Abstract: Disclosed is an oil recovery method especially useful for recovering viscous oil from thick formations including tar sand deposits. The method comprises several phases which accomplish efficient recovery of the viscous oil from the formation with good vertical and horizontal sweep conformance or effectiveness. The first phase may utilize as few as two spaced apart wells, one for fluid injection and one for oil production and an oil recovery method such as injecting steam or a mixture of air and steam for low temperature, controlled oxidation is a preferred fluid for use in the first phase. After fluid breakthrough at the production well occurs, the producer of the first phase is converted to an injection well and one or more new production wells outside of the pattern swept by the injected fluid are completed in the oil formation. Thermal recovery fluids are then injected into two wells with the displacement moving in the direction of the new production wells.

Abstract: A process and system are disclosed for producing bitumen from a subterranean reservoir of tar sands as unconsolidated oil bearing sands. The process comprises basically (1) washing out a cavity in the formation to the bottom thereof, (2) pouring a graded gravel in the cavity for building a conical shaped gravel pack, (3) running a screen down through the apex of the cone to the cavity bottom to bury the screen, (4) ejecting hot fluids into the cavity for melting bitumen from the tar sands, and (5) flowing the melted bitumen through the gravel pack and screen for filtering out sand and gravel from the melted bitumen for recovering the bitumen at the surface. A system for producing bitumen from tar sands is disclosed, and a method for forming a gravel pack in an unconsolidated oil bearing sand formation is disclosed.

Abstract: Hydrocarbons are recovered from subterranean formations by injecting into a hydrocarbon bearing formation via an injection well a fluid comprising water saturated with a gas such as natural gas, carbon dioxide, etc., forcing the said fluid through the formation and recovering hydrocarbons through a production well. The fluids employed may contain a solubilizing agent and/or an alkaline agent.

Abstract: Petroleum may be recovered from viscous petroleum-containing formations including tar sand deposits by injecting into the formation a solvent which is liquid at formation conditions and simultaneously therewith injecting a substance which will remain totally gaseous at the pressure and temperature conditions existing within the reservoir. The presence of noncondensible gas in the formation into which solvent is being injected prevents formation of a impremeable bitumen bank which blocks the further flow of fluids through the formation. The gas should be essentially unreactive with the solvent and formation fluids in order to obtain the desired benefits. Examples of suitable gases for the practice of this invention include methane, ethane, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: Mechanisms are disclosed comprising means for mixing only water with crude oil at temperatures above 32.degree. F. until the inversion point is crossed where a lower viscosity emulsion consisting of oil-in-water is formed for reducing resistance to flow of crude oil up from deep in a well to the surface, or through a pipeline. This oil-in-water emulsion consists of, by volume, 5 percent to 15 percent oil and 95 percent to 85 percent water, respectively.

Abstract: Steam flooding is frequently unsuccessful in viscous petroleum-containing formations such as tar sand deposits due to loss of steam transmissibility caused by the steam condensing deep in the formation and also caused by heated viscous petroleum forming an oil bank and losing heat and becoming more viscous as it moves through the formation, eventually becoming essentially immobile and blocking further flow through the formation. By injecting a non-condensible, non-oxidizing gas ahead of and/or in combination with steam, this tendency to block or plug the flow channels is reduced or eliminated. Steam and non-condensible, non-oxidizing gas are injected into the formation at a pressure in pounds per square inch not exceeding numerically the overburden thickness in feet in order to avoid fracturing the overburden. Steam and non-condensible, non-oxidizing gas may be mixed prior to injection or injected sequentially or simultaneously to mix in the formation.

Abstract: Petroleum may be recovered from viscous petroleum containing formations including tar sand deposits by first creating a fluid communication path in the formation, followed by injecting via an injection well a fluid comprising superheated steam and air into the formation via the fluid communication path whereby in situ combustion occurs providing heat and pressure for driving the petroleum in the formation toward the production well. Recovery of the displaced petroleum is accomplished via the production well.

Abstract: Petroleum may be recovered from viscous petroleum containing formations including tar sand deposits by first creating a fluid communication path in the formation, followed by injecting via an injection well a fluid comprising superheated steam and air into the formation via the fluid communication path whereby in situ combustion occurs providing heat and pressure for driving the petroleum in the formation toward the production well. Recovery of the displaced petroleum is accomplished via the production well.

Abstract: Viscous oil may be recovered from subterranean, viscous oil-containing formations by injecting a heated aqueous fluid into the formation to raise the temperature of the viscous petroleum, and to displace it toward a remotely located production well. The heated aqueous fluid, which may be liquid, gaseous or a mixture thereof, is obtained from a deeper, higher temperature permeable oil formation. At least two spaced apart fluid flow communication means are established between the surface of the earth and the deeper, high temperature formation. At least two spaced apart separate communication means are established between the surface of the earth and the shallow viscous oil formation. Ordinarily the deeper, high temperature oil formation is one in which secondary recovery, e.g., waterflooding, will be ended or approaching the point where further production of oil and water is not commercially justified.

Abstract: Petroleum may be recovered from viscous petroleum containing formations including tar sand deposits by first creating a fluid communication path in the formation, followed by injecting via an injection well an aromatic solvent such as benzene, saturated with carbon dioxide at the injection pressure into the fluid communication path, following the injection of the solvent with the injection of an oil-displacing fluid such as hot water, steam, or superheated steam and recovering oil from the formation via a production well. The oil displacing fluid may contain a solubilizing agent such as an oxyethylated nitrogen containing compound.

Abstract: Petroleum may be recovered from viscous petroleum containing formations including tar sand deposits by first creating a fluid communication path in the formation, followed by injecting via an injection well an aromatic solvent such as benzene, saturated with carbon dioxide at the injection pressure into the fluid communication path, following the injection of the solvent with the injection of an oil-displacing fluid such as hot water, steam, or superheated steam and recovering oil from the formation via a production well. If desired, the oil displacing fluid may include a solubilizing agent, a surfactant or an alkaline agent.

Abstract: A method for recovering low gravity viscous crude oil or bitumen from a subterranean formation comprising first injecting super heated steam, next initiating an in situ combustion by injecting air, followed by an in situ combustion wherein both super heated steam and air are injected, then simultaneously performing an in situ combustion by injecting air while also injecting water and finally injecting water.

Abstract: Petroleum may be recovered from viscous petroleum containing formations including tar sand deposits by first creating a fluid communication path in the formation, followed by injecting via an injection well a fluid comprising superheated steam and air into the formation via the fluid communication path whereby in situ combustion occurs providing heat and pressure for driving the petroleum in the formation toward the production well. Recovery of the displaced petroleum is accomplished via the production well.

Abstract: Hydrocarbons are recovered from subterranean formations by injecting into a hydrocarbon bearing formation via an injection well a fluid comprising water saturated with a gas such as natural gas, carbon dioxide, etc., forcing the said fluid through the formation and recovering hydrocarbons through a production well.

Abstract: Petroleum materials may be effectively recovered from subterranean, viscous, asphaltic or bituminous formations such as tar sand deposits by first injecting into the tar sand formation a paraffinic hydrocarbon at a temperature below 300.degree. F which precipitates asphaltic material from the asphaltic petroleum in the formation. Next, solvent injection is terminated and air is injected into the formation, and the formation is ignited to accomplish in situ combustion within the tar sand reservoir utilizing the precipitated asphaltic materials for fuel for the in situ combustion reaction. Reaction temperatures higher than normal in situ combustion temperatures are produced, facilitating thermal cracking and in situ hydrogenation to up grade the produced crude within the tar sand reservoir.

Abstract: A method for recovering low-gravity viscous oils and bitumen hydrocarbons from a subterranean hydrocarbon-bearing formation by injecting thereinto a hydrocarbon solvent saturated with a gas, and thereafter establishing a thermal sink in the formation, followed by a soak period, and production of the hydrocarbons therefrom.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for recovering low gravity, viscous petroleum including bitumen from a tar sand deposit by injecting unheated air followed by a soak period so that the viscous petroleum is conditioned by contact with the unheated air, followed by injection air or a mixture of heated air and steam to accomplish in situ combustion or low temperature oxidation within the viscous petroleum formation. The temperature of the unheated air injected in the first phase is less than 250.degree. F and preferably less than 150.degree. F, so as to avoid a combustion reaction between the air and the petroleum in the formation. The preliminary treatment with unheated air results in eliminating or decreasing the tendency for spontaneous ignition to occur at random sites in the formation, and produces more uniform combustion and propagation of the combustion front through the formation, and results in increased oil recovery from the formation.

Abstract: A vertical miscible recovery process for the recovery of oil from an oil-bearing reservoir wherein a miscible slug or blanket of solvent is established at the crest of the oil column or at the gas-oil interface and thereafter is displaced downward by the injection of a drive agent such as natural gas or methane wherein the reservoir is produced simultaneously from near the bottom of the oil column and also near the top of the oil column thereby increasing the spreading rate of the solvent slug.

Abstract: Viscous petroleum may be recovered from viscous petroleum-containing formations including tar sand deposits by injecting into the formation a gaseous mixture of a carrier gas and a solvent which is liquid at reservoir conditions, such as pentane, hexane, heptane, octane, carbon disulfide, etc., and mixtures thereof. The gaseous mixture is formed by contacting a normally liquid solvent with a carrier gas such as nitrogen and introducing the carrier gas having solvent vaporized therein into the formation. Recovery of petroleum and solvent may be from the same well as is used for injection or from a remotely located well. The carrier gas and/or solvent may be heated prior to injection to increase solvency rate and vapor pressure. In throughput operations, the gaseous solvent mixture may be followed by water, hot water or steam to displace the residual solvent from the formation.

Abstract: Viscous petroleum may be recovered from viscous petroleum-containing formations including tar sand deposits by contacting the formation with a heated multiple-component solvent for the petroleum. At least one solvent component is normally gaseous material such as methane, ethane, propane or butane and at least one component is normally liquid, such as pentane and higher molecular weight hydrocarbons. The solvent mixture is heated to a temperature in excess of ambient temperature, and preferably from 100.degree. to 500.degree. F. prior to injection into the formation. The multiple solvent is introduced under sufficient pressure that it is substantially all liquid at the injection conditions. Recovery of petroleum and solvent may be from the same well as is used for injection or from a remotely located well.