Bitumen solidification and prilling
AssigneeCenovus Energy Inc.
InventorsSubodh Gupta, Michael N. Holmes, Eric A. MacDonald, Jennifer D. Wood
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods, processes, and apparatuses for preparing and transporting bitumen. Bitumen may be prilled such that a bitumen product comprising a prill core and a non-stick coating is produced. The non-stick coating may comprise asphaltenes and the prill core may comprise bitumen, deasphalted oil, or both bitumen and deasphalted oil. The resultant non-stick coated prills have reduced adhesion to transportation vessels and other non-stick coated prills at a temperature below an adhesion temperature, facilitating transport.
Claims20
A method for transporting bitumen, the method comprising:
- generating a first non-stick coated prill comprising a prill core and a non-stick coating, the prill core comprising bitumen, deasphalted oil, or a combination thereof, and the non-stick coating comprising asphaltenes;
- and
- transporting the non-stick coated prill in a transportation vessel;
- the non-stick coated prill having reduced adhesion to the transportation vessel or a second non-stick coated prill having the non-stick coating at a temperature below an adhesion temperature, wherein the adhesion temperature is a temperature below which the first non-stick coated prill tends not to adhere a surface or to the second non-stick coated prill.
A non-stick coated prill comprising:
- a prill core comprising bitumen, deasphalted oil, or a combination thereof;
- and
- a non-stick coating comprising asphaltenes, the non-stick coating having reduced adhesion to another non-stick coated prill having the non-stick coating at a temperature below an adhesion temperature, wherein the adhesion temperature is a temperature below which the non-stick coated prill tends not to adhere a surface or to the another non-stick coated prill.
A method for generating a non-stick coated prill, the method comprising:
- generating a prill core comprising bitumen, deasphalted oil (DAO), or a combination thereof;
- and
- coating the prill core with a non-stick coating comprising asphaltenes, the non-stick coating having reduced adhesion to another non-stick coated prill having the non-stick coating at a temperature below an adhesion temperature of the non-stick coated prill.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.