A new method has been developed to recover upgraded lighter-hydrocarbon liquid oil from an asphaltene-containing oil material (tar sand, asphalt, heavy oil, shale oil, coal liquids, etc.). The process describes dispersing particles of the carbonaceous material in an aqueous solution containing an inorganic base (NaOH, Na2SiO3, etc.) and/or surfactant at ambient temperatures and pressures. With the aid of sonication energy, the inorganic base and/or surfactant will combine with the polar components of the fuel to speed the recovery of upgraded oil material. The reaction process essentially removes and/or converts the asphaltene fraction in the bituminous material to lighter fractions. The process is highly efficient, and the reaction time in minutes for the samples is examined. The reaction mechanisms are related to principles of sonochemistry as well as membrane mimetic chemistry.