Systems and methods for recovering hydrocarbons

Abstract

A method for recovering hydrocarbons from an aqueous hydrocarbonaceous slurry comprises pumping a mixture of the slurry and an oxidizing agent through a conduit, wherein the conduit comprises a plurality of stationary interior projections defining a non-linear path through the conduit, and thereby agitating the mixture to release the hydrocarbons from the slurry; and separating the hydrocarbons from the slurry.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for recovering hydrocarbons from an aqueous hydrocarbonaceous slurry, the method comprising:
 pumping a mixture of the slurry and an oxidizing agent through a conduit, wherein the conduit comprises a plurality of stationary interior projections defining a non-linear path through the conduit, and thereby agitating the mixture to release the hydrocarbons from the slurry; and   separating the hydrocarbons from the slurry.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising mixing the slurry and the oxidizing agent together in a reactor to form the mixture, prior to pumping the mixture through the conduit. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising heating the mixture to a temperature of from about 50° C. to about 100° C. in the reactor. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the temperature is about 85° C. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising treating the mixture with a pH-correcting agent selected from the group consisting of calcium oxide, calcium hydroxide, calcium carbonate, hydrochloric acid, carbon dioxide, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising agitating and heating the hydrocarbonaceous slurry in a slurry hopper to a temperature of from about 50° C. to about 90° C. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein particles in the hydrocarbonaceous slurry have a diameter of less than about 2 mm. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising mixing water with a hydrocarbonaceous feedstock to produce the hydrocarbonaceous slurry, wherein the water and feedstock are mixed in a weight proportion of water to feedstock solids of from about 2:1 to about 1:1. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein negligible froth is produced in the conduit. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the projections are baffles that project into the bore of the conduit from alternating walls of the conduit. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the oxidizing agent is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen peroxide, potassium permanganate, sodium peroxide, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the oxidizing agent is used in an amount of between about 0.1% to about 10% in water phase by weight. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the conduit is parallel to the ground. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising separating remaining solids from the hydrocarbonaceous slurry, wherein the solids comprise less than about 1% hydrocarbons. 
     
     
         15 . A method for recovering hydrocarbons from an aqueous hydrocarbonaceous slurry, the method comprising:
 mixing the slurry with an oxidizing agent at a temperature of from about 80° C. to about 100° C. to form a mixture and thereby release the hydrocarbons from the slurry; and   separating the hydrocarbons from the slurry.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising pumping the mixture through a conduit, wherein the conduit comprises a plurality of stationary interior projections defining a non-linear path through the conduit, and thereby agitating the mixture to release the hydrocarbons from the slurry. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising mixing the slurry and the oxidizing agent together in a reactor to form the mixture, prior to pumping the mixture through the conduit.