ALKALI RECYCLE PROCESS FOR RECOVERY OF HEAVY OILS AND BITUMENS

摘要

22ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREHeavy oils, including oil sands, are recovered frommined or in-situ formation by a novel procedure which involvesan initial emulsification of the oil with aqueous alkali,usually sodium hydroxide solution, at a pH above about 11.After separation of any residual solid phase, such as sand,the resulting oil-in-water emulsion is inverted by the use ofslaked lime to form a water-in-oil emulsion and thereby re-generating part of the sodium hydroxide solution. The water-in-oil emulsion is dewatered to recover the oil phase while theaqueous phase is recycled to the initial emulsification, afterremoval of clay particles when oil sands are treated.