Method to extract bitumen from oil sands using aromatic amines

Abstract

The present invention relates to an improved bitumen recovery process from oil sands. The oil sands may be surface mined and transported to a treatment area or may be treated directly by means of an in situ process of oil sand deposits that are located too deep for strip mining. Specifically, the present invention involves the step of treating oil sands with an aromatic amine.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A bitumen recovery process comprising the step of treating oil sands with an aromatic amine wherein the treatment is to oil sands recovered by surface mining or in situ production. 
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the aromatic amine is described by the following structure:
   R 1 R 2 R 3 N 
 wherein R 1  and R 2  are independently —H, -AL where -AL is an unsubstituted C 1  to C 20  alkyl group, a C 6  to C 12  aromatically substituted C 1  to C 20  alkyl group, or combination thereof, wherein -AL may contain one or more of a —COOR 4  where R 4  is —H, alkyl, aryl or alkylaryl, CN, —CHO, —NR 5 R 6  group where R 5  and R 6  are independently H, alkyl or aryl, —OH group, —O— group, —S— group, —N— group, —Cl, —Br, —F, or R 1  and R 2  may form an unsubstituted or substituted imine, or R 1  and R 2  may form a 5 to 7 atom saturated or unsaturated cyclic moiety wherein there may be one or more carbon atom, oxygen atom, nitrogen atom, or sulfur atom 
 and 
 R 3  is —H or -AR where -AR is an unsubstituted C 1  to C 20  alkyl group, an unsubstituted C 6  to C 14  aromatic group, or a C 1  to C 20  alkyl group substituted with one or more C 6  to C 14  aromatic group, or a C 6  to C 14  aromatic group substituted with one or more C 1  to C 20  alkyl group, or a C 6  to C 14  aromatic group substituted with one or more C 1  to C 20  alkyl group and/or one or more C 6  to C 14  aromatic group, wherein -AR may contain one or more of a —COOR 4  where R 4  is —H, alkyl, aryl or alkylaryl, CN, —CHO, —NR 5 R 6  group where R 5  and R 6  are independently —H, alkyl or aryl, —OH group, —O— group, —S— group, —N— group, —Cl, —Br, —F, or R 1 , R 2  and R 3  may form a 5 to 7 atom saturated or unsaturated cyclic moiety wherein there may be one or more carbon atom, oxygen atom, nitrogen atom, or sulfur atom. 
 
     
     
         3 . The bitumen recovery process of  claim 1  by surface mining comprising the steps of:
 i) surface mining oil sands, 
 ii) preparing an aqueous slurry of the oil sands, 
 iii) treating the aqueous slurry with the aromatic amine, 
 iv) agitating the treated aqueous slurry, 
 v) transferring the agitated treated aqueous slurry to a separation tank, 
 and 
 vi) separating the bitumen from the aqueous portion. 
 
     
     
         4 . The bitumen recovery process of  claim 3  wherein the aromatic amine is present in the aqueous slurry in an amount of from 0.01 to 10 weight percent based on the weight of the oil sands. 
     
     
         5 . The bitumen recovery process of  claim 1  by in situ production comprising the steps of:
 i) treating a subterranean reservoir of oil sands by injecting hot water and/or steam containing the aromatic amine into a well, 
 and 
 ii) recovering the bitumen from the well. 
 
     
     
         6 . The bitumen recovery process of  claim 5  wherein the concentration of the aromatic amine in the steam is in an amount of from 100 ppm to 10 weight percent. 
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 1  wherein amine is selected from 2,4,6-trimethylaniline, N-benzyl-2-phenethylamine, N-butylbenzylamine, dibenzylamine, 2-aminobiphenyl, aminodiphenylmethane, aniline, 2-phenoxyaniline, 9,10-diaminophenanthrene, 1-amino-2-methylnaphthalene, N,N-bis(salicylidene)ethylenediamine, N-phenyl-o-phenylenediamine, 2,4,6-tri-tert-butylaniline, N-phenylglycine, 3,5-di-tert-butylaniline, -1,1′-binaphthyl-2,2′-diamine, 4′-aminobenzo-15-crown 5-ether, α-methylbenzylamine, 4-(dimethylamino)phenylacetic acid, N-benzyl-ethylenediamine, N-methylphenethylamine, 1,2-diphenylethylenediamine, tritylamine, N-phenylethylenediamine, pyridine, toluidine, anisidine, methylaniline, diphenylamine, halogen substitution of aromatic amines, indole, indoline, quinoline, 1-amino-4-alkylaminobenzene, 1,4-diaminobenzene, imidazole, benzimidazole, benzotriazole, pyrrole, or 4-dimethylaminopyridine.