organic material and aqueous acidic medium form a substantially single phase system. Optionally the process can be conducted in a reducing atmosphere. The process of the invention is useful for producing and recovering fuel range liquids from petroleum, coal, oil shale, shale oil, tar sand solids, bitumen and heavy hydrocarbon oils such as crude oil distillation residues which contain little or no carbon-carbon unsaturation.