Patent ID: 7625466
Filing Date: 2009-12-01
Classification: C10G

Abstract:
1. A system for decontaminating a heavy oil feedstock comprising asphaltenes in an oil/water emulsion, comprising: (a) a conditioning module having a feedstock inlet, steam/water inlet, and an emulsion outlet, and further comprising means for adding decontaminating agent to the feedstock either before or after the conditioning module, or before and after the conditioning module; (b) a first phase separation vessel comprising an upper chamber having an inlet connected to the conditioning module outlet, an oil outlet, and a separate lower chamber having a decontaminating agent inlet, a water/solids outlet, and a slurry outlet, and a downpipe connecting the upper and lower chambers, wherein the downpipe separates the upper and lower chambers, and comprises an upper conical portion and a lower tubular portion; (c) a second phase separation vessel comprising an upper chamber having an inlet connected to a slurry outlet of the first vessel, an oil outlet, and a lower chamber having a slurry outlet, and a downpipe connecting the upper and lower chambers.