Clay minerals in nonaqueous extraction of bitumen from Alberta oil sands

Analytical Electron Microscopy of Carbon-Rich Mineral Aggregates in Solvent-Diluted Bitumen Products from Mined Alberta Oil Sands

“…17 Naturally oleophilic or hydrophobic minerals, for instance iron oxides, have also been found in solvent-diluted bitumen products from solvent extraction of Alberta oil sands. 24,25 The carbon present in contaminant solids within coker-feed bitumen from oil sands operations has previously been assigned to aromatic polar organic matter derived from humic and asphaltene-like substances. 23,26 These studies were based on surface science analytical tools such as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy (ToF-SIMS).…”

Molecule–Surface Recognition between Heterocyclic Aromatic Compounds and Kaolinite in Toluene Investigated by Molecular Theory of Solvation and Thermodynamic and Kinetic Experiments

“…1−3 Current mining operations based on the hot water flotation method for extraction of bitumen from oil sands developed by Karl Clark face challenges related to high energy cost and large carbon footprint, 1,3,4 and require a net intake of 2−4.5 barrels of fresh water from the Athabasca river to produce a barrel of oil. 5 Due to water resource limitations, significant increase in the oil production is not feasible by aqueous extraction alone. 6 Nonaqueous bitumen extraction is an important alternative to hot water flotation.…”

“…5 Due to water resource limitations, significant increase in the oil production is not feasible by aqueous extraction alone. 6 Nonaqueous bitumen extraction is an important alternative to hot water flotation. Several approaches for extraction of bitumen using critical/ supercritical CO 2 , 7 ionic liquids at close to ambient conditions, 8 organic solvents, 5,9,10 as well as hybrid aqueous-nonaqueous processes 11 have been tested at small scale.…”

“…6 Nonaqueous bitumen extraction is an important alternative to hot water flotation. Several approaches for extraction of bitumen using critical/ supercritical CO 2 , 7 ionic liquids at close to ambient conditions, 8 organic solvents, 5,9,10 as well as hybrid aqueous-nonaqueous processes 11 have been tested at small scale. 5,12 Although the results are encouraging, nonaqueous extraction has not yet been used commercially for bitumen extraction mainly due to poor solvent recovery.…”

“…5,12 Although the results are encouraging, nonaqueous extraction has not yet been used commercially for bitumen extraction mainly due to poor solvent recovery. 5 A thorough understanding of the complex bitumen−clay interactions is the key to sustainable development of this unconventional natural resource. Oil Sands bitumen contains large amounts of impurities, including S, N, O, Ni, and V. 13 These contaminants are mainly present as part of heterocyclic aromatic compounds (HAC) and metalloporphyrin moieties incorporated into large asphaltene molecules in bitumen.…”