Field upgrading of heavy oil and bitumen
US6357526B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 16, 2000 |
| Grant date | Mar 19, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 16, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
- CPC primaryC10G21/003
- WIPO fieldBasic materials chemistry
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A process and system which integrates on-site heavy oil or bitumen upgrading and energy recovery for steam production with steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) production of the heavy oil or bitumen. The heavy oil or bitumen produced by SAGD is flashed to remove the gas oil fraction, and the residue is solvent deasphalted to obtain deasphalted oil, which is mixed with the gas oil fraction to form a pumpable synthetic crude. The synthetic crude has an improvement of 4-5 degrees of API and lower in sulfur, nitrogen and metal compounds. The synthetic crude is not only more valuable than the heavy oil or bitumen, but also has substantial economic advantage of reducing the diluent requirement since it has lower viscosity than the heavy oil or bitumen. The asphaltenes, following an optional pelletizing and/or slurrying step, are used as a fuel for combustion in boilers near the steam injection wells for injection into the heavy oil or bitumen reservoir. This eliminates the need for natural gas or other fuel to produce steam at reservoir location and thus improves the economics of the heavy oil or bitumen production substantially. Alternatively, the asphaltenes are used as a feedstock f…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.