James Hanson

US Patent:

7909989, Mar 22, 2011

Filed:

Oct 12, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/249234

Inventors:

Willem P. C. Duyvesteyn - Reno NV, US
Raymond L. Morley - Sparks NV, US
James S. Hanson - Berkeley CA, US

Assignee:

Marathon Oil Canada Corporation - Calgary, Alberta

International Classification:

C10G 1/04

US Classification:

208390, 208 45

Abstract:

A method and a system for obtaining bitumen from tar sand are disclosed. The disclosed method can include two extraction steps, such as a first extraction step using a light aromatic solvent and a second extraction step using a volatile hydrocarbon solvent. The light aromatic solvent and the volatile hydrocarbon solvent both can be recycled and used in multiple extractions. Each extraction and recycling step can include a separation. The disclosed system can include separators configured to perform these separations. Some of these separators also can function as mixers. Using the disclosed method and system, it is possible to achieve a high degree of bitumen recovery while minimizing undesirable complications, such as swelling of clays in the tar sand and/or precipitation of asphaltenes.

US Patent:

20010001650, May 24, 2001

Filed:

Mar 9, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/265279

Inventors:

WILLEM P. C. DUYVESTEYN - RENO NV, US
DAVID A. NEUDORF - RENO NV, US
ERIK M. WEENINK - SPARKS NV, US
JAMES S. HANSON - RENO NV, US

Assignee:

William P.C. Duyvesteyn

International Classification:

C22B023/00

US Classification:

423/139000, 423/024000

Abstract:

A process is provided for the selective recovery from an impure solution of pure nickel and cobalt solutions, suitable for electrolysis of the respective metals. The impure solution may be that obtained from acid leaching of nickel/cobalt bearing laterite or oxide ore. The impure solution is contacted with a solid ion exchange resin to selectively extract nickel and cobalt, while rejecting at least one element of the group manganese, magnesium, calcium, iron(II), and chromium(III). The ion exchange resin contains bis-picolyl amine as the primary chelating group. The impure solution has sufficiently low levels of chromium(VI) and copper to allow repeated use of the ion exchange resin. The metal-bearing resin is washed and then stripped with an acid solution. This solution is then contacted with a water-immiscible organic phase for the selective extraction of cobalt, leaving nickel in the raffinate as a substantially pure nickel solution. The loaded organic phase is stripped with another acid solution to produce a substantially pure cobalt solution. The extractant contains an organic phosphinic acid as the active group for extraction. Nickel and cobalt can be recovered in essentially pure form from the respective pure nickel and cobalt solutions by a variety of conventional techniques, for example by electrowinning.

US Patent:

60077093, Dec 28, 1999

Filed:

Dec 31, 1997

Appl. No.:

9/002057

Inventors:

William P. C. Duyvesteyn - Reno NV
James S. Hanson - Reno NV
James J. Lutch - Reno NV

Assignee:

BHP Minerals International Inc. - Reno NV

International Classification:

C10G 104

US Classification:

208391

Abstract:

A process for the extraction of bitumen from bitumen froth generated from tar sands is presented. In this process bitumen froth, extracted from tar sands using a water process not requiring the use of caustic soda, is treated in a counter-current decantation circuit with a paraffinic solvent to remove precipitated asphaltenes, water, and solids from the bitumen froth. The instant invention produces a dilute bitumen product having final water and solids content of about 0. 01 to about 1. 00% by weight rendering the dilute bitumen product amenable to direct hydrocracking. This process provides an alternative route to the conventional process utilizing centrifuges to separate bitumen from precipitated asphaltenes, water, and solids thereby avoiding the high capital and operating costs associated with the conventional bitumen froth treatment by centrifugation. Because the invention utilizes bitumen froth produced from a water process that does not require the use of caustic soda, it advantageously avoids the production of tailings sludges through clay dispersion. Furthermore, because the diluted bitumen product can be directly hydrocracked, the instant invention avoids the conventional and capital intensive upgrading steps, such as coking, which are required for treatment of the dilute bitumen product produced in the traditional naphtha dilution and centrifugation bitumen extraction process.