Patent ID: 7128375
Filing Date: 2006-10-31
Classification: E21B,E21C,E21D,E21F

Abstract:
1. A method for underground mining a hydrocarbon-containing material, comprising: (a) excavating the hydrocarbon-containing material with an underground mining machine, wherein the excavating step produces a first slurry comprising the excavated hydrocarbon-containing material and having a first slurry density; (b) contacting the first slurry with solvent to produce a second slurry having a second slurry density equal to or less than the first slurry density, wherein the hydrocarbon-containing material comprises connate water; (c) hydrocycloning the second slurry to form a first output comprising at least most of the hydrocarbon content of the excavated hydrocarbon-containing material, a second output comprising at least most of the solid content of the first slurry and at least a portion of the solvent and connate water; and a third output comprising at least most of the solvent and at least a portion of the connate water; and (d) backfilling an underground excavation behind the mining machine to form a trailing access tunnel having a backfilled latitudinal cross-sectional area that is less than the pre-backfilled latitudinal cross-sectional area of the excavation before backfilling; wherein at least most of the second output is used in the backfilling step, and wherein at least most of the third output is recycled to steps (a) and (b).