Process for treating mined oil sands deposits

摘要

Disclosed is a method for improving a heavy hydrocarbon, such as mined bitumen, to a lighter more fluid product and, more specifically, to a hydrocarbon product that is refinery-ready and that meets pipeline transport criteria without requiring the addition of diluent. The invention is suitable for enhancing recovery from mined Canadian bitumen, but has general application for processing any heavy hydrocarbon, converting the heavy hydrocarbon to a product that is more suitable for pipeline transport.

主权项

1. A process for converting a heavy hydrocarbon stream into a pipelineable product, said process comprising:
(a) using a froth treatment process to separate bitumen present in the heavy hydrocarbon stream from water creating a solvent/bitumen stream and a water-rich stream; (b) separating the solvent/bitumen stream to generate multiple product streams comprising:
i) a bitumen bottoms stream;ii) a virgin heavy vacuum gas oil stream;iii) a light virgin vacuum gasoil stream; andiv) a light virgin atmospheric gas oil stream; (c) converting, in a conversion unit, a portion of the heavy vacuum gas oil stream and/or bitumen bottoms obtained from step (b) to produce a stream of lighter hydrocarbons; and (d) blending a portion or all of the virgin heavy vacuum gas oil stream, the light virgin vacuum gasoil stream, the light virgin atmospheric gas oil stream from step (b) and the stream of lighter hydrocarbons produced in step (c) to create a pipelineable product, wherein the pipelineable product has over 20 vol % of 950° F. (510° C.) and heavier boiling range material.