Initiation of combustion in a subterranean petroleum oil reservoir

Claim 1

A PROCESS OF INITIATING COMBUSTION OF A COMBUSTIBLE MATERIAL IN A SUBTERRANEAN FORMATION CONTAINING SAID COMBUSTIBLE MATERIAL COMPRISING PASSING UNDER PRESSURE INTO SAID SUBTERRANEAN FORMATION THROUGH AN INPUT WELL LEADING THERETO A COMBUSTION SUPPORTING MEDIUM FOR SAID COMBUSTIBLE MATERIAL AND SUPPLYING HEAT TO SAID SUBTERRANEAN FORMATION TO EFFECT COMBUSTION OF SAID COMBUSTIBLE MATERIAL, THEREAFTER CONTINUING PASSAGE OF SAID COMBUSTION SUPPORTING MEDIUM INTO SAID SUBTERRANEAN FORMATION, CONTINUING THE SUPPLY OF THE HEAT TO SAID SUBTERRANEAN FORMATION UNTIL THE RATE-PRESSURE RATIO OF SAID COMBUSTION SUPPORTING MEDIUM DECREASES, NEXT DISCONTINUING THE SUPPLY OF HEAT TO SAID SUBTERRANEAN FORMATION UNTIL THE RATEPRESSURE RATIO OF SAID COMBUSTION SUPPORTING MEDIUM INCREASES, THEREAFTER CONTINUING THE SUPPLY OF HEAT TO SAID SUBTERRANEAN FORMATION UNTIL THE RATE-PRESSURE RATIO OF SAID COMBUSTION SUPPORTING MEDIUM DECREASES, AND THEN ALTERNATELY DISCONTINUING THE SUPPLY OF HEAT TO SAID SUBTERRANEAN FORMATION UNTIL THE RATE-PRESSURE RATIO OF SAID COMBUSTION SUPPORTING MEDIUM INCREASES AND CONTINUING THE SUPPLY OF HEAT TO SAID SUBTERRANEAN FORMATION UNTIL THE RATE-PRESSURE RATIO OF SAID COMBUSTION SUPPORTING MEDIUM DECREASES UNTIL SUSTAINED COMBUSTION IS EFFECTED WITHIN SAID SUBTERRANEAN FORMATION.