# US 9,752,079 B2 · Electrostatic filtration of fine solids from bitumen > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,752,079 B2 - Document ID: US9752079B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/853,018 - Filed: 2015-09-14 - Published: 2016-04-14 - Granted: 2017-09-05 - Earliest claimed: 2014-10-14 - Assignees: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company - Applicants: John Timothy Cullinane; Bhupender S. Minhas - Inventors: John Timothy Cullinane; Bhupender S. Minhas - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9752079B2 ## CPC - C10G 1/045: {Separation of insoluble materials} - B03C 7/02: Separators - C10G 1/002: {in combination with oil conversion- or refining processes} - C10G 1/04: by extraction - C10G 32/02: by electric or magnetic means - C10G: CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION (cracking to hydrogen or synthesis gas C01B; cracking or pyrolysis of hydrocarbon gases to individual hydrocarbons or mixtures thereof of definite or specified constitution C07C; cracking to cokes C10B); RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES - B03C: MAGNETIC OR ELECTROSTATIC SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS FROM SOLID MATERIALS OR FLUIDS; SEPARATION BY HIGH-VOLTAGE ELECTRIC FIELDS (separating isotopes B01D59/00; combinations of magnetic or electrostatic separation with separation of solids by other means B03B, B07B) ## Abstract Methods are provided for removing fine particles from crude oils extracted from mined oil sands using a non-aqueous extraction solvent. A bitumen derived from non-aqueous extraction of oil from oil sands can undergo optional physical separation to remove larger particles and then processed using electrostatic filtration to remove particle fines. This can allow for production of a bitumen product from a non-aqueous extraction process that has a sufficiently low particle content to be suitable for pipeline transport. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for producing a bitumen product from oil sands, comprising: extracting bitumen from oil sands with a non-aqueous extraction solvent to form a mixture of bitumen and extraction solvent; performing a physical separation on at least a portion of the mixture of bitumen and extraction solvent to form at least a first filtered mixture of bitumen and extraction solvent; separating at least a portion of the first filtered mixture of bitumen and extraction solvent to form a filtered bitumen stream and a filtered extraction solvent stream, the filtered bitumen stream containing at least about 0.25 wt % of non-petroleum particles; and performing an electrostatic separation on at least a portion of the filtered bitumen stream to form a bitumen product containing about 1200 wppm or less of non-petroleum particles. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein performing an electrostatic separation on at least a portion of the filtered bitumen stream comprises: passing the at least a portion of the filtered bitumen stream into a separation volume of an electrostatic separator under effective electrostatic separation conditions, the effective electrostatic separation conditions including maintaining a separation voltage across the separation volume; purging the separation volume with a purge fluid to form a purged portion of the bitumen product; and washing the separation volume with the extraction solvent, a washing voltage across the separation volume during the washing being less than the separation voltage. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the performing of the electrostatic separation comprises a cyclic process, a second passing of at least a portion of the filtered bitumen stream being performed after the washing of the separation volume. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, the method further comprising removing the extraction solvent from the separation volume after the washing of the separation volume, the removing of the extraction solvent being performed with the purge fluid. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the washing voltage is 0, the washing voltage is a voltage produced by stopping power to at least one electrode associated with the separation volume, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein at least a portion of the separation volume contains a solid dielectric material. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising diluting the bitumen product with a diluent, the diluent being different from the extraction solvent. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising adding water to the mixture of bitumen and extraction solvent prior to the performing of the physical separation. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the extraction solvent is cyclohexane. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the bitumen product is diluted with a naphtha boiling range stream, a kerosene boiling range stream, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the filtered bitumen stream contains at least about 0.5 wt % of non-petroleum particles, or at least about 1 wt %. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the extracting bitumen with the extraction solvent comprises extracting bitumen with a mixture of the extraction solvent and a recycled portion of the filtered bitumen stream. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the extracting bitumen with the extraction solvent comprises extracting bitumen with a mixture of the extraction solvent and a recycled portion of the first filtered mixture of bitumen and extraction solvent. ### Claim 14 A method for producing a bitumen product from oil sands, comprising: extracting bitumen from oil sands with a non-aqueous extraction solvent to form a mixture of bitumen and extraction solvent; performing a physical separation on at least a portion of the mixture of bitumen and extraction solvent to form at least a first filtered mixture of bitumen and extraction solvent, the first filtered mixture of bitumen and extraction solvent containing at least about 0.25 wt % of non-petroleum particles; performing an electrostatic separation on at least a portion of the first filtered mixture of bitumen and extraction solvent to form a filtered, separated mixture of bitumen and extraction solvent; and separating at least a portion of the filtered, separated mixture of bitumen and extraction solvent to form a bitumen product and an extraction solvent stream, the bitumen product containing about 1200 wppm or less of non-petroleum particles. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein performing an electrostatic separation on at least a portion of the first filtered mixture of bitumen and extraction solvent comprises: passing the at least a portion of the first filtered mixture of bitumen and extraction solvent into a separation volume of an electrostatic separator under effective electrostatic separation conditions, the effective electrostatic separation conditions including maintaining a separation voltage across the separation volume; purging the separation volume with a purge fluid to form a purged portion of the filtered, separated mixture of bitumen and extraction solvent; and washing the separation volume with the extraction solvent, a washing voltage across the separation volume during the washing being less than the separation voltage. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the performing of the electrostatic separation comprises a cyclic process, a second passing of at least a portion of the first filtered mixture of bitumen and extraction solvent being performed after the washing of the separation volume. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, the method further comprising removing the extraction solvent from the separation volume after the washing of the separation volume, the removing of the extraction solvent being performed with the purge fluid. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the washing voltage is 0, the washing voltage is a voltage produced by stopping power to at least one electrode associated with the separation volume, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the extracting bitumen with the extraction solvent comprises extracting bitumen with a mixture of the extraction solvent and a recycled portion of the first filtered mixture of bitumen and extraction solvent. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising diluting the bitumen product with a diluent, the diluent being different from the extraction solvent.