BITUMEN EXTRACTION AND ASPHALTENE REMOVAL FROM HEAVY CRUDE USING HIGH SHEAR

摘要

Herein disclosed is a method of removing at least one component from a feed by subjecting the feed to high shear in the presence of carbon dioxide to produce a high shear-treated product and separating the at least one component from the high shear-treated product to produce a component-reduced product. Also disclosed is a method of removing asphaltenes from asphaltenic oil by subjecting the asphaltenic oil to a shear rate of at least 10,000s-1 in the presence of carbon dioxide to produce a high shear-treated product and separating asphaltenes from the high shear-treated product to produce an asphaltene-reduced product oil. Systems are also provided for carrying out the methods.