Development Status Of The Taciuk Oil Sands Processor

Abstract

Abstract The Taciuk Direct Thermal Processor has been under research and development since late 1974 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. This work has been carried out by the UMATAC Industrial Processes Division of Underwood McLellan Limited, Consulting Engineers, under funding agreements with the Alberta Oil Sands Technology and Research Authority (AOSTRA). Original research work and small-scale testing was completed by 1977 when a financing agreement for pilot plant construction and testing was signed with AOSTRA. Under this agreement a pilot plant was constructed in 1977-78, and has been operating for a period of 6 years using the following feed stocks:Athabasca Oil Sandslow grade - 6% oil contentmedium low grade - 9% oil contentaverage grade - 11–13% oil contenthigh grade - + 13% oil contentU.S. Semi Consolidated Sand-Shale low grade - 6–8% oil contentHeavy Oil from Lloydminster FieldHeavy Oil Atmospheric Tower Bottoms from Local Refineries. During 1981 and 1982 the pilot plant was operated on heavy oil and oil sands to provide confirmation data, and oil product samples for detailed oil analysis which resulted in hydrotreating requirement projections. During 1983 UMATAC has completed the design and cost estimates for a 100 ton/ hour demonstration plant to be located in the Fort McMurray area. UMATAC has also completed the conceptual design and cost estimates associated with use of the process in a commercial oil sandplant with an output of approximately 115,000 barrels of synthetic crude per calendar day. Processor Description The Taciuk Processor consists of a horizontal rotating vessel containing compartments which house individual process steps. Figure 1 schematically shows the arrangement and process flows. As-mined oil sand feed is introduced into the preheating section of the processor where connate water is evaporated as steam, frozen material is ablated, oversize is removed and the oil sand is heated by heat exchange with the hot outgoing tailings sand. The heated oil sand is then transported into the reactionzone where it is mixed with hot combusted sand from the combustion zone. The resulting temperature is adequate to thermally crack the hydrocarbons yielding a vapour stream containing the cracking reaction gases and liquids (in vapour form), and a coke residue coating on the sand. The vapour stream is passed through cyclones to remove fine solids and then enters a fractionating tower where various liquid fractions are separated for further processing. The off-gases are then passed to a central gas processing plant for light end recovery and desulphurization. The coke-coated sand dicharges into the combustion zone where preheated air is injected to burn most of the coke. Auxiliary burners provide heat for startup and trim control. The hot sand from the combustion zone passes through arecycling arrangement that ensures an adequate supply of heat to the reaction zone while allowing net sand to move Into the cooling zone. In this zone the sand and combustion gases are cooled by heat exchange with the incoming oil sand.