Enhanced steam extraction of bitumen from oil sands

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an improved bitumen recovery process from oil sands. The oil sands may be surface mined and transported to a treatment area or may be treated directly by means of an in-situ process of oil sand deposits that are located too deep for strip mining. Specifically, the present disclosure involves the step of treating oil sands with a propylene oxide capped glycol ether described by the structure: RO—(CH2CH2O)m(CH2CH(CH3)O)nH wherein R is a linear, branched, cyclic alkyl, phenyl, or alkyl phenyl group of at least 4 carbons, and m and n are independently 1 to 3.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.