Ammonium Carboxylates for Bitumen Viscosity Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current in situ bitumen recovery methods from oil sands, such as CSS and SAGD, have limited recovery percentages and require the injection of hydrocarbons, which can lead to environmental contamination and increased processing costs.
Innovation Solution
A steam composition comprising steam and an ammonium carboxylate is injected into subterranean locations to enhance bitumen recovery, reducing the viscosity of bitumen and improving its flowability without the need for hydrocarbon solvents, using a cyclic steam stimulation or steam assisted gravity drainage process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If hydrocarbon solvents are injected to reduce bitumen viscosity, then bitumen flowability is improved, but environmental contamination and processing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameter by using ammonium carboxylates instead of hydrocarbon solvents. These compounds reduce bitumen viscosity through chemical interaction rather than physical dilution, achieving the same flowability improvement without the environmental harm associated with hydrocarbon solvent injection and recovery.
Solution Approach 2:
Ammonium carboxylates act as intermediary substances that facilitate bitumen extraction by forming emulsions and reducing interfacial tension between bitumen and water. This intermediary mechanism allows water to effectively mobilize bitumen without requiring hydrocarbon solvents, thus resolving the contradiction between extractability and environmental harm.
2Productivity
If large amounts of hydrocarbon solvents are injected to sufficiently dilute bitumen, then bitumen drainage is enabled, but extra processing steps and costs are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the solvent function from the system by using ammonium carboxylates that work in aqueous environments rather than requiring separate hydrocarbon solvent injection and recovery systems. This eliminates the extra processing steps needed for solvent separation and recycling while maintaining effective bitumen drainage.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the extraction mechanism from solvent-based dilution to chemistry-based emulsification and interfacial tension reduction. This parameter change allows bitumen to be mobilized and drained effectively without the need for large amounts of hydrocarbon solvents and the associated complex recovery infrastructure.
3Temperature
If conventional steam injection is used to heat bitumen, then bitumen viscosity is reduced, but recovery percentage is limited to 20-60%
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite action by combining thermal energy from steam with the chemical effects of ammonium carboxylates. The steam provides heat to reduce viscosity while the ammonium carboxylates simultaneously reduce interfacial tension and form emulsions, creating a synergistic effect that achieves higher recovery percentages than thermal methods alone.
Solution Approach 2:
Ammonium carboxylates serve as chemical intermediaries that enhance the effectiveness of steam heating. By reducing interfacial tension and forming stable emulsions, these compounds allow heated bitumen to be more effectively mobilized and recovered, thereby increasing the recovery percentage beyond what conventional thermal methods can achieve.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The use of ammonium carboxylates increases bitumen recovery efficiency and effectiveness, reducing steam requirements and energy costs while minimizing environmental impact by forming oil-in-water emulsions that enhance bitumen extraction, potentially achieving higher recovery rates than traditional methods.
Implementation Method 1
thermally unstable ammonium carboxylates
Implementation Method 2
forming oil-in-water emulsions that enhance bitumen extraction
Implementation Method 3
steam penetrates the sands and lowers the viscosity of bitumen by heating the oil sands
Data Source
AI summary
A process comprising the steps of: (a) injecting a steam composition into a subterranean location containing heavy hydrocarbons, preferably bitumen, wherein the steam composition comprises (i) steam and (ii) an ammonium carboxylate and (b) recovering the heavy hydrocarbon from the subterranean location to above the ground. The process is preferably a cyclic steam stimulation (CSS) process, a steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD), or a combination thereof.