Diluted bitumen fine water droplets capture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021040394-A1
Application number	US-202016987006-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 6, 2020
Priority date	Aug 8, 2019
Publication date	Feb 11, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for processing bitumen froth comprised of bitumen, water containing chlorides and solids is provided for producing a final diluted bitumen product having reduced chlorides. In particular, fine water droplets containing chlorides that are present in raw diluted bitumen are captured by washing the raw diluted bitumen with low salinity water to produce the final diluted bitumen product having reduced chlorides.

First claim

1 . A method for processing bitumen froth comprised of bitumen, water containing chlorides and solids to produce a final diluted bitumen product having a reduced chlorides content, comprising:
(a) adding a sufficient amount of a naphtha diluent to the bitumen froth to form a diluted bitumen froth; (b) subjecting the diluted bitumen froth to a first separation stage to separate a portion of the water and solids from the diluted bitumen froth to form a raw diluted bitumen; (c) adding a sufficient amount of low salinity water to the raw diluted bitumen and subjecting the raw diluted bitumen to a mixing stage; (d) optionally adding a sufficient amount of a demulsifier to the raw diluted bitumen after the mixing stage; and (e) subjecting the raw diluted bitumen to a second separation stage to produce the final diluted bitumen product having reduced chlorides.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first separation stage comprises using at least one gravity separation vessel.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the at least one gravity separator is an inclined plate settler.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first separation stage comprises using a centrifuge including a decanter centrifuge.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second separation stage comprises using a centrifuge including a disc stack centrifuge.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the mixing stage is a high intensity mixing stage.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the mixing stage comprises using an inline shear mixer.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the mixing stage comprises using a tank having an impeller.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein there is about a 90% or greater reduction in chlorides in the final diluted bitumen product.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the mixing stage imparts a specific energy dissipation of at least 2 kW/m 3 or greater.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the mixing stage imparts a specific energy dissipation of at least 20 kW/m 3 or greater.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the mixing stage imparts a specific energy dissipation of between about 2 kW/m 3 to about 20 kW/m 3 .

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein demulsifier is added at a dosage in the range of about 1 ppm to about 50 ppm.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first separation stage comprises using at least one hydrocyclone.

Assignees

• Syncrude Canada Ltd

Inventors

• Knapper Brian
• Rossiter Dena
• Bhattacharya Sujit

Classifications

• C10G31/08

  by treating with water · CPC title

• C10G33/04

  with chemical means · CPC title

• B01D17/0217

  by centrifugal force · CPC title

• B01D17/0214

  with removal of one of the phases · CPC title

• B01D17/048

  by changing the state of aggregation · CPC title