Oil sands tailings treatment
AssigneeExtrakt Process Solutions, LLC
InventorsPaul C. PAINTER, Bruce G. MILLER, Aron LUPINSKY
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Abstract
Processes of consolidating oil sands tailings which includes fines and process water are disclosed. The processes include mixing the oil sands tailings with a highly water soluble salt or an aqueous solution thereof to destabilize and consolidate solids in the tailings, e.g., to destabilize and consolidate fines in the tailings and separating the consolidated solids from the process water. A water soluble polymer and coarse particles, e.g., sand, can also be used in the treatment of oil sands tailings.
Claims22
A process of consolidating oil sands tailings which includes fines and process water, the process comprising:
- treating the oil sands tailings with at least one highly water soluble salt, at least one polymer flocculent and sand to form a treated tailings including a consolidated material in the process water;
- and
- separating the process water from the consolidated material.
8-10. (canceled)
A process of consolidating oil sands tailing which includes fines and process water, the process comprising:
- mixing the oil sands tailing with a highly water soluble ammonium based salt to consolidate the fines;
- and
- separating the process water from the consolidated fines to produce a solids content of at least 45% by weight, wherein the highly water soluble salt is an ammonium based salt.
An aqueous solution including no less than 5 wt % of a highly water soluble ammonium based salt and 0.005 wt % of at least one water soluble polymer.
24-26. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.