Patent ID: 8272442

Claim:
A method of extracting hydrocarbon-containing organic matter from a hydrocarbon-containing material, comprising a viscous liquid, liquid or gaseous fossil fuel material selected from heavy crude oil, crude oil, natural gas, or a combination thereof, the method comprising: providing a hydrocarbon-extracting liquid consisting essentially of turpentine liquid alone or a combination of a turpentine liquid and a turpentine-miscible second liquid; contacting heavy crude oil, crude oil, natural gas, or a combination thereof in-situ in an underground formation containing said fossil fuel material, with said hydrocarbon-extracting liquid, to form an extraction mixture so as to extract hydrocarbon-containing organic matter from said heavy crude oil, crude oil, natural gas, or a combination thereof into said hydrocarbon-extracting liquid and form an extraction liquid; removing said extraction liquid from said formation, the extraction liquid comprising said turpentine liquid containing the extracted hydrocarbon-containing organic matter; and separating said extracted hydrocarbon-containing organic matter from a residual material not extracted.