Mine site oil sands processing

Inactive Publication Date: 2005-06-23
CANADIAN OIL SANDS CANADIAN OIL SANDS
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

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Benefits of technology

[0049] In a preferred embodiment, a plurality of such process lines are employed at the same mine site. As a conseque

Problems solved by technology

Some of these factors are: The oil sand is erosive and tacky and the throughput of oil sand is large.
Therefore, periodic upsets along the processing line can create problems both upstream and downstream.
However, the conveyors, often str

Method used

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  • Mine site oil sands processing
  • Mine site oil sands processing
  • Mine site oil sands processing

Examples

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Embodiment Construction

[0058] A process line 1 in accordance with the invention comprises a series of operatively connected processing units located at a mine site 2. The mine site 2 is positioned on a body of mineable oil sand 3, such as exists in the Fort McMurray region of Alberta. The mine site 2 has one or more mine faces 4, a slurry preparation location 5, a desanding location 6 and a tailings retention facility 7. As the mine faces 4 advance, one or both of the locations 5, 6 will periodically advance as well. As shown in FIG. 4, a plurality of process lines 1 may be in use on the mine site 2.

[0059] In the preferred embodiment (as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2), each process line 1 comprises: [0060] A mobile mining shovel 10, which is mounted on driven tracks 11. The shovel 10 is positioned at the mine face 4 for excavating the oil sand 3. It is operative to advance along the mine face 4. Otherwise stated, the shovel 10 provides mobile excavating means for advancing along the mine face 4 and excavating o...

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Abstract

A process line comprising a combination of mobile and relocatable equipment units is provided at an oil sand mine site. The process line may comprise: a mobile shovel; a mobile bin and double roll crusher; a relocatable conveyor belt extending along the mine face; a relocatable slurry preparation assembly, such as a secondary crusher and jet pump; a pipeline; and a relocatable desanding circuit of separators. The process line conducts the following steps: mining the oil sand; crushing it to conveyable size; conveying it to a slurry preparation location; further crushing it to slurrying size and mixing it with heated water to produce a pumpable, aerated oil sand slurry; transporting and conditioning the slurry in the pipeline; desanding it to produce a product comprising bitumen and water and tailings; depositing tailings in a retention facility; and removing the product from the mine site in a pipeline.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to a system, located at a mine site, for mining oil sand, slurrying it and desanding the slurry to produce a pipelineable stream of bitumen, fines and water. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Oil sand from the Fort McMurray region of Alberta has now been commercially surface mined and processed for about 40 years, to extract and recover the contained bitumen. [0003] The initial technique used can broadly be described as follows: [0004] excavating oil sand; [0005] crushing the as-mined oil sand, which contains large lumps and rocks, in stages, to a size which can be slurried and pumped; [0006] mixing the crushed oil sand with heated water and, optionally, caustic or other process aids, to produce a slurry. In the course of mixing and subsequent pipelining, lumps are ablated, bitumen is liberated from the oil sand and is dispersed into the water phase, air bubbles are entrained and bitumen droplets coalesce and are aerated (...

Claims

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Application Information

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IPC IPC(8): E02F1/00E02F7/00E21C41/26
CPCE02F1/00E21C41/31E21C41/26E02F7/00
Inventor CYMERMAN, GEORGECOWARD, JUHANMCTURK, JIM
Owner CANADIAN OIL SANDS CANADIAN OIL SANDS
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