Systems and methods for using gas to liquids (gtl) technology

Abstract

Systems and methods for using different output from gas to liquids (GTL) plants are described.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of using output from a gas to liquids (GTL) plant for processing bitumen from oil sands, wherein the GTL output comprises at least one of a Fischer-Tropsch liquid fuel (FTL) used as a diluent for the bitumen, water used to produce steam for extracting the bitumen from the oil sands, process heat used to heat water to produce steam for extracting the bitumen from the oil sands, and short chain hydrocarbons used to produce energy for extracting the bitumen from the oil sands. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the GTL output comprises FTL used as a diluent for the bitumen. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the FTL diluent is used to reduce the viscosity of the bitumen for removing water associated with extracting the bitumen from the oil sands. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the FTL diluent is added to the bitumen to form a bitumen blend having a viscosity that is reduced relative to the bitumen alone and that meets a predetermined standard for shipping. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the shipping is by pipeline. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the shipping is by rail tank car. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the shipping is by tanker truck. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the viscosity of the bitumen blend is about 350 centistokes at 11° C. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the GTL plant is located proximal to a steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) facility. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the GTL output comprises water used to produce steam for extracting the bitumen from the oil sands using SAGD. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the GTL output comprises process heat used to heat water to produce steam for extracting the bitumen from the oil sands using SAGD. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the GTL output comprises short chain hydrocarbons used to produce energy for extracting the bitumen from the oil sands using SAGD. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the GTL output comprises short chain hydrocarbons shipped from the GTL plant to a remote SAGD facility, for use in producing energy for extracting the bitumen from the oil sands. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the GTL plant uses natural gas a feedstock. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the natural gas feedstock is from a geological source local to the GTL plant. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the natural gas feedstock comprises stranded gas. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the natural gas feedstock comprises pipeline gas. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the GTL plant is located proximal to the site where the bitumen is extracted. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the GTL plant is remote and the FTL is shipped to the site where the bitumen is extracted. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the GTL plant is located proximal to the site where the FTL is added to the bitumen. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the GTL plant is remote and the FTL is shipped to a separate site where it is added to the bitumen. 
     
     
         22 . A bitumen blend comprising bitumen and a diluent comprising a Fischer-Tropsch liquid fuel (FTL), the bitumen and the FTL combined in proportions such that the resulting blend has a viscosity that meets a predetermined standard for shipping. 
     
     
         23 . A combined GTL-SAGD system for processing bitumen from oil sands, comprising a GTL plant and a SAGD facility located proximal to one another, wherein at least one output from the GTL plant is used as an input resource for SAGD, and wherein the at least one GTL output comprises at least one of water used to produce steam for extracting the bitumen from the oil sands, process heat used to heat water to produce steam for extracting the bitumen from the oil sands, and short chain hydrocarbons used to produce energy for extracting the bitumen from the oil sands. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the GTL plant and the SAGD facility are located at the same site. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the GTL plant and the SAGD facility are located at separate sites less than about 50 miles from one another.