Demulsification of bitumen emulsions

• US 4,405,015 A
• Filed: 12/02/1981
• Issued: 09/20/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Texaco Incorporated (Chevron Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Texaco Incorporated (Chevron Corp.)
• Inventors: McEntire, Edward E., Gipson, Robert M., McCoy, David R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Novosad, Stephen J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Suchfield, George A.
• Application Number:
  US06/326,461
• Time in Patent Office: 657 Days
• Field of Search: 252/331, 252/341, 252/344, 252/358, 208/188, 208/11 LE, 208/11 R, 210/708, 166/266, 166/267, 166/272, 166/303
• US Class Current: 166/267
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 17/047 with separation aids
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/54 using organic material
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/592 Compositions used in combination with generated heat, e.g. by steam injection
• CPC Class Codes: C10C 3/007 winning and separation of asphalt from mixtures with aggregates, fillers and other products, e.g. winning from natural asphalt and regeneration of waste asphalt
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 33/04 with chemical means
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/24 using heat, e.g. steam injection
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/40 Separation associated with re-injection of separated materials E21B43/385 takes precedence

Abstract

A process for recovering bitumen from oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions is disclosed wherein water soluble demulsifiers are used. These demulsifiers are salts of polymers and/or co-polymers of specific cationic monomers. To resolve the bituminous petroleum emulsions, the process is carried out between 25° and 160° C. wherein the demulsifier of the invention is contacted with the bituminous emulsion.

Claims

1. A process for recovering petroleum from oil-in-water bitumen emulsions by demulsifying said emulsions by adding thereto demulsifiers comprising hompolymers or co-polymers of greater than about 2,000 molecular weight of monomers having the general structure ##STR8## where R=H or lower alkyl, X=NH or 0, n>

1, R₁ and R₂ are hydrogen or alkyl wherein the homopolymer and/or co-polymer is in the salt form and monomers of the above structure comprise greater than 50% of the total co-polymer where a co-polymer is used.

2. A process as in claim 1 wherein the demulsifier is a homopolymer.

3. A process as in claim 1 wherein the demulsifier is a co-polymer.

4. A process for recovering petroleum from O/W bitumen emulsions by demulsifying said emulsions by adding thereto demulsifiers comprising homopolymers or co-polymers of greater than about 2,000 molecular weight of monomers having the general structure ##STR9## where R, R₁ and R₂ are all CH₃, X=NH and n=3 wherein the homopolymer and/or co-polymer is in the salt form and monomers of the above structure comprise greater than 50% of the total co-polymer where a copolymer is used.

5. A process as in claim 4 where the demulsifier is a homopolymer.

6. A process as in claim 4 wherein the demulsifier is a co-polymer.

7. A process for recovering petroleum from O/W bitumen emulsions by demulsifying said emulsions by adding thereto demulsifiers comprising homopolymers or co-polymers of greater than about 2,000 molecular weight of monomers having the general structure ##STR10## where R₁ and R₂ =CH₃, X=0, and n=1 wherein the homopolymer and/or co-polymer is in the salt form and monomers of the above structure comprise greater than 50% of the total co-polymer where a co-polymer is used.

8. A process as in claim 7 wherein the demulsifier is a homopolymer.

9. A process as in claim 7 wherein the demulsifier is a co-polymer.

10. A process for recovering bitumen from a tar sand formation comprising

injecting into the tar sand a fluid containing hot water and/or steam in order to emulsify the bitumen in the tar sand,

recovering the emulsified bitumen,

demulsifying said emulsions by adding thereto demulsifiers comprising homopolymers or co-polymers of greater than about 2,000 molecular weight of monomers having the general structure ##STR11## where R=H or lower alkyl, X=NH or 0, n>

1, R₁ and R₂ are hydrogen or alkyl wherein the homopolymer and/or co-polymer is in the salt form and monomers of the above structure comprise greater than 50% of the total co-polymer where a co-polymer is used,

converting the salts of the polymers or co-polymers into inactive polymers or co-polymers by pH adjustment of the aqueous phase of the broken emulsion, and

reinjecting the aqueous phase into a bitumen containing formation to recover additional bitumen.