Shell Oil Comapny

Shell Canada Limited

Shell Explorer Limited

Frederick C Stuchberry

Brian W Raymond

Donald A Riva

Alfred E Backstrom

An improved method for recovery of bitumen form bituminous froth is disclosed having particular application in hot water separation of tar sands wherein comminuted tar sand is slurried in hot water, subject to gravity separation to isolate a bituminous froth, containing water and mineral matter, and the bituminous froth is diluted with a liquid hydrocarbon solvent and subject to a two-stage centrifugation to recover the substanitally water and mineral-free bitumen. In this improved process, the dilution of bituminous froth with liquid hydrocarbon solvent is staged such that no more than about 90% of the total hydrocarbon solvent is added to the bituminous froth prior to the first centrifuging stage and the remaining hydrocarbon solvent is added prior to the second centrifuging stage.

Process for recovery of bitumen from a bituminous froth

A rotating drum type muller is described for initial conditioning of mined tar sands by the hot water method for separation of bitumen from the sands wherein ablation of mined tar sand lumps into pulp is effected through the addition of hot water, steam and caustic. This conditioning drum comprises a horizontally disposed cylindrical drum of a length to diameter ratio of about 1:1 or less, rotatable around its longitudinal axis and having axial openings at its inlet end for introduction of mined tar sand lumps, water and caustic and at its outlet end for rejection of oversize, said axial opening at the outlet end being delimited by a grated peripheral opening for discharge of the tar sand pulp in which the grate size is sufficient to allow ready passage of the tar sands pulp while retaining the oversize and a plurality of downwardly projecting steam conduits affixed to a stationary steam header extending substantially over the length of the drum interior along the longitudinal axis of the drum, said conduits being perforated for injecting steam into said cylindrical drum.

Tar sands conditioning drum

A rotating drum type muller is described for initial conditioning of mined tar sands by the hot water method for separation of bitumen from the sands wherein ablation of mined tar sand lumps into pulp is effected through the addition of hot water, steam and caustic. This conditioning drum comprises a horizontally disposed cylindrical drum of a length to diameter ratio of about 1:1 or less, rotatable around its longitudinal axis and having axial openings at its inlet end for introduction of mined tar sand lumps, water and caustic and at its outlet end for rejection of oversize and discharge of mulled tar sands pulp, said axial opening at its outlet end being divided by a coaxial grate member, extending along the longitudinal axis of the drum, into an outer annular opening for discharge of tar sands pulp and an inner axial opening for rejection of oversize, said grate size being sufficient to allow ready passage of tar sands pulp into a discharge passageway defined by the outer annular opening while retaining the oversize; and a plurality of downwardly projecting steam conduits affixed to a stationary steam header extending substantially over the length of the drum interior along the longitudinal axis of the drum, said conduits being perforated for injecting steam into said cylindrical drum.

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Calgary, Canada

Frederick C Stuchberry