METHOD FOR RECOVERING OIL AND TAILINGS FROM MINERAL, ROCK, OR SHALE

PROCEDE DE RECUPERATION DE PETROLE ET DE RESIDUS DE MINERAI, ROCHE OU SCHISTE

English Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for recovering oil and tailing from
a raw
material such as shale, sand, and a rock, each of which contains oil. The raw
material is
heated in a fluidized bed, and heat from the fluidized bed is utilized for
heating an
additional raw material in at least three retorts to produce oil and tailings.

French Abstract

La présente invention porte sur une méthode de récupération du pétrole et des résidus dans des matériaux bruts tels que du schiste, du sable et de la roche, qui contiennent tous du pétrole. Le matériau brut est chauffé dans un lit fluidisé et la chaleur provenant du lit fluidisé est utilisée pour chauffer un matériau brut supplémentaire, dans au moins trois cuves-foyers, pour produire du pétrole et des résidus.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege
is
claimed are defined as follows:
1. A method for recovering an oil and tailings from a raw material,
comprising:
heating the raw material in a fluidized bed at a temperature of 800-950
°C to
produce a flue gas and an ash from the raw material;
heating a first retort and a second retort with the flue gas from the
fluidized bed;
feeding an additional raw material into the first retort;
heating the additional raw material in the first retort with a first
combustor;
transferring the additional raw material from the first retort to the second
retort
through a connecter between the first retort and the second retort;
heating the additional raw material in the second retort with a second
combustor;
collecting an oil and a non-condensed gas from the additional raw material in
the
first retort and the second retort in an oil condenser;
transferring a residue derived from the additional raw material in the second
retort
from the second retort to a third retort through a connecter between the
second retort and
the third retort;
heating the third retort with the ash from the fluidized bed;
feeding a further additional raw material into the third retort;
collecting an oil and a non-condensed gas from the further additional raw
material
in the third retort in the oil condenser;
transferring a heat of a residue derived from the further additional raw
material in
the third retort to the fluidized bed via a heat exchanger; and
collecting tailings from the residue in the third retort;
8

wherein the flue gas from the fluidized bed is used for heating the additional
raw
materials in the first retort and the second retort, and the ash from the
fluidized bed and the
residue from the second retort are used for heating the further additional raw
material in the
third retort.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein a heat of the flue gas is
transferred from
the fluidized bed to the first retort and the second retort; a heat of the ash
is transferred from
the fluidized bed to the third retort; and a heat from the third retort is
recycled in the
fluidized bed continuously.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein a heat of the flue gas is
transferred from
the fluidized bed to the first retort and the second retort, and an additional
heat is obtained
from the first combustor and the second combustor.
4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the raw materials are heated in
the first,
second, and third retorts to collect the oil in the oil condenser, and an
exhaust gas is
expelled from the retorts through a chimney having a cyclone filter.
5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the raw materials are: sand
that contains
oil; rock that contains oil; shale that contains oil; or any combination
thereof.
6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the raw materials are oil sand
or oil shale
with a particle size of 2 mm to 50 mm.
9

Description

CA 02866968 2015-06-01
METHOD FOR RECOVERING OIL AND TAILINGS
FROM MINERAL, ROCK, OR SHALE
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to a process for recovering oil and tailings
from
mineral, rock or shale. In particular, this invention uses a fluidized bed and
at least three
retorts for the process.
Background Art
[0002] Indonesia has a potential for its natural resources and especially
the mines
such as coal, asphalt sand, and oil shale. These materials are processed to
manufacture
various products, and many industries need these materials for various
purposes.
[0003] With the advancement of technology, a lot of industries have been
engaged in processing asphalt, rocks, and sand containing oil for a wide range
of
products. However, there has been a problem found in treatment processes of
those raw
materials, particularly in processing sand, rock or shale that contains oil.
For example, a
dry distillation or a retort, which utilizes heat, has a problem with less
efficiency when
processing the raw material. A better solution for recovering oil from sand,
rocks and
shale has always been desired.
Brief Summary of the Invention
[0004] One embodiment of the present invention uses a fluidized bed and at
least
three retorts to achieve a maximal and efficient outcome. In this embodiment
of the
1

CA 02866968 2015-06-01
present invention, at least three retorts are used for recovering oil and
tailings from a raw
material such as a mineral, rock, or shale.
[0005] One embodiment of this invention relates to a method for
recovering oil
and tailings from raw material such as rocks, shale, and sand that contain
oil, including:
heating the raw material in a fluidized bed at a temperature of 800-950 C to
produce a flue gas and an ash from the raw material;
heating a first retort and a second retort with the flue gas from the
fluidized bed;
feeding an additional raw material into the first retort;
heating the additional raw material in the first retort with a first
combustor;
transferring the additional raw material from the first retort to the second
retort
through a connecter between the first retort and the second retort;
heating the additional raw material in the second retort with a second
combustor;
collecting an oil and a non-condensed gas from the additional raw material in
the
first retort and the second retort in an oil condenser;
transferring a residue derived from the additional raw material in the second
retort
from the second retort to a third retort through a connecter between the
second retort and
the third retort;
heating the third retort with the ash from the fluidized bed;
feeding a further additional raw material into the third retort;
collecting an oil and a non-condensed gas from the further additional raw
material
in the third retort in the oil condenser;
transferring a heat of a residue derived from the further additional raw
material in
the third retort to the fluidized bed via a heat exchanger; and
2

CA 02866968 2015-09-21
collecting tailings from the residue in the third retort.
[0006] The flue gas from the fluidized bed is used for heating the
additional raw
materials in the first retort and the second retort, and the ash from the
fluidized bed and
the residue from the second retort are used for heating the further additional
raw material
in the third retort.
[0007] In one embodiment, heat at the fluidized bed is transferred to the
first
retort and the second retort; the heated ash is transferred from the fluidized
bed to the
third retort; and a heat steam from the third retort is recycled into the
fluidized bed
continuously.
[0008] In one embodiment, heat at the fluidized bed is transferred to the
first
retort and the second retort, and additional heat is obtained from the
first combustor
and the second combustor.
[0009] In one embodiment, the raw materials are heated in the first,
second, and
third retorts to transfer the oil into the oil condenser, and an exhaust gas
is expelled from
the retorts through a chimney having a cyclone filter.
[0010] In one embodiment, the raw materials are selected from the group
consisting of a shale, sand, and rocks, each of which contains oil.
[0011] In one embodiment, the raw materials are oil sand or oil shale
with a
particle size of 2 mm to 50 mm.
[0012] One embodiment of this invention relates to a process for
recovering oil
and tailings from a raw material such as rocks, sands or shale that contain
oil. The
process includes transferring a heated gas from a fluidized bed into a first
retort and a
second retort.
3

CA 02866968 2015-09-21
The raw material is inserted into the fluidized bed and (is blown by air, so
that there will
be fluidization and raw oil sand) is in touch with air, and then combustion
occurs.
[0013] In one embodiment, the raw material is heated in the first and
second
retorts. A combuster can be utilized for efficiently heating the raw material
in at least one
of the retorts. The maximum heat in the retort can last for 1 hour.
[0014] Also, a chimney can be included in the process. The chimney can
include
a filter or cyclone to separate environmentally friendly air from exhaust gas
of the retorts.
From the first and second retorts, the hot gas can be channeled back to the
cyclone to
clean the gas from the dust particles that are still carried before the gas is
disposed of to
the environment, meanwhile the dust as a result of the cyclone separation
(lower part) is
disposed of. The exhaust gas may include vapor.
[0015] The oil is produced as the retort process product. The resulting
condensed
gas can also be used for a power plant with a gas generator. The oil may still
contain
water which can be separated by a separator utilizing a deposition or other
separation
processes. The first and second retorts produce sediments in the form of
residue that is
also called tailings which have high heat. The residue is passed into a third
retort through
a connector such as a pipe between the second retort and the third retort. An
additional
raw material and hot ashes generated from the fluidized bed are also inserted
into the
third retort. The third retort supplies oil to the oil condenser. Tailings
from the third retort
have heat which can be utilized for a heating boiler and/or flowed back to the
fluidized
bed, while the tailings are transferred into a reservoir or container. The
first and second
retorts produce oil, and the third retort produces oil and tailings. The
tailings can be used
as an alternative material for construction.
4

CA 02866968 2015-09-21
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0016] Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating one embodiment of the oil and
tailing
recovery process using a fluidized bed and three retorts.
Detailed Description of the Invention
[0017] The preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated
in Figure
1.
[0018] Figure 1 shows one embodiment of the oil and tailing recovery
process
using a fluidized bed 1 and three retorts 2, 3, and 4. The fluidized bed 1 can
be elongated
vertically or horizontally. Raw oil sand 7 or oil shale is introduced in the
fluidized bed 1.
The fluidized bed 1 heats the raw oil sand 7 or oil shale at 800-950 C to
produce flue gas
9 and hot ash 13. Air 8 is supplied to the fluidized bed 1. The fluidized bed
1 includes a
heat source such as a fire gun or burner. The raw oil sand 7 or oil shale can
be entered
into the fluidized bed 1 after the heat is generated in the fluidized bed 1.
[0019] The flue gas 9 is subsequently transferred from the fluidized bed
1 to the
retorts 2 and 3. The retort 2 includes raw material which is raw oil sand 7 or
oil shale.
The retorts 2 and 3 can be a drum dryer or rotary mixer with a single- and
double screw
or other form that can heat up a raw material. In the retorts 2 and 3, the raw
oil sand 7 or
oil shale is heated to transfer oil to an oil condenser 5 to collect oil 14.
The flue gas 9
from the fluidized bed 1 is utilized for heating the raw oil sand 7 or oil
shale. Other gases

CA 02866968 2015-09-21
can also be entered through combustors 10 to increase heating temperature in
addition to
the flue gas 9 from the fluidized bed 1 with a certain ratio such as 1:2 and
1:3. The oil 14
is a product from the raw material. When collecting the oil 14 in the oil
condenser 5, a
non-condensable gas 11 is obtained as a side product.
[0020] The raw oil sand 7 or oil shale and/or hot residues after heating
the raw oil
sand 7 or oil shale are transferred from the retort 2 to the retort 3, and
then from the retort
3 to the retort 4. By including raw oil sand 7 or oil shale in the retort 4,
the retort 4 can
produce oil. Since the residues of the retorts 2 and 3 have high temperature
and the hot
ash 13 with a temperature of 600-700 C is transferred from the fluidized bed
1 to the
retort 4, the raw oil sand 7 or oil shale is heated in the retort 4. The ash
13 (tailing or
combustion residual ash) that is still hot as a result of the combustion in
the fluidized bed
1 can be directly mixed with the raw oil sand 7 or oil shale in the retort 4.
After reaching
a sufficient temperature in the retort 4, the oil is transferred to the oil
condenser 5 to
collect the oil 14 and the non-condensable gas 11. Residues from the retort 4
are flowed
through a heat exchanger 15 to transfer heat to a boiler 18 and/or the
fluidized bed 1. The
residues are put in a container in the form of coke or tailings 17. The
container can
contain water 16.
[0021] The retorts 2 and 3 produce the oil, and the retort 4 produces the
oil and
the tailings 17.
[0022] The oil may exit from the retort 2, the retort 3, and the retort 4
as vapor,
and will be channeled to the condenser 5 through at least one vapor pipe. The
condenser
can function as a cooler to change the oil vapor to liquid oil. The tailings
17 from the
retort 4 can be used as an alternative material for construction.
6

CA 02866968 2015-09-21
[0023] A chimney is used for expelling an exhaust gas. The exhaust gas is
filtered
by a cyclone 6 in the chimney so that a released gas is environmentally
friendly. Ash 12
is separated from the exhaust gas. In one embodiment, the cyclone is connected
with the
fluidized bed 1 that produces hot flue gas 9, the hot flue gas 9 is channeled
to heat the
retort 2 and the retort 3, and then channeled back to the cyclone to clean the
gas from
dust before being disposed of to the environment.
[0024] The fluidized bed 1 generates the flue gas 9 with a high
temperature and
the hot ash 13. The fluidized bed 1 utilizes the raw oil sand 7 or oil shale
to produce heat.
The retorts 2, 3, and 4 produce oil by utilizing the heat from the fluidized
bed 1. In the
retort 4, the raw oil sand 7 or oil shale can be mixed with the residues from
the retorts 2
and 3 and/or a gas from outside at a temperature of 600 C.
[0025] The raw oil sand 7 or oil shale are inserted into the fluidized
bed 1, the
retort 2, and retort 4, respectively. The process can efficiently utilize the
heat by
obtaining the heat from the heat flux using a heat exchanger 15. The raw oil
sand 7 or oil
shale used in the process preferably have a diameter of 2 mm up to 50 mm.
However, the
oil sand or oil shale can have any size which can be introduced in the
fluidized bed 1 and
the retorts 2, 3, 4. The process can utilize several retorts, but three
retorts are preferably
utilized in combination with one fluidized bed.
[0026] The scope of the claims should not be limited by the preferred
embodiments set forth in the examples, but should be given the broadest
interpretation
consistent with the description as a whole.
7

Representative Drawing