Method for producing hydrocarbons in an in situ combustion operation

Claim 1

A METHOD OF PRODUCING HYDROCARBONS FROM A SUBSURFACE HYDROCARBON-CONTAINING FORMATION WHICH COMPRISES SUBJECTING SAID FORMATION TO AN IN SITU COMBUSTION OPERATION TO DISPLACE HYDROCARBONS WITHIN SAID FORMATION TOWARD A PRODUCTION WELL PENETRATING SAID FORMATION, THE WELLBORE OF SAID WELL ADJACENT SAID PRODUCING FORMATION BEING SUBJECTED TO A RELATIVELY HIGH TEMPERATURE DUE TO THE AFORESAID IN SITU COMBUSTION OPERATION AND DUE TO THE MOVEMENT OF RELATIVELY HIGH TEMPERATURE FORMATION FLUIDS EMANATING FROM SAID IN SITU COMBUSTION OPERATION AND ENTERING SAID WELLBORE ADJACENT SAID FORMATION, FLOWING WATER WITHIN SAID WELBORE ADJACENT SAID FORMATION IN INDIRECT HEAT EXCHANGE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FORMATION FLUIDS ENTERING SAID WELLBORE, SPRAYING THE RESULTING HEATED WATER OR RESULTING STEAM WITHIN AND IN CONTACT WITH SAID WELLBORE ADJACENT SAID FORMATION, AND PRODUCING THE RESULTING COOLED FORMATION FLUIDS, INCLUDING SAID HYDROCARBONS, FROM SAID WELLBORE VIA SAID WELL, SAID FLOWING OF WATER AND SAID SPRAYING OF HEATED WATER OR RESULTING STEAM WITHIN SAID WELLBORE BEING TO THE EXTENT REQUIRED FOR INHIBITING THE COLLAPSE OF WELL CASING AND TUBING AS A RESULT OF HIGH TEMPERATURES THEREIN AND WELLBORE DISRUPTION FROM WELL FIRES AND EXPLOSIONS WITHIN THE WELLBORE.