System and process for producing diluent from dilbit, transportation, and treatment of heavy oil

A system for producing diluent for use in a hydrocarbon recovery process, the system comprising:

• a heater for heating a dilbit feed stream using process heat exchange, the dilbit feed stream including hydrocarbons produced from a hydrocarbon reservoir and an added diluent added to the hydrocarbons to reduce the viscosity of the hydrocarbons for transport, wherein the heater is configured to heat the dilbit feed stream to a temperature of 350° C. or less;
• a diluent recovery unity for fractionating the dilbit feed stream after the heating to produce a light fraction and a heavy fraction, the light fraction comprising the diluent, additional light hydrocarbons derived from the hydrocarbons, and sour water;
• a separator for separating the sour water from a remainder of the light fraction;
• and
• a stabilizer for stabilizing the remainder of the light fraction to provide recovered diluent and cooling the recovered diluent, wherein a volume of the recovered diluent is greater than a volume of the added diluent.