ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF NATURAL SURFACTANTS FROM CHINESE OIL SAND BITUMENS

Natural surfactants(NS) have been isolated from four Chinese oil sand bitumens (NNY,NSY,SNE,SUG) using the method of solvent extraction. These compounds were analyzed by IR and their interfacial tension (γ) against pH were measured. The results were compared with these obtained for fractions separated from the bitumen by conventional methods. The factors of NS to the extraction of bitumen from oil sand by hot water were investigated.     

ANALYSIS AND PHYSICO-CHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION ON CHINESE OIL SAND BITUMENS

Abstract

The extraction of four Chinese oil sands from Sinjiang and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Regions with Dean-Stark extractor were investigated. The mineral composition and sand grain distribution were determined and the bitumens were separated into saturates, aromatics, resin-I and resin-II, asphaltenes. The structure parameters and molecular model were made for the bitumens. Elemental analysis, molecular weight, FTIR, 1H-NMR were made for the bitumen fractions. The results show that the molecular structure of Mongolia bitumens have more polycyclic aromatics than that of Sinjiang bitumen. It is believed that the extraction of Sinjiang oil sand bitumen by hot alkaline water is much easier than Mongolia oil sand due to the difference of the viscosity of bitumen, the molecular structure and other physico-chemical properties of the bitumens.     

The Use of Microscopic Bitumen Froth Morphology for the Identification of Problem Oil Sand Ores

Abstract

Oil sand, which is found in various deposits around the world, consists mostly of sand, surrounded by up to 18 wt% bitumen. The largest deposits known are situated in northern Alberta, Canada, where reserves of bitumen are estimated to be 1.7 trillion barrels. Bitumen is similar to heavy oil, but with much higher viscosity and density. The two main commercial oil sand operations in Alberta are surface mines and use aqueous flotation of the bitumen to separate it from the rest of the oil sand. Under optimal conditions up to 95% of the bitumen can be recovered, but occasionally ores are mined that create problems in extraction, and recovery can drop to 70% or less. This article discusses the microscopic morphologies of various bitumen and heavy oil streams and their relationship to processing problems. The results of extensive microscopic work have demonstrated that the bitumen in an oil sand ore is the phase most susceptible to oxidation and that the resulting changes manifest themselves in particular microscopic structures. The presence and type of these structures can be related to the processing behavior of oil sand ores. Morphological features found in froths from commercial operations are similar to those found in froths from laboratory-prepared samples. The morphological features found in froths of oxidized ores have been categorized and quantified for a variety of samples and are referred to as degraded bitumen structures. Experiments in which fresh oil sand ores were subjected to low-temperature oxidation showed that bitumen froth morphology changed dramatically compared to that of nonoxidized ores for identical bulk compositions and extraction water chemistries.     

13NMR CHARACTERIZATION OF HUMIC MATTER PRESENT IN DIFFERENT OIL SANDS

ABSTRACT

Insoluble organic matter (humic matter) present in oil sands can alter the wettability of the inorganic matrix and thereby cause serious problems during bitumen recovery.

Using a cold water agitation test, solids rich in organic matter were isolated from various oil sands which were chosen to reflect different behavior in the hot water extraction process.¹³C NMR examination of these separated solids showed significant structural variations between samples isolated from different oil sands. Humic matter from Utah oil sand appeared to be more aliphatic than that derived from Athabasca oil sand.

Humic acids extracted from organic rich solids as a result of prolonged treatment with 2% NaOH show remarkable similarity in their ¹³C NMR spectra. Humins differ substantially in the relative contribution of the terrestrial and marine source material. There was apparent correspondence between poor bitumen separation and the presence of humin with highly paraffinic structures.     

A PHYSICAL CHEMICAL EXPLANATION FOR DETERIORATION IN THE HOT WATER PROCESSABILITY OF ATHABASCA OIL SAND DUE TO AGING

ABSTRACT

The oxidation of sulphide minerals during storage of Athabasca oil sands causes solubilization of inorganic salts which affect recovery of bitumen during hot water extraction. DLVO and Ionizable Surface Group Model theories accurately predict that the level of soluble salts produced is sufficient to cause coagulation of the fine particles during the process which leads to a deterioration in froth quality and loss of bitumen recovery. The rate of aging is specific to each oil sand but storage of oil sands under an inert atmosphere in air-tight container at sub-zero temperatures will minimize oxidation.     

CATALYTIC TREATMENT OF HAMMAM AL-ALIL BITUMEN USING NICKEL HEXANOATE

Abstract

Ham mam Al-Alil bitumen (HAB) is found in the Hammam Al-Alil area. The bitumen obtained from this area was found to be mixed with sand, sulfur and sedimentation. Purification of the sample from foreign materials was fulfilled. Asphaltenes were removed by treatment with heptane and the petrolenes obtained were eatalytically cracked using nickel hexanoate and ethanol. The study revealed the heavy nature of such bitumen and supported the idea of the geological and chemical information that deals with Mishraq sulfur deposit and the Qaiyarah crude oil; i.e., Hammam Al-Alil bitumen is Qaiyarah crude oil, which was reduced by Mishraq sulfur. The study of the carbon distributions was carried out using pmr spectroscopy and employing various equations with modification used by previous workers.     

CHARACTERIZATION OF VARIOUS BITUMEN SAMPLES FROM TAR SANDS

ABSTRACT

We have investigated twenty three bitumen samples obtained using different separation methods such as: ultracentrifugation, Dean-Stark extraction, solvent extraction employing vigorous agitation, hot water separation and the Solvent Extraction Spherical Agglomeration technique. These samples were extracted from oil sand feedstocks of different grades, Suncor sludge pond tailings and mineral agglomerates obtained from the Solvent Extraction Spherical Agglomeration process. All of the bitumen samples were examined on a comparative basis using various analytical techniques. These included: fractionation into asphaltenes and maltenes; elemental analyses; molecular weight determination using vapour pressure osmometry and gel permeation chromatography, infrared, proton and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Proton and ¹³C n.m.r. spectroscopic data were used to determine the distribution of various types of hydrogens and carbons in the samples. These data were also used to derive various molecular parameters in order to investigate average molecular structures of different bitumen samples and some of their asphaltene fractions.     

Visbreaking of Chinese Oil Sand Bitumen

Abstract

Thermal visbreaking of inner Mongolia oil sand bitumen was conducted at several temperatures for different lengths of time in the laboratory. The viscosity of the thermally-treated oil was reduced dramatically with thermal treatment under the condition of adding 0.3 wt% anti-coking agent, the oil sand bitumen reacting at 410°C and 45 min. The kinematic viscosity (100°C) of visbreaking oil is reduced to 138.25 mm²·s^?1 and the qualities of it are conformed to 7# Chinese Standard for Fuel Oil, which can directly be regarded as product.     

MINERAL MATTER AND CLAY-ORGANIC COMPLEXES IN OIL SANDS EXTRACTION PROCESSES

ABSTRACT

Differences in oil sands processability and extraction yields can be dependent upon many factors including the composition of the mineral components and the organic complexes that are associated with certain minerals. These mineral-organic associations help provide the bridge which leads to carry over of bitumen with the tailings as well as carry over of water and mineral matter with the bitumen product. The nature of the organic component of clay-organic complexes extracted from various streams in an oil sands recovery process is discussed in relation to the stability of both water-in-oil and oil-in-water emulsions formed.

The samples were obtained from Suncor's oil sands extraction plant located in Fort McMurray, Alberta. Samples were obtained from throughout the extraction process from the primary froth through to the final diluted bitumen product. These samples have been studied with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) as well as with other techniques such as interfacial tension measurements. The data indicates that high water content products originate, to a great extent, from the presence of a very hydrophilic organic matrix attached to the surface of the clay and heavy metal minerals.     

ANALYSIS AND PHYSICO-CHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION ON CHINESE OIL SAND BITUMENS

The extraction of four Chinese oil sands from Sinjiang and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Regions with Dean-Stark extractor were investigated. The mineral composition and sand grain distribution were determined and the bitumens were separated into saturates, aromatics, resin-I and resin-II, asphaltenes. The structure parameters and molecular model were made for the bitumens. Elemental analysis, molecular weight, FTIR, 1H-NMR were made for the bitumen fractions. The results show that the molecular structure of Mongolia bitumens have more polycyclic aromatics than that of Sinjiang bitumen. It is believed that the extraction of Sinjiang oil sand bitumen by hot alkaline water is much easier than Mongolia oil sand due to the difference of the viscosity of bitumen, the molecular structure and other physico-chemical properties of the bitumens.     

内蒙古油砂抽提沥青的实验研究

进行了热碱水抽提内蒙古油砂中沥青的实验研究。结果表明,最佳抽提条件为：碱液浓度0．3％,抽提温度90℃,碱液／油砂质量比1．5～2．0,搅拌速度75～100r／min,抽提时间20min。在抽提得到的粗沥青中加入质量分数为20％的石油醚（馏程60—90℃）,于45℃下进行了进一步的脱砂处理。结果表明,砂粒与沥青基本分离,所得沥青中沥青质的质量分数达43．40％。     

STRUCTURAL GROUP ANALYSIS OF RESIDUES FROM ATHABASCA BITUMEN

ABSTRACT

Although the processability of bitumen from tar sand is dependent on its chemical composition, the details of this relationship are poorly understood. In this study, residue fractions from Athabasca bitumen (topped at different temperatures) and hydrocracker and coker residues were analyzed in detail. Separated class fractions were subjected to elemental analysis. NMR and IR spectroscopy, and potentiometrlc titration. These data were combined mathematically to obtain a structural profile of each oil. This analysis defines the structural changes in asphaltene precipitates due to distillation and processing, as well as the quantitative changes in the overall structural composition of the oil. Hydrocarbon structures such as paraffinic chains and naphthenes show definite trends with distillation and processing.     

The Use of Microscopic Bitumen Froth Morphology for the Identification of Problem Oil Sand Ores

Oil sand, which is found in various deposits around the world, consists mostly of sand, surrounded by up to 18 wt% bitumen. The largest deposits known are situated in northern Alberta, Canada, where reserves of bitumen are estimated to be 1.7 trillion barrels. Bitumen is similar to heavy oil, but with much higher viscosity and density. The two main commercial oil sand operations in Alberta are surface mines and use aqueous flotation of the bitumen to separate it from the rest of the oil sand. Under optimal conditions up to 95% of the bitumen can be recovered, but occasionally ores are mined that create problems in extraction, and recovery can drop to 70% or less. This article discusses the microscopic morphologies of various bitumen and heavy oil streams and their relationship to processing problems. The results of extensive microscopic work have demonstrated that the bitumen in an oil sand ore is the phase most susceptible to oxidation and that the resulting changes manifest themselves in particular microscopic structures. The presence and type of these structures can be related to the processing behavior of oil sand ores. Morphological features found in froths from commercial operations are similar to those found in froths from laboratory-prepared samples. The morphological features found in froths of oxidized ores have been categorized and quantified for a variety of samples and are referred to as degraded bitumen structures. Experiments in which fresh oil sand ores were subjected to low-temperature oxidation showed that bitumen froth morphology changed dramatically compared to that of nonoxidized ores for identical bulk compositions and extraction water chemistries.     

MANAGEMENT OF OIL SANDS TAILINGS

ABSTRACT

In Alberta, oil sands bitumen is utilized for synthetic crude oil (SCO) production by surface mining, bitumen extraction followed by primary (coking) and secondary (catalytic hydrotreating) upgrading processes. SCO is further refined in specially designed or slightly modified conventional refineries into transportation fuels. Oil sands tailings, composed of water, sands, silt, clay and residual bitumen, is produced as a byproduct of the bitumen extraction process. The tailings have poor consolidation and water release characteristics. For twenty years, significant research has been performed to improve the consolidation and water release characteristics of the tailings. Several processes were developed for the management of oil sands tailings, resulting in different recovered water characteristics, consolidation rates and consolidated solid characteristics. These processes may affect the performance of the overall plant operations. Apex Engineering Inc. (AEI) has been developing a process for the same purpose. In this process oil sands tailings are treated with Ca(OH)₂ lime and CO₂ and thickened using a suitable thickener. The combination of chemical treatment and the use of a thickener results in the release of process water in short retention times without accumulation of any ions in the recovered water. This makes it possible to recycle the recovered water, probably after a chemical treatment, as warm as possible, which improves the thermal efficiency of the extraction process. The AEI Process can be applied in many different fashions for the management of different fractions of the tailings effluent, depending on the overall plant operating priorities.     

两种油砂加工方法的对比研究

分别采用溶剂萃取法和流化热转化法对内蒙古图牧吉油砂的加工方法进行了研究。溶剂萃取法可以得到油砂中几乎所有油品,但其液体产品具有高密度、高黏度及高残炭等特点,后续加工难度大;流化热转化法可以得到油砂中82.3%的油品,与溶剂萃取法相比,其液体产品的性质得到了较大程度的改善。对流化热转化得到的液体产品进行分馏和分析,其中汽油、柴油收率之和达到了37.32%,但是需要进一步精制才能达到国家油品标准的质量要求;重油收率达到了62.68%,可以通过进一步掺炼实现其轻质化。     

THE POTENTIAL USE OF TAR SAND BITUMEN AS PAVING ASPHALT

ABSTRACT

In this paper several research reports describing the preparation of potential paving asphalts from tar sand Bitumen are reviewed and the results of the studies compared. The tar sand asphalts described in the studies were prepared from 1) hot water-recovered bitumen from deposits near San Luis Obispo, California (Edna deposits), and deposits near Vernal and Sunny-side, Utah; and 2) bitumen recovered from the Northwest Asphalt Ridge deposits near Vernal, Utah, by both in situ steamflood and in situ combustion recovery processes. Important properties of the tar sand asphalts compare favorably with those of specification petroleum asphalts. Laboratory data suggest that some tar sand asphalts may have superior aging characteristics and produce more water-resistant paving mixtures than typical petroleum asphalts.     

Characterization and Potential Utilization of the Asphalt Ridge Tar Sand Bitumen I. Gas Chromatography - Mass Spectrometry and Pyrolysis-Mass Spectrometry Analyses

ABSTRACT

The native Asphalt Ridge bitumen was separated into several boiling range fractions for detailed analysis and characterization. The lighter fraction (477–617 K) was evaluated for use as an aviation turbine fuel and the residue (>617 K) was evaluated for use as an asphalt. The 477–617 K fraction appeared to meet most of the specifications for high density aviation turbine fuels. The 617 K plus residue from the Asphalt Ridge bitumen can be classified as a viscosity grade AC-30 asphalt. Several physical properties were also measured to evaluate the potential of the 477–617 K fraction as high density-energy aviation turbine fuel after mild hydrotreating. The detailed structure of the low molecular weight fractions of the Asphalt Ridge bitumen (477–617 K and 617–711 K) was determined by combined gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. Additional insight regarding the chemical structure of the bitumen was also obtained by Fourier transform infrared analysis. The tentative identification of saturated and aromatic components in the 477–711 K fractions indicated that these can be related to biologically-derived compounds which are found in coal, petroleum, oil shale, and tar sand.     

The Evaluation of Oil Sand Bitumen Produced From Inner Mongolia

On the basis of an analysis, the bitumen produced from Inner Mongolia oil sand belongs to a kind of sour naphthenic based oil with the properties of high density (ρ₂₀ = 0. 9996 g·cm^?3), high viscosity (υ₁₀₀ = 1553/(mm²·sec^?1)), rich resin, and asphalt. After a series of fractions is cut by true boiling distillation (TBP) SBD-β instrument and analyzed by corresponding instruments, the processing scheme of tar sand bitumen is proposed. The initial boiling point is 281°C, and the yield of diesel, lube oil, and residual oil is 4.54%, 16.73%, and 38.06%, respectively.     

THE PRODUCTION OF SYNTHETIC FUELS FROM NIGERIAN TANBAND BITUMEN

ABSTRACT

Synthetic fuels are expected to become a major source of energy supply in the future and major sources of synthetic fuels will be coal, shale oil and tar sand.

This paper presents an investigation of hydrotreating using a batch process for bitumen from Nigerian oil sand. The chatacteriistics in conversion of asphaltencs were studied. Various ananlyses were performed to obtain the properties of the bittemen before and after conversion to synthetic crude, e.g., changes of heteroatoms such as sulphur decreases of asphaltics, viscosity add specific gravity, and increases of distillate yield.

The process liquid fuel streams that are highly aromatic. The data suggest that the use of hydrogen causes stabilization of reactive intermediates rather than saturation of thermal products.