Michael Alan Keller

US Patent:

6576145, Jun 10, 2003

Filed:

Jun 18, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/883718

Inventors:

Lawrence M. Conaway - Niagara Falls NY
Roger Noble - Tulsa OK
Michael Keller - Tulsa OK
David Caffey - Bixby OK

Assignee:

Continuum Environmental, LLC - Niagara Falls NY

International Classification:

C02F 172

US Classification:

210759, 210766, 210768, 210774, 210805, 210808

Abstract:

Method and apparatus for treating a mixture of mineral substrate particles and hydrocarbon compounds, especially tar sands and contaminated soils, to recover a hydrocarbon portion and a cleaned substrate portion. In a preferably continuous process, hydrocarbonaceous rock, sand, ore, or soil containing bitumen, petroleum, and/or kerogen is crushed or otherwise comminuted as needed to the particle size of sand or smaller. The comminuted ore is mixed with water to form a slurry, is heated to between 60Â C. and 100Â C. , and is blended with an oxidant in aqueous solution, preferably hydrogen peroxide. Both free interstitial hydrocarbons and those hydrocarbons bound electrostatically to the surfaces of clay-like particles in the ore are released from the mineral substrate.

US Patent:

6951248, Oct 4, 2005

Filed:

Jul 12, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/195096

Inventors:

Lawrence M. Conaway - Niagara Falls NY, US
Roger Noble - Tulsa OK, US
Michael Keller - Tulsa OK, US
David Caffey - Bixby OK, US

Assignee:

Continuum Environmental, LLC - Niagara Falls NY

International Classification:

E21B043/24

US Classification:

166270, 1662726

Abstract:

A method for separating oil from geological formations by application of an aqueous oxidant. The oxidant breaks the interfacial attraction between the oil phase and the geological formation and also produces ketone moieties which assist in separating the oil phase from the mineral phase and also dissolve into the oil phase, thereby decreasing the viscosity. The method is especially useful in recovering heavy oil from geological formations wherein oil has been previously extracted to exhaustion by prior art methods.

US Patent:

20040129646, Jul 8, 2004

Filed:

Nov 17, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/715186

Inventors:

Lawrence Conaway - Niagara Falls NY, US
Michael Keller - Tulsa OK, US
Roger Noble - Tulsa OK, US

International Classification:

C02F001/72

US Classification:

210/759000

Abstract:

Method and apparatus for treating an ore comprising mineral substrate particles surrounded by hydrocarbon compounds, especially tar sand grains and contaminated soils, to recover a hydrocarbon portion and a cleaned substrate portion. In a preferably continuous process, hydrocarbonaceous rock, sand, ore, or soil containing bitumen, petroleum, and/or kerogen may be crushed or otherwise comminuted as needed to provide a particle size of sand or smaller. The ore is mixed with water to form a slurry. The slurry is heated to about 80 C. and is intensively sheared to condition the slurry for separation, preferably by shear-fracture of the hydrocarbon layers surrounding the particles in the grains. The conditioned slurry is blended with a peroxide in aqueous solution, preferably hydrogen peroxide, which enters the grains and is decomposed therein, creating bubbles of free oxygen within the grains which disrupt the hydrocarbon envelope. In decomposing, the peroxide increases the hydrophilicity of the particle surfaces. Both free and bound hydrocarbons in the ore are thereby released from the mineral substrate particles. The resulting hydrocarbon globules are separated from the substrate particles by flotation, accelerated by attached oxygen bubbles. Water and mineral tailings from the process are substantially free of hydrocarbon contamination and are environmentally suitable for landfill disposal.

US Patent:

20040222164, Nov 11, 2004

Filed:

Jun 10, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/865641

Inventors:

Lawrence Conaway - Niagara Falls NY, US
Michael Keller - Tulsa OK, US
Roger Noble - Tulsa OK, US

International Classification:

C02F001/72

US Classification:

210/759000

Abstract:

Method and apparatus for treating an ore comprising mineral substrate particles surrounded by hydrocarbon compounds, especially tar sand grains, process tailings, and contaminated soils, to recover a hydrocarbon portion and a cleaned substrate portion. In a preferably continuous process, hydrocarbonaceous rock, sand, ore, tailings, or soil containing bitumen, petroleum, and/or kerogen may be crushed or otherwise comminuted as needed to provide a particle size of sand or smaller. The ore is mixed with water to form a slurry, which may also contain alkali, for example, sodium hydroxide or sodium bicarbonate. The slurry is heated to about 80 C. and is intensively sheared to condition the slurry for separation, preferably by shear-fracture of the hydrocarbon layers surrounding the particles in the grains. The conditioned slurry is blended with a peroxide in aqueous solution, preferably hydrogen peroxide, which enters the grains and is decomposed therein, creating bubbles of free oxygen within the grains which disrupt the hydrocarbon envelope. In decomposing, the peroxide increases the hydrophilicity of the particle surfaces. Both free and bound hydrocarbons in the ore are thereby released from the mineral substrate particles. The resulting hydrocarbon globules are separated from the substrate particles by flotation, accelerated by attached oxygen bubbles. Alkali and/or peroxide may be added during the flotation process. Water and mineral tailings from the process are substantially free of hydrocarbon contamination and are environmentally suitable for landfill disposal.

US Patent:

20060104157, May 18, 2006

Filed:

May 21, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/442583

Inventors:

Lawrence Conaway - Niagara Falls NY, US
Michael Keller - Tulsa OK, US
Roger Noble - Tulsa OK, US
David Caffey - Bixby OK, US

International Classification:

B01F 11/00
B01F 7/00

US Classification:

366241000, 366165300, 366279000

Abstract:

A mixer especially suited for treating a mixture of mineral substrate particles and hydrocarbon compounds, especially tar sands and contaminated soils, to recover a hydrocarbon portion and a cleaned substrate portion. Hydrocarbonaceous rock, sand, ore, or soil containing bitumen, petroleum, and/or kerogen is crushed or otherwise comminuted as needed to the particle size of sand or smaller. The comminuted ore is mixed with water to form a slurry, is heated to between 60 C. and 100 C., and is agitated with an oxidant in aqueous solution, preferably hydrogen peroxide, in a flow-through mixer having a low axial flow rate and a high radial flow rate. Both free interstitial hydrocarbons and those hydrocarbons bound electrostatically to the surfaces of clay-like particles in the ore are released from the mineral substrate. Some of the released hydrocarbon compounds may be controllably cleaved by the oxidant to yield organic compounds having lower average molecular weights which are suitable for refining as oil after separation from the process water phase and the residual particulate mineral substrate. The water and mineral tailings from the process are substantially free of hydrocarbon contamination and are environmentally suitable for landfill disposal.