METHOD FOR PRODUCING PIPELINE SPECIFICATION BITUMEN FROM OIL SANDS MINING AND EXTRACTION FACILITIES

摘要

Pipeline quality bitumen containing less than 0.5 wt. % water and solids maybe produced byconditioning oil sands ore in a water ¨based bitumen extraction process byadding a solvent tothe ore before or during a step of creating an aqueous slurry; and agitatingthe slurry;separating the bitumen diluted with the solvent from water and coarse solids;thermallydehydrating the diluted bitumen at a temperature above about 100 C and belowthe boilingpoint of the solvent; separating any remaining fine solids and precipitates bygravitationalseparation; and recovering the solvent by distillation.