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US 6,267,716 B1Granted
Low shear treatment for the removal of free hydrocarbons, including bitumen, from cuttings
AssigneeBaker Hughes Incorporated
InventorLirio Quintero
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for selecting an emulsifier for isolating free hydrocarbons in a given drilling system and a method of using the emulsifiers to treat drill cuttings to isolate free hydrocarbons, including bitumen.
Claims27
A method comprising:
- providing cuttings produced during drilling operations comprising a first quantity of free hydrocarbons comprising bitumen;
- mixing with said cuttings a buffer solution comprising a buffer agent effective to activate at least one natural surfactant in said bitumen, thereby converting said solution into an emulsion comprising bitumen droplets having a mean average particle size of about 20 microns or less;
- mixing with said emulsion an emulsifier effective to stabilize said emulsion;
- and
- thereafter adding to said emulsion an encapsulating material comprising an aqueous solution of a water-soluble silicate under conditions effective to form silica shells around said droplets.
2 more elements
A method comprising:
- providing cuttings produced during drilling operations comprising a first quantity of free hydrocarbons comprising bitumen;
- mixing with said cuttings a buffer solution comprising a buffer agent effective to activate at least one natural surfactant in said bitumen, thereby converting said solution into an emulsion comprising bitumen droplets having a mean average particle size of about 2 microns or less;
- mixing with said emulsion an emulsifier effective to stabilize said emulsion;
- and
- thereafter adding to said emulsion an encapsulating material comprising an aqueous solution of a water-soluble silicate under conditions effective to form silica shells around said droplets.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.