Topic
Dilbit
About: Dilbit is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 127 publications have been published within this topic receiving 1875 citations.
Papers published on a yearly basis
Papers
Patent•
KBR1
TL;DR: In this article, the authors proposed 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 and bitumen.
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 for gasification to produce injection steam, synthesis gas. The CO2 could be used as additive with injection steam to enhance the performance of SAGD and the hydrogen could be exported to nearby processing facility. The invention upgrades the heavy oil or bitumen to a synthetic crude of improved value that can be pipelined with reduced amount of diluent, while at the same time using the asphaltene fraction of the residue for combustion to fulfill the energy requirements for generating injection steam for SAGD.
270 citations
TL;DR: In this article, it was shown that the organic rich solids (ORS) content of an ore appears to be a better predictor for ore processability than the traditional use of bitumen or fines (−44 μm) contents.
118 citations
Patent•
2 Mar 2006
TL;DR: In this article, the authors proposed a method for diluting a bitumen source, such as bitumen froth from a hot water extraction process, with a hydrocarbon diluent such as naphtha, contacting the bitumen with a zone settling aid such as a polyoxyalkylate block polymer, flocculating water and fine solids in the diluted bitumen, separating the flocculated water from the solvent-diluted bitumen.
Abstract: A method includes diluting a bitumen source, such a bitumen froth from a hot water extraction process, with a hydrocarbon diluent such as naphtha, contacting the bitumen with a zone settling aid such as a polyoxyalkylate block polymer, flocculating water and fine solids in the diluted bitumen, separating the flocculated water and fine solids from the solvent-diluted bitumen, and producing dry, clean diluted bitumen. Preferably, the diluted bitumen will have less than 1.0 wt % water, but most preferably less than 0.7 wt % water. The method may further comprise maintaining the diluted bitumen under conditions that avoid the precipitation of asphaltenes from the bitumen, preferably such that the dry, clean diluted bitumen comprises essentially all, such as greater than 96%, of the asphaltene content from the bitumen source. Counter-current flow may be performed in a series of zone settling stages, such as with gravity settling.
109 citations
TL;DR: Improved data obtained from operating oil sands projects are used to present ranges of emissions that overlap with emissions in literature for conventional crude oil, and an increased focus is recommended in policy discussions on understanding interproject variability of emissions of both oil sands and conventional crudes.
Abstract: Life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with two major recovery and extraction processes currently utilized in Alberta’s oil sands, surface mining and in situ, are quantified. Process modules are developed and integrated into a life cycle model-GHOST (GreenHouse gas emissions of current Oil Sands Technologies) developed in prior work. Recovery and extraction of bitumen through surface mining and in situ processes result in 3–9 and 9–16 g CO2eq/MJ bitumen, respectively; upgrading emissions are an additional 6–17 g CO2eq/MJ synthetic crude oil (SCO) (all results are on a HHV basis). Although a high degree of variability exists in well-to-wheel emissions due to differences in technologies employed, operating conditions, and product characteristics, the surface mining dilbit and the in situ SCO pathways have the lowest and highest emissions, 88 and 120 g CO2eq/MJ reformulated gasoline. Through the use of improved data obtained from operating oil sands projects, we present ranges of emissions that...
89 citations
TL;DR: The results suggest that the toxicity of dilbit to a model fish is less than or similar to that of conventional crudes.
Abstract: To facilitate pipeline transport of bitumen, it is diluted with natural gas condensate, and the resulting mixture, “dilbit”, differs greatly in chemical composition to conventional crude oil Despite the risk of accidental dilbit release, the effects of dilbit on aquatic animals are largely unknown In this study, we compared the toxicity of water accommodated fractions (WAFs) of dilbit and two conventional crude oils, medium sour composite and mixed sweet blend, to developing zebrafish Mortality and pericardial edema was lowest in dilbit WAF-exposed embryonic zebrafish but yolk sac edema was similar in all exposures Shelter-seeking behavior was decreased by dilbit and conventional crude WAF exposures, and continuous swimming behavior was affected by all tested WAF exposures Regardless of WAF type, monoaromatic hydrocarbon content (largely made up of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX)) was a more accurate predictor of lethality and pericardial edema than polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (
86 citations
Related Topics (5)
Performance Metrics
| Year | Papers |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2021 | 15 |
| 2020 | 12 |
| 2019 | 9 |
| 2018 | 14 |
| 2017 | 18 |