The invention provides methods for treating a source oil phase consisting of heavy oil, bitumen, a mixture of heavy oil and bitumen, a mixture of solvent and heavy oil or bitumen or both. The method comprises: introducing the source oil phase to a heated lower section of a device to provide an interior source oil phase; heating the interior source oil phase so as to thermally separate a light oil phase component therefrom and provide a vaporized light oil; and condensing the vaporized light oil phase on one or more internal cooling fins housed within the upper section of the device, to provide a condensed light oil phase liquid, wherein the internal cooling fins are angled so as to direct the condensed light oil phase liquid downwardly to a light end collection system.
C10G 31/06 - Refining of hydrocarbon oils, in the absence of hydrogen, by methods not otherwise provided for by heating, cooling, or pressure treatment
C10G 9/00 - Thermal non-catalytic cracking, in the absence of hydrogen, of hydrocarbon oils
C10G 9/24 - Thermal non-catalytic cracking, in the absence of hydrogen, of hydrocarbon oils by heating with electrical means
C10G 9/36 - Thermal non-catalytic cracking, in the absence of hydrogen, of hydrocarbon oils by direct contact with inert preheated fluids, e.g. with molten metals or salts with heated gases or vapours
C10G 9/14 - Thermal non-catalytic cracking, in the absence of hydrogen, of hydrocarbon oils in pipes or coils with or without auxiliary means, e.g. digesters, soaking drums, expansion means
The invention provides methods for treating a source oil phase consisting of heavy oil, bitumen, a mixture of heavy oil and bitumen, a mixture of solvent and heavy oil or bitumen or both. The method comprises: introducing the source oil phase to a lower reservoir section of a device, flowing the source oil phase through an array of vertically extending heated pipes with an inert gas so as to thermally separate a vaporized light oil phase component from a heated liquid source oil phase, and segregating fluid flows by density in an upper fluid separating manifold to provide a light product fluid and a heavy product fluid.
C10G 31/06 - Refining of hydrocarbon oils, in the absence of hydrogen, by methods not otherwise provided for by heating, cooling, or pressure treatment
C10G 9/14 - Thermal non-catalytic cracking, in the absence of hydrogen, of hydrocarbon oils in pipes or coils with or without auxiliary means, e.g. digesters, soaking drums, expansion means
C10G 9/00 - Thermal non-catalytic cracking, in the absence of hydrogen, of hydrocarbon oils
C10G 9/24 - Thermal non-catalytic cracking, in the absence of hydrogen, of hydrocarbon oils by heating with electrical means
C10G 9/36 - Thermal non-catalytic cracking, in the absence of hydrogen, of hydrocarbon oils by direct contact with inert preheated fluids, e.g. with molten metals or salts with heated gases or vapours
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