The invention provides environmentally-friendly compositions and methods for reducing the viscosity of crude oil using microorganisms and/or biosurfactants produced by microorganisms.

Systems and methods are provided for separation of particles and/or asphaltenes from heavy hydrocarbon fractions. The heavy hydrocarbon fraction can correspond to a feed including particles or a processing effluent that includes particles. If the heavy hydrocarbon fraction is mixed with lower boiling fractions, a separation can be performed to reduce or minimize the amount of hydrocarbons that are present in the heavy hydrocarbon fraction. The heavy hydrocarbon fraction can then be mixed with a sufficient amount of a separation solvent to cause a phase separation. One phase can correspond to the separation solvent plus a portion of the hydrocarbons. The other phase can correspond to hydrocarbons rejected by the separation solvent plus the particles from the heavy hydrocarbon fraction. The phases can then be separated from each other using a solids-liquid centrifugal separator.

Rotating elements receivable within an extractor trough of an extractor configured for non-aqueous extraction of bitumen from oil sands are described. The rotating element can include a shaft operatively couplable to a motor, and projections extending outwardly from the shaft and being removably secured thereto. The rotating element can also include a shaft mounting structure couplable to a shaft, comprising a shaft receiving hub configured for receiving the shaft therein. The rotation of the rotating element can provide digestion and extraction of bitumen from the oil sands while advancing solids in a downstream direction within the extractor trough, as solvent diluted bitumen flows in an upstream direction toward a liquid outlet. Methods for servicing a rotating element and for manufacturing a non-aqueous extraction (NAE) extractor are also provided.

A feedstock delivery system transfers a carbonaceous material, such as municipal solid waste, into a product gas generation system. The feedstock delivery system includes a splitter for splitting bulk carbonaceous material into a plurality of carbonaceous material streams. Each stream is processed using a weighing system for gauging the quantity of carbonaceous material, a densification system for forming plugs of carbonaceous material, a de-densification system for breaking up the plugs of carbonaceous material, and a gas and carbonaceous material mixing system for forming a carbonaceous material and gas mixture. A pressure of the mixing gas is reduced prior to mixing with the carbonaceous material, and the carbonaceous material to gas weight ratio is monitored. A transport assembly conveys the carbonaceous material and gas mixture to a first reactor where at least the carbonaceous material within the mixture is subject to thermochemical reactions to form the product gas.

A feedstock flexible process for converting feedstock into oil and gas includes (i) indirectly heated hydrous devolatilization of volatile feedstock components, (ii) indirectly heated thermochemical conversion of fixed carbon feedstock components, (iii) heal integration and recovery, (iv) vapor and gas pressurization, and (v) vapor and gas clean-up and product recovery. A system and method for feedstock conversion includes a thermochemical reactor integrated with one or more hydrous devolatilization and solids circulation subsystems configured to accept a feedstock mixture, comprised of volatile feedstock components and fixed carbon feedstock components, and continuously produce a volatile reaction product stream therefrom, while simultaneously and continuously capturing, transferring, and converting the fixed carbon feedstock components to syngas.

A process and apparatus is provided for flocculating and/or agglomerating oil sand solids during solvent extraction, the process using a mixing tank comprising a vertical baffle-free cylindrical vessel having at least one impeller mounted vertically therein.

A non-aqueous process for producing bitumen from oil sands is provided, and includes contacting oil sands and solvent to produce solvent diluted bitumen and solvent diluted tailings. The solvent diluted bitumen is subjected to a first fines separation stage that produces an overflow solvent diluted bitumen stream with residual fines that is subjected to a second fines separation stage to remove residual fines and produce a solvent diluted bitumen stream, which is subjected to solvent recovery. The fines streams are subjected to washing to produce washed tailings and solvent wash liquor comprising solvent and bitumen. Another non-aqueous process for producing bitumen from oil sands is provided, and includes subjecting oil sands to solvent extraction, including displacing the oil sands material and a solbit counter-currently and horizontally, and recovering a bitumen enriched solbit stream which is subjected to fines separation and subjecting the solvent diluted bitumen stream to solvent recovery.

A screen cloth for use in a screening device for screening out oversize objects, including oil sand lumps and rocks, is disclosed comprising a supporting structure comprising two mutually opposing lateral attachment elements and a plurality of transverse stiffeners extending therebetween; and a plurality of screen segments, each screen segment having a plurality of openings, and each screen segment comprising a steel base and a plurality of anti-wear tiles attached thereon; whereby the plurality of screen segments are attached to the support structure to form a screening portion of the screen cloth.

A non-aqueous extraction (NAE) process for producing bitumen from oil sands ore can include a multistage bitumen extraction step where paraffinic solvent and deasphalted oil are added at a downstream stage of extraction at solvent-to-bitumen ratios below asphaltene precipitation onset threshold to remove bitumen from the solid mineral material, while the ore is added to a first stage to mix with the solvent-bitumen mixture and produce solvent diluted bitumen. The process includes recovering the solvent diluted bitumen and the solvent diluted tailings from the extraction step. The solvent diluted bitumen is subjected to deasphalting to produce solvent diluted deasphalted bitumen that is used as a source of the paraffinic solvent and deasphalted oil supplied to extraction. The tailings and asphaltene fraction from deasphalting can be subjected to washing and the washed material can then be subjected to sand solvent recovery. The NAE process can be operated within an operating envelop for effective and efficient performance.

Separating hydrocarbon from compositions including hydrocarbon and solids such as oil sands, oil sands by products, asphalt compositions, etc. includes treating such compositions with a mixture including a water soluble salt, polymer flocculent and organic diluent. The hydrocarbon separated can be in high yields and with a low solid fines content.