CA2453697C - At the mine site oil sands processing - Google Patents
At the mine site oil sands processing Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2453697C CA2453697C CA002453697A CA2453697A CA2453697C CA 2453697 C CA2453697 C CA 2453697C CA 002453697 A CA002453697 A CA 002453697A CA 2453697 A CA2453697 A CA 2453697A CA 2453697 C CA2453697 C CA 2453697C
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- oil sand
- slurry
- desanding
- location
- sand
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
Links
- 239000002002 slurry Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 107
- 239000003027 oil sand Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 106
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 42
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims abstract description 41
- 230000008569 process Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 40
- 238000002360 preparation method Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 38
- 239000010426 asphalt Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 25
- 230000014759 maintenance of location Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 13
- 238000002156 mixing Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 11
- 230000003750 conditioning effect Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 9
- 238000000151 deposition Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 4
- 239000004576 sand Substances 0.000 claims description 20
- 238000004513 sizing Methods 0.000 claims description 17
- 230000001143 conditioned effect Effects 0.000 claims description 6
- 239000007788 liquid Substances 0.000 claims description 4
- 238000005065 mining Methods 0.000 abstract description 7
- 239000007787 solid Substances 0.000 description 8
- 238000000926 separation method Methods 0.000 description 7
- 230000005484 gravity Effects 0.000 description 4
- 239000002562 thickening agent Substances 0.000 description 3
- 239000004927 clay Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000004140 cleaning Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000012141 concentrate Substances 0.000 description 2
- 230000003628 erosive effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000005188 flotation Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000000203 mixture Substances 0.000 description 2
- 230000002093 peripheral effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000005086 pumping Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000032258 transport Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000011144 upstream manufacturing Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000004614 Process Aid Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000003518 caustics Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000008878 coupling Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000010168 coupling process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000005859 coupling reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000010790 dilution Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000012895 dilution Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000000737 periodic effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000011112 process operation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000011084 recovery Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000008439 repair process Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000011435 rock Substances 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH DRILLING; MINING
- E21C—MINING OR QUARRYING
- E21C41/00—Methods of underground or surface mining; Layouts therefor
- E21C41/26—Methods of surface mining; Layouts therefor
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E02—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
- E02F—DREDGING; SOIL-SHIFTING
- E02F1/00—General working methods with dredgers or soil-shifting machines
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E02—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
- E02F—DREDGING; SOIL-SHIFTING
- E02F7/00—Equipment for conveying or separating excavated material
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH DRILLING; MINING
- E21C—MINING OR QUARRYING
- E21C41/00—Methods of underground or surface mining; Layouts therefor
- E21C41/26—Methods of surface mining; Layouts therefor
- E21C41/31—Methods of surface mining; Layouts therefor for oil-bearing deposits
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
1 "AT THE MINE SITE OIL SANDS PROCESSING"
3 The present invention relates to a system, located at a mine site, for 4 mining oil sand, slurrying it and desanding the slurry to produce a pipelineable stream of bitumen, fines and water.
8 Oil sand from the Fort McMurray region of Alberta has now been 9 commercially surface mined and processed for about 40 years, to extract and recover the contained bitumen.
11 The initial technique used can broadly be described as follows:
12 excavating oil sand;
13 = crushing the as-mined oil sand, which contairis large lumps and 14 rocks, in stages, to a size which can be siurried and pumped;
= mixing the crushed oil sand with heated water and, optionally, 16 caustic or other process aids, to produce a slurry. In the course of 17 mixing and subsequent pipelining, lumps are ablated, bitumen is 18 liberated from the oil sand and is dispersed into the water phase, air 19 bubbles are entrained and bitumen droplets coalesce and are aerated (the sum of these results is referred to as 'conditioning');
21 = temporarily retaining the conditioned slurry under quiescent 22 conditions in a large gravity separation vessel (referred to as the 23 'PSV') - during this separation or flotation step, the sand settles and 24 is removed as an underflow, together with some bitumen and water, {E3066866.DOC;1 }
1 and the aerated bitumen, contaminated with water and solids, 2 including fines, rises and is recovered as a froth;
3 = optionally, withdrawing watery middlings from the PSV and treating 4 the middlings in induced air flotation cells to recover contained bitumen as a contaminated froth while rejecting water and solids as 6 an underflow;
7 = processing the PSV underFlow to recover contained bitumen as 8 froth while rejecting water and solids (together with small amounts of 9 contained residual bitumen) as an underflow;
= discarding the various water and solids underflows as tailings into 11 retention areas; and 12 = combining and cleaning the froth streams in means such as 13 centrifuges to remove residual water and solids and produce 14 relatively clean bitumen ready for upgrading.
In selecting and developing the detailed steps, conditions and 16 equipment units that embody this broadly described system, it needs to be 17 appreciated that many factors have an influence in arriving at the final 18 implementation. Some of these factors are:
19 = The oil sand is erosive and tacky and the throughput of oil sand is large. A typical circuit or process line, involving process steps and 21 equipment units, might process 8000 tonnes of oil sand per hour.
22 So the equipment used needs to facilitate processing this scale of 23 throughput of erosive, tacky material;
{E3066866.DOC;1 }
1 = The oil sand contains clays that affect processing detrimentally and 2 the composition of the oil sand varies on an on-going basis, 3 particularly with respect to bitumen and clay contents. It is therefore 4 desirable to provide a system that is amenable to oil sands blending;
= The system involves a line of sequential equipment units and steps.
6 Therefore, periodic upsets along the processing line can create 7 problems both upstream and downstreaim. It follows that surge 8 capabilities and inventory supply along the line are therefore 9 desirable, together with the feasibility of bypassing units if required;
= The mining operations can be remote from the gravity separation 11 and cleaning process operations and this separation usually 12 increases steadily as mining proceeds. So a system adapted to 13 cope with on-going variation in separation is desirable;
14 = The bitumen constitutes only a small fraction of the oil sand. The main component is sand. The sand is, of course, without value and 16 thus there is incentive to separate it out of the slurry at the first 17 opportunity and deposit it as fill in the mine pit. So a system which is 18 amenable to this end is desirable; and 19 = Of course it is desirable that the recovery of bitumen be maximized and the loss of bitumen with the tailings minimized.
21 In the early embodiments of these facilities, ttie as-mined oil sand was 22 transported on belt conveyors from the mine sites to central processing 23 plants. However, the conveyors, often stretching for miles, were expensive 24 and difficult to operate. Later it was found feasible to crush and mix the oil {E3066866.DOC;1 }
1 sand with heated water at the mine site and theri pump the resulting slurry 2 through a pipeline directly to a remote PSV. Today, this type of operation is 3 being implemented as new mining areas are developed. At the applicants' 4 facility, this scheme more specifically involves:
= advancing a mobile shovel along the mine face to excavate oil sand and 6 load it into large trucks which haul the as-mined oil sand some distance to 7 a double roll crusher;
8 = dumping the as-mined oil sand into a hopper feeding the double roll 9 crusher, which crushes the oil sand to conveyable size (i.e. -24 inches);
= delivering the crushed ore to a surge pile using a belt conveyor;
11 = gravity feeding oil sand from the surge pile to another belt conveyor and 12 delivering it to the top end of a mixer tower. The mixer tower incorporates 13 a downwardly descending arrangement of a slurry mixer, a slurry screen 14 and a pump box. In the course of moving down through the tower elements, the oil sand is mixed with heated water in the mixer to form the 16 slurry and the slurry is then screened to remove oversize. The screened 17 slurry is received in the pump box and the oversize is dumped on the 18 ground for removal or is transferred to a secondary tower where similar 19 operations are repeated on the oversize; and = then pumping the slurry in the pump box through a pipeline to a PSV
21 located at a processing plant remote from the mine site.
22 However, the trucks constitute a significant portion of material handling 23 cost and the distance they must travel becomes greater as the mine face 24 moves away from the mixer tower.
{E3066866.DOC;1 }
1 Thus there exists a need for a different combination of processing steps 2 and equipment units, which eliminates or reduces reliance on trucks and 3 which can better cope with the gradual advance of the mine face.
8 Oil sand from the Fort McMurray region of Alberta has now been 9 commercially surface mined and processed for about 40 years, to extract and recover the contained bitumen.
11 The initial technique used can broadly be described as follows:
12 excavating oil sand;
13 = crushing the as-mined oil sand, which contairis large lumps and 14 rocks, in stages, to a size which can be siurried and pumped;
= mixing the crushed oil sand with heated water and, optionally, 16 caustic or other process aids, to produce a slurry. In the course of 17 mixing and subsequent pipelining, lumps are ablated, bitumen is 18 liberated from the oil sand and is dispersed into the water phase, air 19 bubbles are entrained and bitumen droplets coalesce and are aerated (the sum of these results is referred to as 'conditioning');
21 = temporarily retaining the conditioned slurry under quiescent 22 conditions in a large gravity separation vessel (referred to as the 23 'PSV') - during this separation or flotation step, the sand settles and 24 is removed as an underflow, together with some bitumen and water, {E3066866.DOC;1 }
1 and the aerated bitumen, contaminated with water and solids, 2 including fines, rises and is recovered as a froth;
3 = optionally, withdrawing watery middlings from the PSV and treating 4 the middlings in induced air flotation cells to recover contained bitumen as a contaminated froth while rejecting water and solids as 6 an underflow;
7 = processing the PSV underFlow to recover contained bitumen as 8 froth while rejecting water and solids (together with small amounts of 9 contained residual bitumen) as an underflow;
= discarding the various water and solids underflows as tailings into 11 retention areas; and 12 = combining and cleaning the froth streams in means such as 13 centrifuges to remove residual water and solids and produce 14 relatively clean bitumen ready for upgrading.
In selecting and developing the detailed steps, conditions and 16 equipment units that embody this broadly described system, it needs to be 17 appreciated that many factors have an influence in arriving at the final 18 implementation. Some of these factors are:
19 = The oil sand is erosive and tacky and the throughput of oil sand is large. A typical circuit or process line, involving process steps and 21 equipment units, might process 8000 tonnes of oil sand per hour.
22 So the equipment used needs to facilitate processing this scale of 23 throughput of erosive, tacky material;
{E3066866.DOC;1 }
1 = The oil sand contains clays that affect processing detrimentally and 2 the composition of the oil sand varies on an on-going basis, 3 particularly with respect to bitumen and clay contents. It is therefore 4 desirable to provide a system that is amenable to oil sands blending;
= The system involves a line of sequential equipment units and steps.
6 Therefore, periodic upsets along the processing line can create 7 problems both upstream and downstreaim. It follows that surge 8 capabilities and inventory supply along the line are therefore 9 desirable, together with the feasibility of bypassing units if required;
= The mining operations can be remote from the gravity separation 11 and cleaning process operations and this separation usually 12 increases steadily as mining proceeds. So a system adapted to 13 cope with on-going variation in separation is desirable;
14 = The bitumen constitutes only a small fraction of the oil sand. The main component is sand. The sand is, of course, without value and 16 thus there is incentive to separate it out of the slurry at the first 17 opportunity and deposit it as fill in the mine pit. So a system which is 18 amenable to this end is desirable; and 19 = Of course it is desirable that the recovery of bitumen be maximized and the loss of bitumen with the tailings minimized.
21 In the early embodiments of these facilities, ttie as-mined oil sand was 22 transported on belt conveyors from the mine sites to central processing 23 plants. However, the conveyors, often stretching for miles, were expensive 24 and difficult to operate. Later it was found feasible to crush and mix the oil {E3066866.DOC;1 }
1 sand with heated water at the mine site and theri pump the resulting slurry 2 through a pipeline directly to a remote PSV. Today, this type of operation is 3 being implemented as new mining areas are developed. At the applicants' 4 facility, this scheme more specifically involves:
= advancing a mobile shovel along the mine face to excavate oil sand and 6 load it into large trucks which haul the as-mined oil sand some distance to 7 a double roll crusher;
8 = dumping the as-mined oil sand into a hopper feeding the double roll 9 crusher, which crushes the oil sand to conveyable size (i.e. -24 inches);
= delivering the crushed ore to a surge pile using a belt conveyor;
11 = gravity feeding oil sand from the surge pile to another belt conveyor and 12 delivering it to the top end of a mixer tower. The mixer tower incorporates 13 a downwardly descending arrangement of a slurry mixer, a slurry screen 14 and a pump box. In the course of moving down through the tower elements, the oil sand is mixed with heated water in the mixer to form the 16 slurry and the slurry is then screened to remove oversize. The screened 17 slurry is received in the pump box and the oversize is dumped on the 18 ground for removal or is transferred to a secondary tower where similar 19 operations are repeated on the oversize; and = then pumping the slurry in the pump box through a pipeline to a PSV
21 located at a processing plant remote from the mine site.
22 However, the trucks constitute a significant portion of material handling 23 cost and the distance they must travel becomes greater as the mine face 24 moves away from the mixer tower.
{E3066866.DOC;1 }
1 Thus there exists a need for a different combination of processing steps 2 and equipment units, which eliminates or reduces reliance on trucks and 3 which can better cope with the gradual advance of the mine face.
5 SUMMARY OF THE IN'VENV'tON
6 The phrase "mine site", as used herein, means an area of land 7 presently undergoing strip mining to excavate oil sand and which has one or 8 more mine faces and one or more tailings retention facilities, which may be 9 dike-enclosed areas or mined-out pits.
The adjective 'mobile', as used herein, is intended to indicate that 11 equipment is mounted on driven tracks or the like for on-going advancement 12 over terrain.
13 The adjective 'relocatable', as used herein, is intended to indicate that 14 equipment is of a transportable size and on skids or the like, or can be readily disassembled into transportable sections, whereby it is stationary when 16 operating but it is feasible to periodically move it from location to location, 17 perhaps every few months.
18 The term "unit", as used herein, is intended to mean a single piece of 19 equipment or an assembly of pieces of equipment, which functions to perform one or more defined steps such as crushing andlor mixing.
21 In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a process line 22 comprising a combination of operatively connected mobile and relocatable 23 equipment units is provided at a mine site. The process line functions to {E3066866.DOC;1}
1 excavate oil sand and produce a stream of pumpable, aerated, aqueous oil 2 sand slurry. More particularly, the process line comprises:
3 = a mobile excavating means for advancing along a mine face and 4 excavating oil sand;
= a mobile sizing means for advancing along behind the excavating 6 means, receiving the oil sand and comminuting it to conveyable size;
7 = a relocatable first conveyor means, preferably extending along the 8 mine face, for receiving the once comminuted oil sand from the sizing 9 means and conveying it to a slurry preparation location;
= a relocatable slurry preparation means, at said location, for mixing the 11 oil sand with heated water and producing a pumpable, aerated, 12 aqueous oil sand slurry; and 13 = a first pipeline means for receiving the slurry and pumping and 14 transporting it while simultaneously conditioning it, whereby said means produces a stream of slurry amenable for desanding and delivers it to a 16 desanding location.
17 In one preferred feature of this embodiment of the process line, a 18 lengthy first conveyor means, extending along the mine face, permits the 19 slurry preparation means to remain stationary for a period of time, while coupling it for oil sand supply with the mobile and a(ivancing excavating and 21 sizing means.
22 In another feature of this embodiment, the slurry is moved through a 23 pipeline, while on the mine site, to condition it in preparation for desanding.
{E3066866.DOC; I }
1 In another aspect of the described embodiment, a process is provided 2 comprising the steps of:
3 = excavating oil sand progressively along a mine face;
4 = comminuting the oil sand to conveyable size;
= conveying the comminuted oil sand along the mine face to a slurry 6 preparation location on the mine site;
7 = mixing the oil sand with heated water at the slurry preparation 8 location and producing a pumpabie, aerated, aqueous oil sand 9 slurry; and = transporting the slurry through a pipeline from the slurry 11 preparation location to a desanding location.
12 In an optional extension of the previously described process and 13 process line, a relocatable desanding means is connected with the first 14 pipeiine means at the desanding location. The desanding means functions to receive the slurry and separate liquid and sand components of the slurry. It 16 produces a desanded product, mainly consisting of bitumen, fines and water, 17 and tailings, which mainly consists of sand, fines and water.
18 The desanding means preferabiy comprises a circuit of separators, 19 arranged in series and operating countercurrently, wherein the underFlow (or heavy fraction output) of one separator is fed to the next separator, the 21 underflow of the last separator is tailings and the overflow (or lighter fraction 22 output) of the first separator goes to a product pipeline, which transports it 23 from the mine site, while the overflow of each following separator is recycled 24 to the preceding separator.
{E3066866.DOC; I }
1 It is a feature of the desanding circuit that subjecting separator 2 underflow to secondary separation improves the probability of recovering 3 contained bitumen.
4 The underflow of the last separator may be discarded into a dike-enclosed retention area or mined-out pit or otherwise processed as described 6 below.
7 In a preferred embodiment, a plurality of such process lines are 8 employed at the same mine site. As a consequence it is possible to transfer 9 oil sand ore or slurry between process lines to cope with upsets or equipment repairs.
13 Figure 1 is a schematic showing the process line for excavating, 14 conveying and preparing a pipelineable slurry;
Figure 2 is a schematic showing the process line at a mine site having 16 mineable oil sand and employing the steps of: excavating oil sand;
conveying 17 it; mixing it with water to form a slurry; transporting and conditioning the slurry;
18 and desanding it to produce desanded product and tailings;
19 Figure 3 is a schematic similar to Figure 2 but showing an inclined settler substituted for a cycloseparator in the desanding circuit;
21 Figure 4 is a schematic showing a plurality o-F process lines at a mine 22 site, wherein in one process line a bucket wheel excavator is substituted for a 23 shovel, and further showing a tailings retention facility and a thickener for 24 concentrating fine solids from the tailings;
{E3066866.DOC;1 }
1 Figure 5 is a perspective view of a rotary digester, which may be used 2 in the process line to form the slurry;
3 Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5, shoNNing part of the drum wall 4 broken away to display internal lifters;
Figure 7 is a side view of a cycloseparator, which may be used in the 6 desanding circuit showing the internal section of the vortex finder in dotted 7 lines; and 8 Figure 8 is a sectional side view showing an inclined settler.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
11 A process iine 1 in accordance with the invention comprises a series of 12 operatively connected processing units located at a mine site 2. The mine 13 site 2 is positioned on a body of mineable oil sand 3, such as exists in the Fort 14 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 16 facility 7. As the mine faces 4 advance, one or both of the locations 5,6 will 17 periodically advance as well. As shown in Figure 4, a plurality of process 18 lines 1 may be in use on the mine site 2.
19 In the preferred embodiment (as shown in Figures 1 and 2), each process line 1 comprises:
21 A mobile mining shovel 10, which is rnounted on driven tracks 22 11. The shovel 10 is positioned at the mine face 4 for 23 excavating the oil sand 3. It is operative to advance along the 24 mine face 4. Otherwise stated, the shove! 10 provides mobile {E3066866.DOC; l }
I excavating means for advancing along the mine face 4 and 2 excavating oil sand 3;
3 = A mobile sizing unit 12 which comprises a surge bin 13, an 4 apron feeder 16, a double roll crusher 14, and a conveyor and 5 belt wagon 15. The sizing unit 12 is mounted on one or more 6 platforms 17, each supported on drive tracks 18.
7 In operation the shovel 10 dumps oil sand 3 into the 8 surge bin 13. The apron feeder16 feeds oil sand 3 from the bin 9 13 to the crusher 14. The crusher 14 comminutes the 10 excavated oil sand 3 to a size that is conveyable on a belt 11 conveyor, for example to -24 inch. The feed conveyor 19 12 deposits the oil sand 3 onto the conveyor and belt wagon 15 13 which feeds the adjacent mine face conveyor belt 20.
The adjective 'mobile', as used herein, is intended to indicate that 11 equipment is mounted on driven tracks or the like for on-going advancement 12 over terrain.
13 The adjective 'relocatable', as used herein, is intended to indicate that 14 equipment is of a transportable size and on skids or the like, or can be readily disassembled into transportable sections, whereby it is stationary when 16 operating but it is feasible to periodically move it from location to location, 17 perhaps every few months.
18 The term "unit", as used herein, is intended to mean a single piece of 19 equipment or an assembly of pieces of equipment, which functions to perform one or more defined steps such as crushing andlor mixing.
21 In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a process line 22 comprising a combination of operatively connected mobile and relocatable 23 equipment units is provided at a mine site. The process line functions to {E3066866.DOC;1}
1 excavate oil sand and produce a stream of pumpable, aerated, aqueous oil 2 sand slurry. More particularly, the process line comprises:
3 = a mobile excavating means for advancing along a mine face and 4 excavating oil sand;
= a mobile sizing means for advancing along behind the excavating 6 means, receiving the oil sand and comminuting it to conveyable size;
7 = a relocatable first conveyor means, preferably extending along the 8 mine face, for receiving the once comminuted oil sand from the sizing 9 means and conveying it to a slurry preparation location;
= a relocatable slurry preparation means, at said location, for mixing the 11 oil sand with heated water and producing a pumpable, aerated, 12 aqueous oil sand slurry; and 13 = a first pipeline means for receiving the slurry and pumping and 14 transporting it while simultaneously conditioning it, whereby said means produces a stream of slurry amenable for desanding and delivers it to a 16 desanding location.
17 In one preferred feature of this embodiment of the process line, a 18 lengthy first conveyor means, extending along the mine face, permits the 19 slurry preparation means to remain stationary for a period of time, while coupling it for oil sand supply with the mobile and a(ivancing excavating and 21 sizing means.
22 In another feature of this embodiment, the slurry is moved through a 23 pipeline, while on the mine site, to condition it in preparation for desanding.
{E3066866.DOC; I }
1 In another aspect of the described embodiment, a process is provided 2 comprising the steps of:
3 = excavating oil sand progressively along a mine face;
4 = comminuting the oil sand to conveyable size;
= conveying the comminuted oil sand along the mine face to a slurry 6 preparation location on the mine site;
7 = mixing the oil sand with heated water at the slurry preparation 8 location and producing a pumpabie, aerated, aqueous oil sand 9 slurry; and = transporting the slurry through a pipeline from the slurry 11 preparation location to a desanding location.
12 In an optional extension of the previously described process and 13 process line, a relocatable desanding means is connected with the first 14 pipeiine means at the desanding location. The desanding means functions to receive the slurry and separate liquid and sand components of the slurry. It 16 produces a desanded product, mainly consisting of bitumen, fines and water, 17 and tailings, which mainly consists of sand, fines and water.
18 The desanding means preferabiy comprises a circuit of separators, 19 arranged in series and operating countercurrently, wherein the underFlow (or heavy fraction output) of one separator is fed to the next separator, the 21 underflow of the last separator is tailings and the overflow (or lighter fraction 22 output) of the first separator goes to a product pipeline, which transports it 23 from the mine site, while the overflow of each following separator is recycled 24 to the preceding separator.
{E3066866.DOC; I }
1 It is a feature of the desanding circuit that subjecting separator 2 underflow to secondary separation improves the probability of recovering 3 contained bitumen.
4 The underflow of the last separator may be discarded into a dike-enclosed retention area or mined-out pit or otherwise processed as described 6 below.
7 In a preferred embodiment, a plurality of such process lines are 8 employed at the same mine site. As a consequence it is possible to transfer 9 oil sand ore or slurry between process lines to cope with upsets or equipment repairs.
13 Figure 1 is a schematic showing the process line for excavating, 14 conveying and preparing a pipelineable slurry;
Figure 2 is a schematic showing the process line at a mine site having 16 mineable oil sand and employing the steps of: excavating oil sand;
conveying 17 it; mixing it with water to form a slurry; transporting and conditioning the slurry;
18 and desanding it to produce desanded product and tailings;
19 Figure 3 is a schematic similar to Figure 2 but showing an inclined settler substituted for a cycloseparator in the desanding circuit;
21 Figure 4 is a schematic showing a plurality o-F process lines at a mine 22 site, wherein in one process line a bucket wheel excavator is substituted for a 23 shovel, and further showing a tailings retention facility and a thickener for 24 concentrating fine solids from the tailings;
{E3066866.DOC;1 }
1 Figure 5 is a perspective view of a rotary digester, which may be used 2 in the process line to form the slurry;
3 Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5, shoNNing part of the drum wall 4 broken away to display internal lifters;
Figure 7 is a side view of a cycloseparator, which may be used in the 6 desanding circuit showing the internal section of the vortex finder in dotted 7 lines; and 8 Figure 8 is a sectional side view showing an inclined settler.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
11 A process iine 1 in accordance with the invention comprises a series of 12 operatively connected processing units located at a mine site 2. The mine 13 site 2 is positioned on a body of mineable oil sand 3, such as exists in the Fort 14 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 16 facility 7. As the mine faces 4 advance, one or both of the locations 5,6 will 17 periodically advance as well. As shown in Figure 4, a plurality of process 18 lines 1 may be in use on the mine site 2.
19 In the preferred embodiment (as shown in Figures 1 and 2), each process line 1 comprises:
21 A mobile mining shovel 10, which is rnounted on driven tracks 22 11. The shovel 10 is positioned at the mine face 4 for 23 excavating the oil sand 3. It is operative to advance along the 24 mine face 4. Otherwise stated, the shove! 10 provides mobile {E3066866.DOC; l }
I excavating means for advancing along the mine face 4 and 2 excavating oil sand 3;
3 = A mobile sizing unit 12 which comprises a surge bin 13, an 4 apron feeder 16, a double roll crusher 14, and a conveyor and 5 belt wagon 15. The sizing unit 12 is mounted on one or more 6 platforms 17, each supported on drive tracks 18.
7 In operation the shovel 10 dumps oil sand 3 into the 8 surge bin 13. The apron feeder16 feeds oil sand 3 from the bin 9 13 to the crusher 14. The crusher 14 comminutes the 10 excavated oil sand 3 to a size that is conveyable on a belt 11 conveyor, for example to -24 inch. The feed conveyor 19 12 deposits the oil sand 3 onto the conveyor and belt wagon 15 13 which feeds the adjacent mine face conveyor belt 20.
14 In summary, the sizing unit 12 provides mobile sizing means for advancing along behind the excavating means, 16 receiving excavated oil sand and comminuting it to conveyable 17 size;
18 = An elongate, reiocatable conveyor belt 20 which extends along 19 the mine face 4. The conveyor belt 20 receives the oil sand 3 from the feed conveyor 19 and conveys it to a surge pile 21 21 located at the slurry preparation location 5.
22 In summary, a relocatable first conveyor means receives 23 the oil sand 3 from the sizing means, conveys it to the slurry 24 preparation location 5 and delivers it thereto;
{E3066866.DOC;1}
1 = A relocatable slurry preparation unit 25 positioned at the slurry 2 preparation location 5. The unit 25 comprises the surge pile 21, 3 a feed conveyor 26, a hopper 27, a feed conveyor 29, a double 4 roll crusher 30, a feed conveyor 31, a hopper 32, a jet pump 33 and a source 34 of heated water.
6 In operation, oil sand 3 is fed frorn the surge pile 21 by 7 the feed conveyor 26 into the hopper 27 and fed by the 8 conveyor 29 to the crusher 30. The sum of these actions is 9 referred to collectively as utilizing the oil sand. The crusher 30 comminutes the oil sand to pumpable size, typically -4 inches.
11 A conveyor 31 feeds the crushed oil sand 3 into the gravity feed 12 hopper 32 of the jet pump 33. The hopper 32 dispenses the oil 13 sand 3 into the jet pump 33, where it is entrained into a jet of 14 motive heated water. A source 34 supplies the water to the jet pump 33. The jet pump 33 mixes the oil sand 3 and water, while 16 entraining air, to produce a pumpable, aerated, aqueous oil 17 sand slurry 35.
18 In summary, there is provided relocatable slurry 19 preparation means, at the slurry preparation location 5, for utilizing the oil sand 3 delivered thereto, further comminuting it to 21 pumpable size and mixing it with heated water to produce a 22 pumpable, aerated, aqueous oil sand slurry 35;
{E3066866.DOC;1 }
1 = A slurry pipeline 40 which is connected with the outlet of the jet 2 pump 33 and extends to the desanding location 41. The 3 pipeline 40 may include one or more slurry pumps 42.
4 In the course of being pumped through the pipeline 40, the slurry stream 35 is mixed and conditioned.
6 In summary, there is provided a first pipeline means, 7 connected with the slurry preparation means, for receiving the 8 slurry 35, transporting it while simultaneously conditioning it, and 9 delivering it to the desanding location 6 for desanding;
= A relocatable desanding circuit 43, which is positioned at the 11 desanding location 6 and is connected with the downstream end 12 of the slurry pipeline 40.
13 The desanding circuit 43 comprises a series of 14 countercurrently operating separators. More particularly, the separators used are centrifugal cycloseparators 44, 45, 46, one 16 of which is shown in Figure 7. The cycloseparators 44, 45, 46 17 are, respectively, generally cylindrical, hollow vessels 47,48, 49 18 having internal chambers 50, 51, 52, tangential inlets 53, 54, 55 19 at the upstream end and central vortex finder outlets 56, 57, 58 and peripheral outlets 59, 60, 61 at the downstream ends.
21 The slurry stream 35 is pumped from the pipeiine 40 into 22 the tangential inlet 53 of the first cycloseparator 44 (shown in 23 Figure 2). The slurry spins as it advances longitudinally through 24 the vessel chamber 50. The heavier fraction (mainly sand, fines {E3066866.DOC;1 }
1 and some water and bitumen) concentrates outwardly and 2 leaves the vessel chamber 50 as an underflow stream 62 3 through the peripheral outlet 59. The lighter fraction (mainly 4 bitumen, fines and water) concentrates inwardly and leaves the vessel chamber 50 as a central overflow stream 63 through the 6 vortex finder outlet 56. The first separator overflow stream 63 is 7 fed as desanded product to a product pipeline 65 which 8 transports it from the mine site 2 to a remote processing plant 9 (not shown). The first separator underflow stream 62 is fed through outlet 59 and line 66 to the inlet 54 of the second 11 separator 45. The same type of centrifugal separation occurs in 12 the second separator chamber 51. The overflow stream 67 from 13 the second separator chamber 51 is necycled through line 68 to 14 the inlet 53 of the first cycloseparator 44. The underflow stream 69 from the second cycloseparator 45 is fed through the line 70 16 to the inlet 55 of the third cycloseparator 46. Water may also be 17 added as required through line 71 to the inlet 55 of the third 18 cycloseparator 46, as the underFlow, stream, 69 may need 19 dilution. The overflow stream 72 from the third cycloseparator 46 is recycled through line 73 to the inlet 54 of the second 21 cycloseparator 45. The underflow stream 74 from the third 22 cycloseparator 46 is removed through the line 75 as tailings.
23 In summary, there is provided relocatable desanding 24 means, at the desanding location and connected with the first {E3066866.DOC;1 }
1 pipeline means, for receiving the slurry and separating liquid and 2 sand components of the slurry to praduce separate streams of 3 desanded product and tailings;
4 = Means are provided for depositing the tailings at the retention facility 7 (see Figure 4). In the preferred embodiment, a mobile 6 boom 80, carrying a cyclone 81 at its upper end, is positioned 7 alongside the retention facility. The line 74 feeds the stream 8 of tailings to the cyclone 81, which separates the tailings 9 components to produce an underflow stream 82, mainly comprising sand and some water, and an overflow stream 83, 11 mainly comprising water and fine solids (clay). The underFlow 12 stream 82 is deposited on the beach 84 of the retention facility 13 7. The overflow stream 83 is conveyed through a line 85 to a 14 thickener 86. The thickener 86 separates the cyclone overflow components to produce a paste-like underflow stream 87, which 16 is deposited in the mined out pit, and a water stream 88 which 17 may be recycled to the desanding circuit 43.
18 Variants 19 It is to be understood that applicants contemplate that a person skilled in the art may substitute units without significantly affecting the way in which 21 the process line I works.
22 For example:
23 = A bucketwheel excavator 90, shown in Figure 4, may be 24 substituted for the shovel 10;
(E3066866.D0(.,1) 1 = A rotary digester 91, shown in Figures 5, 6, may be substituted 2 for the jet pump 33. The digester 91 is capable of processing 3 larger lumps of oil sand and thus may not require a secondary 4 crusher 30.
5 The digester 91 is a rotatable drum 92 having internal 6 lifters 93, drive means 94, a trommel screen 95 and crawlers 7 108. The oil sand and water are fed into a feed box 96 via feed 8 conveyor 110 and are tumbled within the drum 92 to mix them 9 and condition the produced slurry. The screen 95 removes 10 oversize which oversize is removed via reject chute 104. The 11 screened slurry drops into pump box 106 and pumped through 12 pipeline 40 by pump 97; and 13 = an inclined plate separator 100, shown in Figure 8, may be 14 substituted for a cycloseparator.
18 = An elongate, reiocatable conveyor belt 20 which extends along 19 the mine face 4. The conveyor belt 20 receives the oil sand 3 from the feed conveyor 19 and conveys it to a surge pile 21 21 located at the slurry preparation location 5.
22 In summary, a relocatable first conveyor means receives 23 the oil sand 3 from the sizing means, conveys it to the slurry 24 preparation location 5 and delivers it thereto;
{E3066866.DOC;1}
1 = A relocatable slurry preparation unit 25 positioned at the slurry 2 preparation location 5. The unit 25 comprises the surge pile 21, 3 a feed conveyor 26, a hopper 27, a feed conveyor 29, a double 4 roll crusher 30, a feed conveyor 31, a hopper 32, a jet pump 33 and a source 34 of heated water.
6 In operation, oil sand 3 is fed frorn the surge pile 21 by 7 the feed conveyor 26 into the hopper 27 and fed by the 8 conveyor 29 to the crusher 30. The sum of these actions is 9 referred to collectively as utilizing the oil sand. The crusher 30 comminutes the oil sand to pumpable size, typically -4 inches.
11 A conveyor 31 feeds the crushed oil sand 3 into the gravity feed 12 hopper 32 of the jet pump 33. The hopper 32 dispenses the oil 13 sand 3 into the jet pump 33, where it is entrained into a jet of 14 motive heated water. A source 34 supplies the water to the jet pump 33. The jet pump 33 mixes the oil sand 3 and water, while 16 entraining air, to produce a pumpable, aerated, aqueous oil 17 sand slurry 35.
18 In summary, there is provided relocatable slurry 19 preparation means, at the slurry preparation location 5, for utilizing the oil sand 3 delivered thereto, further comminuting it to 21 pumpable size and mixing it with heated water to produce a 22 pumpable, aerated, aqueous oil sand slurry 35;
{E3066866.DOC;1 }
1 = A slurry pipeline 40 which is connected with the outlet of the jet 2 pump 33 and extends to the desanding location 41. The 3 pipeline 40 may include one or more slurry pumps 42.
4 In the course of being pumped through the pipeline 40, the slurry stream 35 is mixed and conditioned.
6 In summary, there is provided a first pipeline means, 7 connected with the slurry preparation means, for receiving the 8 slurry 35, transporting it while simultaneously conditioning it, and 9 delivering it to the desanding location 6 for desanding;
= A relocatable desanding circuit 43, which is positioned at the 11 desanding location 6 and is connected with the downstream end 12 of the slurry pipeline 40.
13 The desanding circuit 43 comprises a series of 14 countercurrently operating separators. More particularly, the separators used are centrifugal cycloseparators 44, 45, 46, one 16 of which is shown in Figure 7. The cycloseparators 44, 45, 46 17 are, respectively, generally cylindrical, hollow vessels 47,48, 49 18 having internal chambers 50, 51, 52, tangential inlets 53, 54, 55 19 at the upstream end and central vortex finder outlets 56, 57, 58 and peripheral outlets 59, 60, 61 at the downstream ends.
21 The slurry stream 35 is pumped from the pipeiine 40 into 22 the tangential inlet 53 of the first cycloseparator 44 (shown in 23 Figure 2). The slurry spins as it advances longitudinally through 24 the vessel chamber 50. The heavier fraction (mainly sand, fines {E3066866.DOC;1 }
1 and some water and bitumen) concentrates outwardly and 2 leaves the vessel chamber 50 as an underflow stream 62 3 through the peripheral outlet 59. The lighter fraction (mainly 4 bitumen, fines and water) concentrates inwardly and leaves the vessel chamber 50 as a central overflow stream 63 through the 6 vortex finder outlet 56. The first separator overflow stream 63 is 7 fed as desanded product to a product pipeline 65 which 8 transports it from the mine site 2 to a remote processing plant 9 (not shown). The first separator underflow stream 62 is fed through outlet 59 and line 66 to the inlet 54 of the second 11 separator 45. The same type of centrifugal separation occurs in 12 the second separator chamber 51. The overflow stream 67 from 13 the second separator chamber 51 is necycled through line 68 to 14 the inlet 53 of the first cycloseparator 44. The underflow stream 69 from the second cycloseparator 45 is fed through the line 70 16 to the inlet 55 of the third cycloseparator 46. Water may also be 17 added as required through line 71 to the inlet 55 of the third 18 cycloseparator 46, as the underFlow, stream, 69 may need 19 dilution. The overflow stream 72 from the third cycloseparator 46 is recycled through line 73 to the inlet 54 of the second 21 cycloseparator 45. The underflow stream 74 from the third 22 cycloseparator 46 is removed through the line 75 as tailings.
23 In summary, there is provided relocatable desanding 24 means, at the desanding location and connected with the first {E3066866.DOC;1 }
1 pipeline means, for receiving the slurry and separating liquid and 2 sand components of the slurry to praduce separate streams of 3 desanded product and tailings;
4 = Means are provided for depositing the tailings at the retention facility 7 (see Figure 4). In the preferred embodiment, a mobile 6 boom 80, carrying a cyclone 81 at its upper end, is positioned 7 alongside the retention facility. The line 74 feeds the stream 8 of tailings to the cyclone 81, which separates the tailings 9 components to produce an underflow stream 82, mainly comprising sand and some water, and an overflow stream 83, 11 mainly comprising water and fine solids (clay). The underFlow 12 stream 82 is deposited on the beach 84 of the retention facility 13 7. The overflow stream 83 is conveyed through a line 85 to a 14 thickener 86. The thickener 86 separates the cyclone overflow components to produce a paste-like underflow stream 87, which 16 is deposited in the mined out pit, and a water stream 88 which 17 may be recycled to the desanding circuit 43.
18 Variants 19 It is to be understood that applicants contemplate that a person skilled in the art may substitute units without significantly affecting the way in which 21 the process line I works.
22 For example:
23 = A bucketwheel excavator 90, shown in Figure 4, may be 24 substituted for the shovel 10;
(E3066866.D0(.,1) 1 = A rotary digester 91, shown in Figures 5, 6, may be substituted 2 for the jet pump 33. The digester 91 is capable of processing 3 larger lumps of oil sand and thus may not require a secondary 4 crusher 30.
5 The digester 91 is a rotatable drum 92 having internal 6 lifters 93, drive means 94, a trommel screen 95 and crawlers 7 108. The oil sand and water are fed into a feed box 96 via feed 8 conveyor 110 and are tumbled within the drum 92 to mix them 9 and condition the produced slurry. The screen 95 removes 10 oversize which oversize is removed via reject chute 104. The 11 screened slurry drops into pump box 106 and pumped through 12 pipeline 40 by pump 97; and 13 = an inclined plate separator 100, shown in Figure 8, may be 14 substituted for a cycloseparator.
15 The slurry is fed into the bottom inlet 99 of the separator 100 from 16 pipeline 40. The sand separates and drops along the internal plates 101 and 17 is withdrawn through the outlet 102. The water, some bitumen and fine solids 18 leave through the top outlet 103.
19 The scope of the invention is defined by the claims now following.
DMS Legal\053707\00028\2470600v I
DMS Legal\053707\00028\2470600v I
Claims (17)
1. A process line for producing an oil sand slurry at a mine site having mineable oil sand, a mine face, a slurry preparation location and a desanding location, comprising the following individual units of equipment serially associated with one another within the mine site:
mobile excavating means for advancing along the mine face and excavating oil sand;
mobile sizing means for advancing along behind the excavating means, receiving excavated oil sand and comminuting the excavated oil sand to conveyable size;
relocatable first conveyor means for receiving the oil sand from the sizing means, conveying the oil sand to the slurry preparation location and delivering the oil sand thereto;
relocatable slurry preparation means, at the slurry preparation location, for producing a pumpable, aerated, aqueous oil sand slurry, comprising a jet pump for mixing the oil sand with heated water, a hopper for feeding the oil sand to the jet pump and means for supplying heated water to the jet pump; and first pipeline means, connected with the slurry preparation means, for receiving the slurry, transporting the slurry while simultaneously conditioning the slurry and delivering the conditioned slurry to the desanding location for desanding;
whereby each individual unit of equipment is capable of independently moving closer to the mine face when the mine face recedes and the need arises for that individual unit of equipment to do so.
mobile excavating means for advancing along the mine face and excavating oil sand;
mobile sizing means for advancing along behind the excavating means, receiving excavated oil sand and comminuting the excavated oil sand to conveyable size;
relocatable first conveyor means for receiving the oil sand from the sizing means, conveying the oil sand to the slurry preparation location and delivering the oil sand thereto;
relocatable slurry preparation means, at the slurry preparation location, for producing a pumpable, aerated, aqueous oil sand slurry, comprising a jet pump for mixing the oil sand with heated water, a hopper for feeding the oil sand to the jet pump and means for supplying heated water to the jet pump; and first pipeline means, connected with the slurry preparation means, for receiving the slurry, transporting the slurry while simultaneously conditioning the slurry and delivering the conditioned slurry to the desanding location for desanding;
whereby each individual unit of equipment is capable of independently moving closer to the mine face when the mine face recedes and the need arises for that individual unit of equipment to do so.
2. The process line as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first conveyor means is a belt conveyor extending along the mine face.
3. A process line for producing desanded product, comprising bitumen and water, and tailings, comprising sand and water, at a mine site having mineable oil sand, a mine face, a slurry preparation location and a desanding location, the following individual units of equipment serially associated with one another within the mine site:
mobile excavating means for advancing along the mine face and excavating oil sand;
mobile sizing means for advancing along behind the excavating means, receiving excavated oil sand and comminuting the oil sand to conveyable size;
relocatable first conveyor means for receiving the oil sand from the sizing means, conveying the oil sand to the slurry preparation location and delivering the oil sand thereto;
relocatable slurry preparation means, at the slurry preparation location, for producing a pumpable, aerated, aqueous oil sand slurry, comprising a jet pump for mixing the oil sand with heated water, a hopper for feeding the oil sand to the jet pump and means for supplying heated water to the jet pump;
first pipeline means, connected with the slurry preparation means, for receiving the slurry, transporting the slurry while simultaneously conditioning the slurry and delivering the slurry to the desanding location; and relocatable desanding means, at the desanding location and connected with the first pipeline means, receiving the slurry and separating liquid and sand components of the slurry to produce separate streams of desanded product and tailings;
whereby each individual unit of equipment is capable of independently moving closer to the mine face when the mine face recedes and the need arises for that individual unit of equipment to do so.
mobile excavating means for advancing along the mine face and excavating oil sand;
mobile sizing means for advancing along behind the excavating means, receiving excavated oil sand and comminuting the oil sand to conveyable size;
relocatable first conveyor means for receiving the oil sand from the sizing means, conveying the oil sand to the slurry preparation location and delivering the oil sand thereto;
relocatable slurry preparation means, at the slurry preparation location, for producing a pumpable, aerated, aqueous oil sand slurry, comprising a jet pump for mixing the oil sand with heated water, a hopper for feeding the oil sand to the jet pump and means for supplying heated water to the jet pump;
first pipeline means, connected with the slurry preparation means, for receiving the slurry, transporting the slurry while simultaneously conditioning the slurry and delivering the slurry to the desanding location; and relocatable desanding means, at the desanding location and connected with the first pipeline means, receiving the slurry and separating liquid and sand components of the slurry to produce separate streams of desanded product and tailings;
whereby each individual unit of equipment is capable of independently moving closer to the mine face when the mine face recedes and the need arises for that individual unit of equipment to do so.
4. The process line as set forth in claim 3 comprising:
a product pipeline, connected with the desanding means, for transporting the desanded product stream from the mine site.
a product pipeline, connected with the desanding means, for transporting the desanded product stream from the mine site.
5. The process line as set forth in claim 4 wherein the mine site has a tailings retention facility and comprising:
means, connected with the desanding means, for depositing tailings at the retention facility.
means, connected with the desanding means, for depositing tailings at the retention facility.
6. The process line as set forth in claim 3, 4 or 5 wherein the desanding means comprises:
a series of countercurrently operating separators for progressively treating slurry to separate bitumen from sand.
a series of countercurrently operating separators for progressively treating slurry to separate bitumen from sand.
7. The process line set forth in claim 3, 4 or 5 wherein:
the first conveyor means extends along the mine face; and the desanding means comprises a series of countercurrently operating separators for progressively treating slurry to separate bitumen from sand.
the first conveyor means extends along the mine face; and the desanding means comprises a series of countercurrently operating separators for progressively treating slurry to separate bitumen from sand.
8. The process line of claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 wherein:
the sizing means comprises a surge bin for receiving and dispensing excavated oil sand, a double roll crusher for comminuting the dispensed oil sand and means for conveying the dispensed oil sand from the surge bin to the crusher.
the sizing means comprises a surge bin for receiving and dispensing excavated oil sand, a double roll crusher for comminuting the dispensed oil sand and means for conveying the dispensed oil sand from the surge bin to the crusher.
9. A process line for producing an oil sand slurry at a mine site having mineable oil sand, a mine face, a slurry preparation location and a desanding location, comprising the following individual units of equipment serially associated with one another within the mine site:
mobile excavating means for advancing along the mine face and excavating oil sand;
mobile sizing means for advancing along behind the excavating means, receiving excavated oil sand and comminuting the excavated oil sand to conveyable size;
relocatable first conveyor means for receiving the oil sand from the sizing means, conveying the oil sand to the slurry preparation location and delivering the oil sand thereto;
relocatable slurry preparation means, at the slurry preparation location, for producing a pumpable, aerated, aqueous oil sand slurry, comprising a rotary digester, means for receiving oil sand from the first conveyor means and feeding the oil sand to the rotary digester and means for supplying heated water to the rotary digester; and first pipeline means, connected with the slurry preparation means, for receiving the slurry, transporting the slurry while simultaneously conditioning the slurry and delivering the conditioned slurry to the desanding location for desanding;
whereby each individual unit of equipment is capable of independently moving closer to the mine face when the mine face recedes and the need arises for that individual unit of equipment to do so.
mobile excavating means for advancing along the mine face and excavating oil sand;
mobile sizing means for advancing along behind the excavating means, receiving excavated oil sand and comminuting the excavated oil sand to conveyable size;
relocatable first conveyor means for receiving the oil sand from the sizing means, conveying the oil sand to the slurry preparation location and delivering the oil sand thereto;
relocatable slurry preparation means, at the slurry preparation location, for producing a pumpable, aerated, aqueous oil sand slurry, comprising a rotary digester, means for receiving oil sand from the first conveyor means and feeding the oil sand to the rotary digester and means for supplying heated water to the rotary digester; and first pipeline means, connected with the slurry preparation means, for receiving the slurry, transporting the slurry while simultaneously conditioning the slurry and delivering the conditioned slurry to the desanding location for desanding;
whereby each individual unit of equipment is capable of independently moving closer to the mine face when the mine face recedes and the need arises for that individual unit of equipment to do so.
10. A process line for producing desanded product, comprising bitumen and water, and tailings, comprising sand and water, at a mine site having mineable oil sand, a mine face, a slurry preparation location and a desanding location, comprising the following individual units of equipment serially associated with one another within the mine site:
mobile excavating means for advancing along the mine face and excavating oil sand;
mobile sizing means for advancing along behind the excavating means, receiving excavated oil sand and comminuting the oil sand to conveyable size;
relocatable first conveyor means for receiving the oil sand from the sizing means, conveying the oil sand to the slurry preparation location and delivering the oil sand thereto;
relocatable slurry preparation means, at the slurry preparation location, for producing a pumpable, aerated, aqueous oil sand slurry, comprising a rotary digester, means for receiving oil sand from the first conveyor means and feeding the oil sand to the rotary digester and means for supplying heated water to the rotary digester;
first pipeline means, connected with the slurry preparation means, for receiving the slurry, transporting the slurry while simultaneously conditioning the slurry and delivering the conditioned slurry to the desanding location; and relocatable desanding means, at the desanding location and connected with the first pipeline means, for receiving the conditioned slurry and separating liquid and sand components of the slurry to produce separate streams of desanded product and tailings;
whereby each individual unit of equipment is capable of independently moving closer to the mine face when the mine face recedes and the need arises for that individual unit of equipment to do so.
mobile excavating means for advancing along the mine face and excavating oil sand;
mobile sizing means for advancing along behind the excavating means, receiving excavated oil sand and comminuting the oil sand to conveyable size;
relocatable first conveyor means for receiving the oil sand from the sizing means, conveying the oil sand to the slurry preparation location and delivering the oil sand thereto;
relocatable slurry preparation means, at the slurry preparation location, for producing a pumpable, aerated, aqueous oil sand slurry, comprising a rotary digester, means for receiving oil sand from the first conveyor means and feeding the oil sand to the rotary digester and means for supplying heated water to the rotary digester;
first pipeline means, connected with the slurry preparation means, for receiving the slurry, transporting the slurry while simultaneously conditioning the slurry and delivering the conditioned slurry to the desanding location; and relocatable desanding means, at the desanding location and connected with the first pipeline means, for receiving the conditioned slurry and separating liquid and sand components of the slurry to produce separate streams of desanded product and tailings;
whereby each individual unit of equipment is capable of independently moving closer to the mine face when the mine face recedes and the need arises for that individual unit of equipment to do so.
11. The process line of claim 9 or 10 wherein the first conveyor means is a belt conveyor extending along the mine face.
12. The process line as set forth in claim 10 or 11 wherein the desanding means comprises:
a series of countercurrently operating separators for progressively treating slurry to separate bitumen from sand.
a series of countercurrently operating separators for progressively treating slurry to separate bitumen from sand.
13. The process line as set forth in claim 10, 11 or 12 comprising:
a product pipeline, connected with the desanding means, for transporting the desanded product stream from the mine site.
a product pipeline, connected with the desanding means, for transporting the desanded product stream from the mine site.
14. The process line as set forth in claim 13 wherein the mine site has a tailings retention facility and comprising:
means, connected with the desanding means, for depositing tailings at the retention facility.
means, connected with the desanding means, for depositing tailings at the retention facility.
15. The process line as set forth in claim 6, 7 or 12 wherein at least one separator is cycloseparator.
16. The process line as set forth in claim 6, 7 or 12 wherein at least one separator is an inclined plate settler.
17. The process line as set forth in claim 1 or 3 wherein the slurry preparation means further comprises a surge means for receiving and dispensing oil sand from the first conveyor means, a double roll crusher for comminuting the oil sand, means for conveying oil sand from the surge means to the double roll crusher and means for conveying oil sand from the double roll crusher to the hopper.
Priority Applications (2)
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|---|---|---|---|
| CA002453697A CA2453697C (en) | 2003-12-18 | 2003-12-18 | At the mine site oil sands processing |
| US10/738,089 US20050134102A1 (en) | 2003-12-18 | 2003-12-18 | Mine site oil sands processing |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002453697A CA2453697C (en) | 2003-12-18 | 2003-12-18 | At the mine site oil sands processing |
| US10/738,089 US20050134102A1 (en) | 2003-12-18 | 2003-12-18 | Mine site oil sands processing |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2453697A1 CA2453697A1 (en) | 2005-06-18 |
| CA2453697C true CA2453697C (en) | 2008-04-08 |
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|---|---|---|---|
| CA002453697A Expired - Lifetime CA2453697C (en) | 2003-12-18 | 2003-12-18 | At the mine site oil sands processing |
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| US (1) | US20050134102A1 (en) |
| CA (1) | CA2453697C (en) |
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| US4859317A (en) * | 1988-02-01 | 1989-08-22 | Shelfantook William E | Purification process for bitumen froth |
| CA2030934A1 (en) * | 1990-11-27 | 1992-05-28 | William Lester Strand | Oil sands separator and separation method |
| CA2420034C (en) * | 2003-02-18 | 2007-09-25 | Jim Mcturk | Jet pump system for forming an aqueous oil sand slurry |
-
2003
- 2003-12-18 CA CA002453697A patent/CA2453697C/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 2003-12-18 US US10/738,089 patent/US20050134102A1/en not_active Abandoned
Cited By (9)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US7914670B2 (en) | 2004-01-09 | 2011-03-29 | Suncor Energy Inc. | Bituminous froth inline steam injection processing |
| US8685210B2 (en) | 2004-01-09 | 2014-04-01 | Suncor Energy Inc. | Bituminous froth inline steam injection processing |
| US7677397B2 (en) | 2004-07-30 | 2010-03-16 | Suncor Energy Inc. | Sizing roller screen ore processing apparatus |
| US8136672B2 (en) | 2004-07-30 | 2012-03-20 | Suncor Energy, Inc. | Sizing roller screen ore processing apparatus |
| US8851293B2 (en) | 2004-07-30 | 2014-10-07 | Suncor Energy, Inc. | Sizing roller screen ore processing apparatus |
| US8393561B2 (en) | 2005-11-09 | 2013-03-12 | Suncor Energy Inc. | Method and apparatus for creating a slurry |
| US9016799B2 (en) | 2005-11-09 | 2015-04-28 | Suncor Energy, Inc. | Mobile oil sands mining system |
| US8328126B2 (en) | 2008-09-18 | 2012-12-11 | Suncor Energy, Inc. | Method and apparatus for processing an ore feed |
| US8622326B2 (en) | 2008-09-18 | 2014-01-07 | Suncor Energy, Inc. | Method and apparatus for processing an ore feed |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| CA2453697A1 (en) | 2005-06-18 |
| US20050134102A1 (en) | 2005-06-23 |
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