The present invention relates to a bitumen recovery process from oil sands. The oil sands may be surface mined and transported to a treatment area or may be treated directly by means of an in situ process of oil sand deposits that are located too deep for strip mining. Specifically, the present invention involves the step of treating oil sands with a composition comprising an alkanolamine and an ethylene oxide capped glycol ether and/or propylene oxide capped glycol ether.