a process for recovering bitumen from oil - in - water emulsions is disclosed wherein water soluble demulsifiers are used . these demulsifiers are polyols of 4 and greater functionality containing discrete blocks of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide wherein the ethylene oxide content of the polyol is greater than about 50 % but less than about 95 %. the molecular weight of these polyols is greater than about 12 , 000 . to resolve the bituminous petroleum emulsions , the process is carried out between 25 ° and 120 ° c . wherein the demulsifier of the invention is contacted with the bituminous emulsion .