1. Module 5

1.22. Page 3

Module 5 Lesson 5

Module 5—Hydrocarbons and the Petroleum Industry

Module 5: Lesson 5 Lab—Factors Influencing the Extraction of Bitumen from Oil Sand

 

Background


In your reading you learned that the inventor of a process used to extract bitumen from oil sand, Karl Clark, used carefully constructed experimentation to develop his process. Experiments to improve the recovery of bitumen from oil sand are still being carried out.

 

Purpose

 

To test the effect of variables used in the extraction of bitumen from oil sand. This investigation considers the following four variables and effect hypotheses:

  • temperature: The amount of bitumen extracted from oil sand increases as the temperature increases.

  • pH: The amount of bitumen extracted from oil sand increases as the pH increases.

  • air: If air is bubbled into a bitumen mixture and the air bubbles are captured within the bitumen, then more bitumen floats to the top as froth.

  • calcium ion concentration: Increasing the calcium ion concentration increases the quantity of bitumen froth but decreases the quality (purity) of the froth.

View the virtual investigation “Factors Influencing the Extraction of Bitumen from Oil Sand.” Contact your teacher for instructions about which parts of the virtual investigation to view and how to proceed with your analysis. Remember to record data and observations as you view the presentation.

 

Try This

 

TR 1. Identify the best conditions for the extraction of bitumen from oil sand. Explain how the results from the investigation you viewed support your conclusion.

 

TR 2. Explain how the results of the experiments in the investigation you viewed could be useful for developing technology that improves bitumen extraction.

 

TR 3. Can you identify any limitations to the conclusions you could draw from these experiments? How could these limitations be addressed?

 

Save your responses in your course folder, and submit a copy to your teacher.