Optimizing heavy oil recovery processes using electrostatic desalters
AssigneeExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
InventorsArun K. Sharma, Michael F. Raterman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention relates to improved bitumen recovery processes and systems. The process may include providing a bitumen froth feed stream, separating the stream in a froth separation unit to produce a diluted bitumen stream, treating the diluted bitumen stream in an electrostatic desalter to produce a treated bitumen stream, and separating the treated bitumen stream into a solvent recycle stream and a bitumen product stream. The system may include a combined AC/DC desalter with a control unit for optimizing the treatment process to produce a product bitumen stream using less solvent and smaller separators than conventional bitumen froth treatment plants and processes.
Claims10
A system for recovering hydrocarbons, comprising:
- a bitumen froth inlet stream including bitumen, water, solids, and at least one paraffinic solvent;
- a froth separation unit configured to receive the bitumen froth inlet stream and produce at least a diluted bitumen stream and a first tailings stream;
- a solvent recovery unit configured to receive the diluted bitumen stream and produce a product bitumen stream and a solvent recycle stream;
- and
- at least one electrostatic desalter configured to receive at least one of the diluted bitumen stream and the product bitumen stream and produce a treated bitumen stream.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.