Patent ID: 8709237

Claim:
A process for bitumen froth treatment comprising: in a flow-through process, directing the froth and a first paraffinic solvent as a first influent to a first stage froth treatment separator; directing a first underflow from the first stage froth treatment separator as a second influent to a second stage froth treatment separator; combining a first overflow from the first stage froth treatment separator and a second overflow from the second stage froth treatment separator as a third influent to a third stage froth treatment separator; producing a second underflow from the second stage froth treatment separator as a waste tailings; adding at least a second paraffinic solvent to at least one of the second influent or the third influent; producing a third overflow from the third stage froth treatment separator as a diluted bitumen product; and producing a third underflow from the third stage froth treatment separator as an asphaltene by-product, wherein the first underflow flows through to the second stage froth treatment separator to report as either the second overflow or the waste tailings, the first overflow flows through to the third stage froth treatment separator to report as either the diluted bitumen product or the asphaltene by-product; and the second overflow flows directly through to the third stage froth treatment separator to report as either the diluted bitumen product of the asphaltene by-product.