Exxonmobil Research and Engineering Company

John Brownie

Lyle Edwin Moran

Mary Josephine Gale

Pavel Kriz

Ramesh Varadaraj

Daniel Grant

Mary J Gale

Methods are provided for making asphalt mix composition from mixtures of binder, aggregate, and tailings derived from a solvent froth treatment performed to recover bitumen from mined oil sands. The tailings derived from the solvent froth treatment can be used to replace at least a portion of the small particles in the aggregate used for forming the asphalt mix composition.

Asphalt composition including fine particles from bitumen recovery

Methods are provided for predicting the properties of an asphalt fraction that contains two or more asphalt components based on measurements of the viscosity for the asphalt fraction. Based on the measured viscosity, a virtual cut point is determined for a virtual asphalt blend that has the same viscosity (to within a tolerance value) as the measured viscosity for the asphalt fraction. The virtual cut point is then used to determine a variety of predicted property values for the asphalt fraction. Optionally, the predicted property values can be used to adjust the actual cut point for the distillation or separation process used for forming the asphalt fraction.

Property prediction for asphalts from blended sources

Methods are provided for making asphalt from crude oils derived from mined oil sands that have been subjected to a solvent froth treatment as part of the process for making a crude oil that is suitable for pipeline transport. A froth treatment is used that preserves a greater percentage of the asphaltene content of the crude oil derived from the mined oil sands.

Asphalt production from oil sand bitumen

A novel composition is provided that incorporates the residual solids from solvent deasphalting to make a high value asphalt product. A process for making the asphalt composition is also provided. A first portion of heavy oil or another feedstock can be deasphalted using propane deasphalting or another suitable deasphalting process. This generates a solvated fraction and an insoluble deasphalting residue. The deasphalting residue is then added to a second portion of heavy oil, such as a second portion of the same type of heavy oil that was used as feedstock in the solvent deasphalting. The mixture of deasphalting residue and heavy oil results in a novel dispersion that is suitable for use as an asphalt. Optionally, an additive such as an alkyl substituted aromatic sulfonic acid can be added to the composition to further improve the asphalt properties.

Upgrading deasphalting residue to high performance asphalt

Methods are provided for upgrading asphaltene-depleted crude fractions. The asphaltene-depleted crude fractions are upgraded by oxidizing the crude fractions by air blowing. Upgrading an asphaltene-depleted crude fraction can allow more valuable grades of asphalt to be formed from the crude fraction. Alternatively, upgrading an asphaltene-depleted crude fraction can allow for incorporation of a greater percentage of such a crude fraction in a blend of crudes that are used for making a desired grade of asphalt.

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Brights Grove, Canada

John Brownie