Process for direct steam injection heating of oil sands slurry streams such as bitumen froth
AssigneeFort Hills Energy L.P.
InventorShawn Van Der Merwe
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In the field of oil sands processing, a process for heating an oil sands slurry stream such as bitumen froth containing bitumen and water and having variable heating requirements includes injecting steam directly into the froth at a steam pressure through a plurality of nozzles to achieve sonic steam flow; operating the plurality of the nozzles to vary steam injection by varying a number of the nozzles through which the injecting of the steam occurs in response to the variable heating requirements; and subjecting the oil sands slurry stream to backpressure sufficient to enable sub-cooling relative to the boiling point of water. A corresponding system is also provided.
Claims59
A process for heating an oil sands bitumen froth stream that includes bitumen and water and having variable heating requirements, comprising:
- injecting steam directly into the oil sands bitumen froth stream at a steam pressure through a plurality of nozzles, wherein the injecting of the steam and the size and configuration of the nozzles are provided to achieve sonic steam flow and wherein the nozzles are positioned such that steam jet plumes extend into the oil sands bitumen froth stream while avoiding impingement on adjacent walls and such that adjacent steam jet plumes do not join;
- operating the plurality of the nozzles to vary steam injection by varying a number of the nozzles through which the injecting of the steam occurs in response to the variable heating requirements for the oil sands bitumen froth stream;
- subjecting the oil sands bitumen froth stream to backpressure downstream of the steam injection, sufficient to enable sub-cooling relative to the boiling point of water.
A process for heating an oil sands bitumen froth stream that includes bitumen and water and having variable heating requirements, comprising:
- injecting steam directly into the oil sands bitumen froth stream at a steam pressure through a plurality of nozzles, wherein the injecting of the steam and the size and configuration of the plurality of nozzles are provided to achieve sonic steam flow, and wherein adjacent nozzles of the plurality of nozzles are positioned such that steam jet plumes extend into the oil sands bitumen froth stream while avoiding impingement on adjacent walls;
- varying steam injection through the nozzles in response to the variable heating requirements for the oil sands bitumen froth stream;
- subjecting the oil sands bitumen froth stream to backpressure downstream of the steam injection, sufficient to enable sub-cooling relative to the boiling point of water.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.