Gulf Canada Resources Limited

Rtr Oil Sands (alberta) Ltd.

Gulf Canada Corporation

Alberta Rtr Oil Sands (ltd.)

Aldo Corti

John Antho Falcon

The invention provides a process for extracting bitumen from oil sands. The process includes the step of conditioning the oil sands by adding hot water and steam to the oil sands. The conditioned oil sands are then introduced into a separation zone. Separation of the oil sands into a bitumen froth phase, a middlings phase and a tailings phase occurs in the separation zone. Water with air dissolved therein is continuously injected under pressure upwardly through the separation zone. The water is at a low temperature relative to the oil sands. At least two of the phases are then separately withdrawn from the separation zone.

Method and apparatus for separation of heterogeneous phases

Method for separation of heterogeneous phases

Oil containing sludges are treated for the recovery of oil therefrom to render the resultant sludge disposable, by a process of conditioning the sludge to destabilize the emulsified phase thereof, centrifuging the destabilized sludge to obtain a solids-rich material which is largely hydrocarbon free and disposable, and a supernatant, hydrocarbon-containing liquid, and then subjecting the supernatant so formed to liquid/liquid phase separation. The conditioning is conducted so as to prepare a conditioned sludge characterized by a solids content of less than 50% by weight, a water content of less than 90% by weight, an oil phase with an API gravity of less than 12.degree., a continuous aqueous phase, and the solids in the sludge being primarily water wetted, this conditioned sludge being ready for centrifugation.

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Aldo Corti