Method for oil recovery using a horizontal well with indirect heating

Claim 3

The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the heated fluid is steam.

Claim 4

A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the fluid injected into the formation is selected from the group consisting of steam, solvent vapors, a mixture of steam and air, or a mixture of steam and solvent.

Claim 5

The method as defined in claim 3 wherein the solvent is selected from the group consisting of carbon disulfide, hydrogen sulfide, naphtha, cracked naphtha, toluene, xylene or benzene.

Claim 6

The method as defined in claim 1 further comprising repeating the steps of injecting a heated fluid into the formation, terminating fluid injection to permit formation fluids to drain into said conduit and heating the formation fluids within in said conduit.

Claim 7

The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the formation fluids within the perforated conduit are heated by a heating means.

Claim 8

The method as defined in claim 6 wherein the heating means heats substantially the entire portion of the perforated conduit.

Claim 9

The method as defined in claim 1 further comprising before heating the formation fluids within the perforated conduit, withdrawing formation fluids including heated formation hydrocarbons from the formation by means of the perforated conduit.

Claim 12

The method as defined in claim 9 wherein the heated fluid injected into the formation is steam.

Claim 13

A method as defined in claim 9 wherein the heated fluid injected into the formation is selected from the group consisting of steam, a mixture of steam and air, or a mixture of steam and solvent.

Claim 14

The method as defined in claim 11 wherein the solvent is selected from the group consisting of carbon disulfide, hydrogen sulfide, naphtha, C 3 , C 4 , or C 5 , hydrocarbons, toluene, xylene or benzene.

Claim 15

In a method for recovering viscous petroleum including bitumen from a subterranean viscous petroleum containing formation including a tar sand deposit, said formation being penetrated by a perforated conduit which extends substantially horizontally therethrough, said perforated conduit being completed by dual concentric conduits comprising an inner conduit and a surrounding larger diameter intermediate conduit, said intermediate conduit and said perforated conduit cooperating to form an annular space, said inner conduit and said intermediate conduit cooperating to provide a continuous enclosed fluid flow path through said inner and intermediate conduits, said recovery method being of the type wherein a fluid is injected into the well for the purpose for increasing the mobility of petroleum contained in the formation, the improvement which comprises injecting a heated fluid into the formation through said annular space and thereby reducing the viscosity of the formation hydrocarbons; permitting fluids including formation hydrocarbons to drain into said annular space; circulating a heated fluid through said inner and intermediate conduits to heat indirectly the drained fluids in said annular space; and recovering the formation hydrocarbons from said annular space.

Claim 16

In a method for recovering viscous petroleum including bitumen from a subterranean viscous petroleum containing formation including a tar sand deposit, said formation being penetrated by a perforated conduit which extends substantially horizontally therethrough, said perforated conduit being completed by dual concentric conduits comprising an inner conduit and a surrounding larger diameter intermediate conduit, said intermediate conduit and said perforated conduit cooperating to form an annular space, said inner conduit and said intermediate conduit cooperating to provide a continuous enclosed fluid flow path through said inner and intermediate conduits, said recovery method being of the type wherein a fluid is injected into the well for the purpose for increasing the mobility of petroleum contained in the formation, the improvement which comprises injecting a heated fluid into the formation through said annular space and thereby reducing the viscosity of the formation hydrocarbons; permitting fluids including formation hydrocarbons to drain into said annular space; circulating a heated fluid through said inner and intermediate conduits to heat indirectly the drained fluids in said annular space; and recovering the formation hydrocarbons from said annular space.

Claim 17

The method as defined in claim 13 when the heated fluid injected into the formation of steam.

Claim 18

A method as defined in claim 13 wherein the heated fluid circulated through said inner and said intermediate conduits is steam.

Claim 19

In a method for recovering viscous hydrocarbons from a subterranean formation comprising positioning a perforated conduit substantially horizontally into said formation; disposing in said conduit a heating means to heat fluids in said conduit; injecting a fluid into the formation through said perforated conduit; permitting fluids including the formation hydrocarbons to flow into said conduit; heating said fluid in said conduit with said heating means to a temperature such that at least a portion of the drained fluid passes into said formation; and recovering formation hydrocarbons from the formation through said conduit.

Claim 20

In a method for recovering viscous hydrocarbons from a subterranean formation comprising positioning a perforated conduit substantially horizontally into said formation; disposing in said conduit a heating means to heat fluids in said conduit; injecting a fluid into the formation through said perforated conduit; permitting fluids including the formation hydrocarbons to flow into said conduit; heating said fluid in said conduit with said heating means to a temperature such that at least a portion of the drained fluid passes into said formation; and recovering formation hydrocarbons from the formation through said conduit.