Process for extracting bitumen

A process for extracting bitumen from a matrix including mineral solids comprising:

• a. preparing a bitumen froth comprising particulate mineral solids and hydrocarbons dispersed in aqueous lamella in the form of an emulsion;
• b. adding a sufficient amount of a paraffinic solvent to the froth to induce inversion of the emulsion and precipitate asphaltenes from the resultant hydrocarbon phase;
• c. mixing the froth and the solvent for a sufficient time to dissolve the solvent into the hydrocarbon phase to precipitate asphaltenes;
• and
• d. subjecting the mixture to gravity or centrifugal separation for a sufficient period to separate substantially all of the water and solids and a substantial portion of the asphaltenes from the bitumen;
• wherein
• a separation enhancing additive is present in the process;
• the separation enhancing additive is a polymeric surfactant having multiple lipophilic and hydrophilic moieties;
• the hydrophilic moieties are hydroxylated hydrophilic polyether groups;
• the lipophilic moieties are lipophilic aromatic groups;
• and
• the polymeric surfactant has a hydroxylated hydrophilic polyether content of from about 35 to about 85 percent.

A process for extracting bitumen from a matrix including mineral solids comprising:

• a. preparing a bitumen froth comprising particulate mineral solids and hydrocarbons dispersed in aqueous lamella in the form of an emulsion;
• b. adding a sufficient amount of a paraffinic solvent to the froth to induce inversion of the emulsion and precipitate asphaltenes from the resultant hydrocarbon phase;
• c. mixing the froth and the solvent for a sufficient time to dissolve the solvent into the hydrocarbon phase to precipitate asphaltenes;
• and
• d. subjecting the mixture to gravity or centrifugal separation for a sufficient period to separate substantially all of the water and solids and a substantial portion of the asphaltenes from the bitumen;
• wherein
• a separation enhancing additive is present in the process;
• the separation enhancing additive is a polymeric surfactant having multiple lipophilic and hydrophilic moieties;
• the lipophilic moieties are lipophilic aromatic groups;
• and
• the polymeric surfactant has the general formula:
• wherein A is an aromatic moiety, Z is a connecting moiety, and (OE)xOH is a hydrophilic moiety wherein OE represents a hydrophilic polyether group, x is an integer of from about 3 to about 30, and y is an integer of from about 2 to about 20.

A process for extracting bitumen from a matrix including mineral solids comprising:

• a. preparing a bitumen froth comprising particulate mineral solids and hydrocarbons dispersed in aqueous lamella in the form of an emulsion;
• b. adding a sufficient amount of a paraffinic solvent to the froth to induce inversion of the emulsion and precipitate asphaltenes from the resultant hydrocarbon phase;
• c. mixing the froth and the solvent for a sufficient time to dissolve the solvent into the hydrocarbon phase to precipitate asphaltenes;
• and
• d. subjecting the mixture to gravity or centrifugal separation for a sufficient period to separate substantially all of the water and solids and a substantial portion of the asphaltenes from the bitumen;
• wherein
• a separation enhancing additive is present in the process;
• the separation enhancing additive is a polymeric surfactant having multiple lipophilic and hydrophilic moieties;
• the lipophilic moieties are lipophilic aromatic groups;
• and
• the separation enhancing additive is selected from the group consisting of alkoxylates of alkylphenol-formaldehyde condensates, alkoxylates of alkylene bisphenol diglycidyl ethers, and mixtures thereof.