title: On the nature of Athabasca Oil Sands.
abstract: The existence of a thin aqueous film, separating bitumen (a form of heavy oil) from inorganic solids in Athabasca Oil Sands, is analysed based on "first principles". There is a general consensus in the literature on the hydrophilic character of the solids in oil sands. However, a review of the references cited in support of the solids being encapsulated in thin water envelopes produced a surprising lack of evidence. A theoretical analysis indicates that a water film separating clean, hydrophilic quartz and bitumen is stable under most conditions, and unstable for acidic oil sand ores. The existence of water-wet solids in the Athabasca Oil Sands remains a reasonable yet unproven postulate. It could therefore be dangerous to accept the water-wet solids postulate and then use it to interpret other phenomena.
authors.affiliation: Syncrude Canada Ltd., Edmonton Research Centre, 9421-17th Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta, T6J 0A3, Canada. czarnecki.jan@syncrude.com
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Czarnecki
authors.forename: Boryan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Radoev
authors.forename: Laurier L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Schramm
authors.forename: Radomir
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Slavchev
mesh_terms: D003102:Colloids / Q000737:chemistry*; D018534:Earth, Planet; D006838:Hydrocarbons / Q000737:chemistry; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009821:Oils / Q000737:chemistry*; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D013499:Surface Properties; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D003102:Colloids; D006838:Hydrocarbons; D009821:Oils; D014867:Water; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; C006647:asphalt