Demulsification of bitumen emulsions using branched water soluble quaternary ammonium-containing polymers

Claim 1

A process for recovering petroleum from O/W bitumen emulsions by demulsifying said emulsions comprising contacting the emulsions at a temperature of from between about 25° and 160° C. with branched water soluble quaternary ammonium-containing polymers of >4,000 molecular weight containing ≧3 meq/g total amines prepared by the reaction of (a) A component comprising β-aminopropionamides of the general formula ##STR5## wherein R 1 is hydrogen or CH 3 , n=2-6 and R 2 and R 3 taken separately are hydrogen or lower alkyl, or R 2 and R 3 taken jointly are combined with nitrogen to form a heterocyclic group, and (b) 0.5-2.0 moles per mole of (a) reactive difunctional reagents of the type X--R 5 --Y where X and Y=halo or epoxy groups, and R 5 =aromatic, aliphatic or olefinic groups.