Process, Method, and System for Removing Heavy Metals from Oily Solids

A process to recover oil from oily solids containing a first amount of mercury, the process comprising:

• mixing the oily solids containing mercury with at least a treating agent selected from flocculants, sulfidic compounds, demulsifiers, and combinations thereof, forming a mixture, wherein the treating agent is present in an amount ranging from 0.001 wt % and 10 wt % based on weight of the oily solids;
• adding a sufficient amount of hydrocarbon material to the mixture for a weight ratio of hydrocarbon material to oily solids of 50:1 to 2000:1;
• separating the mixture to recover a first phase containing treated oil and hydrocarbon material having less than 50% of the first amount of mercury and a second phase containing treated solids having a second amount of mercury, wherein the second amount of mercury is less than the first amount.

A process to recover oil from oily solids containing a first amount of mercury, the process comprising:

• mixing the oily solids containing a first amount of mercury with water and a treating agent selected from flocculants, sulfidic compounds, demulsifiers, and combinations thereof, forming a mixture, wherein the treating agent is present in an amount ranging from 0.001 wt % and 10 wt % based on weight of the oily solids, and the water is added in a sufficient amount for a weight ratio of water to oily solids of 50:1 to 2000:1;
• separating the mixture for a first phase containing treated oil in water and a second phase containing treated solids having a second amount of mercury, wherein the second amount of mercury is less than the first amount of mercury;
• separating the first phase containing treated oil in water to recover a first stream containing water having more than 50% of the first amount of mercury and a second stream containing treated oil having less than 50% of the first amount of mercury.