Patent US 4,387,016

A process for separating and recovering bituminous material from tar sand and other viscous petroleum deposits, either in-situ or after mining the deposits. The process may also apply to heavy oil wells and to secondary and tertiary recovery of oil from wells. The bituminous-containing matter is contacted within a confined space with the vapors of a halogenated, organic solvent, whereby the bituminous material separates from the other matter. The bituminous material accumulates at the bottom of the confined space and is recovered therefrom.