# US 2014/0190872 A1 · Method of processing a bitumen stream using a membrane

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- Number: US 2014/0190872 A1
- Document ID: US20140190872A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/117,598
- Filed: 2012-04-05
- Published: 2014-07-10
- Earliest claimed: 2011-06-01
- Inventors: James A. Dunn; Brian C. Speirs; Amitava Sarkar
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140190872A1

## CPC

- C10G 1/045: {Separation of insoluble materials}
- B01D 61/14: Ultrafiltration; Microfiltration
- C10G 1/002: {in combination with oil conversion- or refining processes}
- C10G 1/047: {Hot water or cold water extraction processes}
- C10G 31/09: by filtration
- C10G: CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION (cracking to hydrogen or synthesis gas C01B; cracking or pyrolysis of hydrocarbon gases to individual hydrocarbons or mixtures thereof of definite or specified constitution C07C; cracking to cokes C10B); RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES
- B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28)

## Abstract

Disclosed is a method of processing bitumen streams using membrane filtration. In one aspect, membrane filtration replaces paraffinic froth treatment, with one or more filtration steps replacing gravity settling. In another aspect, the bitumen stream is subjected to paraffmic solvent treatment at much higher flow rates, with an “almost cleaned” product being subsequently filtered by the membrane system. In this case, some contaminants are removed by conventional gravity settling equipment, while additional contaminants are removed by membrane filtration. In another aspect, membrane filtration is applied to a bitumen product effluent stream following naphthenic froth treatment. In another aspect, membrane filtration is applied to a bitumen product effluent stream from a solvent-based extraction process. In yet another aspect, membrane filtration is applied to a bitumen product effluent stream from a solvent extraction with solids agglomeration process. In still another aspect, membrane filtration is applied to bitumen produced by SAGD.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of processing a bitumen product effluent stream, the method comprising:
providing a bitumen product effluent stream; and
passing the bitumen product effluent stream through a membrane system with anti-fouling characteristics to filter contaminants out of the bitumen product effluent stream to produce a primary permeate stream and a primary concentrated effluent stream;
wherein the bitumen product effluent stream comprises:
a) a bitumen product stream from a paraffinic froth treatment;
b) a bitumen product stream from a naphthenic froth treatment;
c) a bitumen product stream from a solvent-based extraction process; or
d) an in situ bitumen production stream.

### Claim at position 2

-3. (canceled)

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said bitumen product stream has been preconditioned with one of (i) a solvent and (ii) a deasphalting solvent and asphaltenes have been flocculated to the point of precipitation prior to membrane filtration.

### Claim at position 4

-7. (canceled)

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said bitumen product effluent stream is b) the bitumen product stream from a paraffinic froth treatment, and wherein said contaminants comprise water, mineral matter, precipitated asphaltenes, wood, coal, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising one of (i) treating said primary concentrated effluent stream with additional solvent after the membrane system and (ii) subjecting said primary concentrated effluent stream to additional membrane filtration to remove additional contaminants and yield a secondary concentrated effluent stream and a secondary permeate stream, wherein said additional contaminants comprise water, mineral matter, precipitated asphaltenes, or a combination thereof.

### Claim at position 7

-11. (canceled)

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, further comprising adding the additional solvent to the primary concentrated effluent to redissolve precipitated asphaltenes and release asphaltene associated water.

### Claim 13

(canceled)

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said bitumen product effluent stream is c) the bitumen product stream from a naphthenic bitumen froth treatment, and wherein said contaminants comprise water, mineral matter, wood, coal, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said bitumen product effluent stream is c) the bitumen product stream from the naphthenic bitumen froth treatment, and wherein solids are retained in said primary concentrated effluent stream during membrane filtration.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said bitumen product effluent stream is c) the bitumen product stream from the naphthenic bitumen froth treatment, and further comprising subjecting said primary concentrated stream to further membrane filtration to remove additional contaminants and yield a secondary permeate and concentrated effluent stream.

### Claim 17

(canceled)

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said bitumen product effluent stream is d) the bitumen product stream from a solvent-based extraction process, and wherein said solvent-based extraction process is a solvent-based extraction with solids agglomeration.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said bitumen product effluent stream is d) the bitumen product stream from a solvent-based extraction process and wherein said contaminants comprise water, mineral matter, wood, coal, or a combination thereof, and wherein said contaminants further comprise precipitated asphaltenes.

### Claim 20

(canceled)

### Claim 21 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said bitumen product effluent stream is d) the bitumen product stream from a solvent-based extraction process, and wherein solids are retained in said primary concentrated effluent stream during membrane filtration.

### Claim 22 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said bitumen product effluent stream is d) the bitumen product stream from a solvent-based extraction process, and wherein asphaltenes are retained in said primary concentrated effluent stream during membrane filtration.

### Claim 23 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said bitumen product effluent stream is d) the bitumen product stream from a solvent-based extraction process, and further comprising subjecting said primary concentrated stream to further membrane filtration to remove additional contaminants and yield a secondary concentrated effluent stream and secondary permeate effluent stream, and wherein said additional contaminants comprise water, mineral matter, asphaltenes, wood, coal, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 24 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said bitumen product effluent stream is d) the bitumen product stream from a solvent-based extraction process, and wherein the primary concentrated stream is directed back to the solvent-based extraction process.

### Claim 25 (depends on 23)

The method of claim 23, wherein the secondary concentrated stream is directed back to the solvent-based extraction process.

### Claim at position 22

-27. (canceled)

### Claim 28 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the bitumen product effluent stream is e) the in situ bitumen production stream, and wherein said in situ oil bitumen production stream is one of (i) a steam assisted gravity drainage production stream, (ii) from one of the following in situ production methods: cyclic steam stimulation (CSS), solvent-assisted SAGD (SA-SAGD), steam and as push (SAGP), combined vapor and steam extraction (SAVEX), expanding solvent SAGD (ES-SAGD), constant steam drainage (CSD), liquid addition to steam for enhancing recovery (LASER), cyclic solvent dominated recovery process (CSDRP), water flooding, steam flooding process, or a derivative thereof, and (iii) mixed with a solvent to cause asphaltene precipitation prior to membrane filtration.

### Claim at position 24

-30. (canceled)

### Claim 31 (depends on 28)

The method of claim 28, wherein said solvent is a C3 to C7 alkane, or an isomer thereof.

### Claim 32 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the bitumen product effluent stream is e) the in situ bitumen production stream, and wherein said production stream is one of (i) mixed with a solvent and transported through a pipeline over a sufficient distance to facilitate asphaltene precipitation and separation, (ii) first mixed with a first solvent, then subjected to free-water knock-out prior to membrane filtration, and (iii) subjected to a secondary water separation step prior to membrane filtration.

### Claim at position 27

-34. (canceled)

### Claim 35 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein one of (i) said bitumen product effluent or primary concentrated effluent stream is heated to reduce viscosity prior to filtration (ii) said membrane is an ultra-filtration membrane, a micro-filtration membrane, or a nano-filtration membrane and (iii) said anti-fouling characteristics comprise appropriate pore size, controlled roughness, hydrophilicity, appropriate membrane material, anti-fouling coatings, chemical addition to the feed, or high shear.

### Claim at position 29

-37. (canceled)

### Claim 38 (depends on 35)

The method of claim 35, wherein one of said high shear is produced by high velocity cross-flow at a surface of the membrane system and said high shear is shear above one of 20,000 s−1 and 100,000 s−1.

### Claim at position 31

-42. (canceled)