A process for producing diluent for use in a hydrocarbon recovery process includes heating a dilbit feed stream comprising hydrocarbons produced from a hydrocarbon reservoir and an added diluent, to a temperature of 350° C. or less, fractionating the dilbit feed stream after heating to produce a light fraction and a heavy fraction, the light fraction comprising the diluent, additional light hydrocarbons, and sour water, separating the sour water from a remainder of the light fraction, and stabilizing the remainder of the light fraction to provide recovered diluent and cooling the recovered diluent. A volume of the recovered diluent is greater than a volume of the added diluent.