Process for recovering and upgrading hydrocarbons from tar sands

摘要

A process for recovering and upgrading hydrocarbons from tar sands by contacting the tar sands with a dense-water-containing fluid at a temperature in the range of from about 600 F. to about 900 F. in the absence of an externally supplied catalyst and hydrogen, and wherein the density of the water in said fluid is at least 0.10 gram per milliliter.