The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 01, 2000
Filed:
Feb. 02, 1998
Surendra K Mishra, The Woodlands, TX (US);
Gordon S Bond, Big Bear Lake, CA (US);
Tetra Technologies, Inc., Houston, TX (US);
Abstract
Tar sand is upgraded to produce a hydrocarbon having a low concentration of water and solids by contacting a bitumen/diluent mix with an alkoxyalkylphenol alkoxylate surfactant prior to separation of a recoverable hydrocarbon phase. The separation of the bitumen/diluent mix into a recoverable hydrocarbon phase and a water/solid phase results in a recoverable hydrocarbon phase that meets the concentration of water and solids desired by tar sand processors. A further refinement of the method involves contacting the bitumen/diluent mix with an anionic and cationic flocculant following the surfactant for further improvement in separation.