摘要 |
<p>A bitumen recovery process where the process comprises the following steps: a) Drilling a single well into a bitumen deposit; b) Equipping the well with a heating element, a solvent injecting member, and a bitumen recovering member; c) Injecting the well with a solvent; d) Heating the solvent with the heating element to a vapor state; e) Mixing the solvent vapour with bitumen in the deposit; f) Draining the bitumen to the bottom of the well; g) Heating the bitumen to keep its viscosity low; h) Evaporating part of solvent entrapped in the bitumen by the heating element; i) Recovering the bitumen and traces of water from the well; j) Condensing the solvent inside the well for further mixing with the bitumen in the deposit; k) Repeating steps h through j, where the majority of the solvent does not leave the well during the process.</p> |