New emulsified bitumen fuels pose an extreme challenge to ultrafiltration (UF) membranes, rapidly depositing and adhering tar solids on membrane surfaces. In this paper, results of pilot tests demonstrating maintenance of permeate flux in such applications are described. Tubular polyvinyldiene fluoride (PVDF) membranes for ultrafiltration were shown to effectively remove Orimulsion(R), a bitumen fuel emulsion, from water, resulting in a permeate quality less than 2.0 mg/L as volatile suspended solids, at an average permeate flux on the order of 35-310 Lph/m(2) (21-182 gpd/ft(2)). The use of one part bentonite clay to ten parts Orimulsion(R) solids, by mass, was found to enhance permeate flux and improve membrane cleaning. Although additives were not necessary to obtain suitable flux rates or restore permeate flux, their use was shown to reduce membrane costs considerably. Practical methods for cleaning membranes fouled with bitumen suspensions in water, with and without the presence of filtration additives, are presented. Experimental results revealed that flux regeneration was possible. Further resting included development of an optimal cleaning schedule using a simple mathematical relationship based on pilot data.