Bitumen recovery process

Abstract

1 . A bitumen recovery process where the process includes the following steps: a) Drilling a single well into a bitumen deposit; b) Equipping the well with a heating element, a solvent injecting member, and a bitumen recovering member; c) Injecting the well with a solvent; d) Heating the solvent with the heating element to a vapor state; e) Mixing the solvent vapour with bitumen in the deposit; f) Draining the bitumen to the bottom of the well; g) Heating the bitumen to keep its viscosity low; h) Evaporating part of solvent entrapped in the bitumen by the heating element; i) Recovering the bitumen and traces of water from the well; j) Condensing the solvent inside the well for further mixing with the bitumen in the deposit; k) Repeating steps h through j, where the majority of the solvent does not leave the well during the process.

1 . A bitumen recovery process comprising the following steps:
 a) Drilling a single well into a bitumen deposit;   b) Equipping said well with a heating element, a solvent injecting member, and a bitumen recovering member;   c) Injecting said well with a solvent having a low flash point through said solvent injecting member;   d) Heating said solvent with the said heating element to a vapor state while keeping the temperature and pressure in the well at a predetermined condition;   e) Mixing said solvent vapour with bitumen in the deposit thus reducing said bitumen viscosity;   f) Draining said bitumen to the bottom of the well proximate the heating element;   g) Heating the bitumen to keep its viscosity low, enabling recovery of the bitumen by bitumen recovering member;   h) Evaporating at least part of solvent entrapped in the bitumen at the bottom of the well by the heating element;   i) Recovering said bitumen and traces of water from the well by said bitumen recovering member;   j) Condensing said solvent inside the well for further mixing with the bitumen in the deposit;   k) Repeating steps h through j, wherein the majority of said solvent does not leave the well during the bitumen recovery process.   
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the heating element utilizes electricity, steam, or a hot fluid circulating through the well. 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 2  where said electricity, steam, or hot fluid circulate through the well in a tube. 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 3  where the tube is insulated or partially insulated. 
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 2  where the electricity, steam, or hot fluid are reheated at the surface. 
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 2  where the electricity, steam, or hot fluid are reheated in the bore of the well. 
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the solvent is pure light hydrocarbon solvent. 
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 6  where the pure hydrocarbon solvent comprises propane, butane (normal, iso & mixed), pentane (normal, iso & mixed), or hexane (normal, iso & mixed). 
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the solvent is a mixed solvent with composition from C3 to C8. 
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the solvent is a mixed solvent with composition from C5 to C7. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claims 8  and  9  where the solvent composition is a heavier C7 in the initial recovery process and is progressively replaced with lighter hydrocarbons as the process continues. 
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 1  wherein there is steam injected into the well along with the solvent. 
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the produced fluids recovered from the well are primarily bitumen or heavy oil with a small amount of miscible contained solvent and some connate water. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9  where the solvent composition is a heavier C7 in the initial recovery process and is progressively replaced with lighter hydrocarbons as the process continues.