Composition for Recovering Bitumen from Oil Sands
AssigneeEcoCompounds, Inc.
InventorsDavid Aaron Calvert, Franz Rene Fernandez
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An improved composition for recovering bitumen from oil sands is used in the traditional “hot water” extraction process. An aliquot of a solvent mixture is mixed with bitumen ore and water. A pH builder is added and following mixing primary and secondary froths are recovered. The solvent mixture contains a monoterpene, nonionic surfactant, a short chain alcohol and a short chain ketone. Primary and secondary froth recovery is at least 80% at temperatures of about 35° C. Only very small amounts of solvent are used, and all solvents are biodegradable.
Claims27
A two part composition for extracting bitumen from bituminous sand ore by sequentially mixing a first part and then a second part with the ore, the composition comprising:
- an organic solvent mixture as the first part, the organic solvent mixture comprising:
- 7 to 27 percent by volume of a monoterpene;
- 15 to 45 percent by volume of a nonionic surfactant;
- 25 to 45 percent by volume of a short chain alcohol;
- and
- 5 to 15 percent by volume of a short chain ketone;
- and
- an aqueous pH builder selected from the group consisting of an aqueous solution of sodium carbonate, an aqueous solution of potassium carbonate, an aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide, an aqueous solution of potassium hydroxide, an aqueous solution of sodium silicate and an aqueous solution of potassium silicate.
A process for extracting bitumen from bitumen containing ore comprising the steps of:
- adding a solvent mixture to an aliquot of bitumen containing ore, the solvent mixture comprising:
- 7 to 27 percent by volume of a monoterpene;
- 15 to 45 percent by volume of a nonionic surfactant;
- 25 to 45 percent by volume of a short chain alcohol;
- and
- 5 to 15 percent by volume of a short chain ketone;
- mixing said ore and aliquot with water to form a mixture;
- dispensing an aqueous pH builder selected from the group consisting of an aqueous solution of sodium carbonate, an aqueous solution of potassium carbonate, an aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide, an aqueous solution of potassium hydroxide, an aqueous solution of sodium silicate and an aqueous solution of potassium silicate into the mixture;
- mixing;
- dispensing air into the mixture;
- collecting a primary froth;
- and
- collecting a secondary froth.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.