Patent ID: 7540951

Claim:
An integrated process for the preparation of synthetic crude from a deposit of heavy crude, comprising the following stages: a) extracting heavy crude using steam said heavy crude having a viscosity of more than 100 cPo and a gravity of less than 20° API; b) separating water from resultant mixture of extracted crude and water; c) distilling separated extracted crude into at least one light fraction and one heavy fraction; d) converting the at least one heavy fraction into a lighter product, a converted product, and a residue; e) subjecting to hydrotreatment at least a portion of said converted product and the lighter product obtained during the separating step (c) of the extracted crude wherein the hydrotreatment is conducted on said at least a portion of the converted product in a first hydrotreatment zone, and on at least a portion of the lighter product in a second hydrotreatment zone separate from the first hydrotreatment zone; and combining non-hydrotreated converted and lighter products with resultant hydrotreated converted product and/or hydrotreated lighter product to form a syntheitc crude having a density of at most 0.94 under standard conditions, a gravity of at least 19° API, and a viscosity of less than 350 Cst at 4° C.; f) performing combustion and/or gasification of the conversion residue; whereby the converted product and the light fraction (or fractions) constitute the synthetic crude; g) said combustion of the conversion residue allowing the generation of steam and/or electricity and said gasification allowing the generation of hydrogen; providing at least part of the generated hydrogen to said hydrotreatment step (e); and providing the steam and/or electricity thus generated for the extracting of the heavy crude a) and/or the electricity and/or part of the hydrogen thus generated or for the conversion and separating of the heavy fraction d).