Abstract: A downhole steam generation apparatus and method of use are provided. The apparatus may include an injection section, a combustion section, and an evaporation section. The injection section may include a housing, injector elements, and injector plate. The combustion section may include a liner having channels disposed therethrough. The evaporation section may include conduits in fluid communication with the channels and the combustion chamber, and a nozzle operable to inject a fluid from the channels to the combustion chamber in droplet form. A method of use may include supplying fuel, oxidant, and fluid to the apparatus; combusting fuel and oxidant in a chamber while flowing the fluid through a plurality of channels disposed through a liner, thereby heating the fluid and cooling the liner; and injecting droplets of the heated fluid into the chamber and evaporating the droplets by combustion of the fuel and the oxidant to produce steam.

Abstract: A downhole steam generation apparatus and method of use are provided. The apparatus may include an injection section, a combustion section, and an evaporation section. The injection section may include a housing, injector elements, and injector plate. The combustion section may include a liner having channels disposed therethrough. The evaporation section may include conduits in fluid communication with the channels and the combustion chamber, and a nozzle operable to inject a fluid from the channels to the combustion chamber in droplet form. A method of use may include supplying fuel, oxidant, and fluid to the apparatus; combusting fuel and oxidant in a chamber while flowing the fluid through a plurality of channels disposed through a liner, thereby heating the fluid and cooling the liner; and injecting droplets of the heated fluid into the chamber and evaporating the droplets by combustion of the fuel and the oxidant to produce steam.

Abstract: A method for producing hydrocarbons from a reservoir is provided. The method includes positioning a burner having a combustion chamber in a first well, supplying a fuel, an oxidant, and one of water or steam from the surface to the burner in the first well, supplying a viscosity-reducing gas from the surface to the reservoir in a conduit separate from the fuel, igniting the fuel and the oxidant in the combustion chamber to generate heat and steam in the burner, injecting the viscosity-reducing gas and steam into the reservoir to reduce the viscosity of and heat hydrocarbons within the reservoir, and recovering hydrocarbons from the reservoir.

Abstract: A downhole burner is used for producing heavy-oil formations. Hydrogen, oxygen, and steam are pumped by separate conduits to the burner, which burns at least part of the hydrogen and forces the combustion products out into the earth formation. The steam cools the burner and becomes superheated steam, which is injected along with the combustion products into the earth formation. Carbon dioxide is also pumped down the well and injected into the formation.

Abstract: A downhole burner is used for producing heavy-oil formations. Hydrogen, oxygen, and steam are pumped by separate conduits to the burner, which burns at least part of the hydrogen and forces the combustion products out into the earth formation. The steam cools the burner and becomes superheated steam, which is injected along with the combustion products into the earth formation. Carbon dioxide is also pumped down the well and injected into the formation.

Abstract: Methods for increasing the recovery of hydrocarbons from a subterranean reservoir. A method may include the steps of injecting a first fluid into a first horizontal well in the reservoir by a first device; producing hydrocarbons from a second horizontal well disposed below the first well; injecting a second fluid into a third well laterally offset from each of the first and second wells while continuing to produce hydrocarbons from the second well; and selectively ceasing injection into the first well when the second well is in fluid communication with the third well. The first and second fluid may comprise steam, carbon dioxide, oxygen, or combinations thereof. Injection into the first well selectively may be ceased when pressure in the first well is increased to a first injection pressure.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for the in situ conversion and recovery of heavy crude oils and natural bitumens from subsurface formations using either a continuous operation with one or more vertical injection boreholes and one or more vertical production boreholes in which multiple, uncased, horizontal boreholes may extend from the vertical boreholes, or a cyclic operation whereby both injection and production occur in the same vertical boreholes in which multiple, uncased, horizontal boreholes may extend from the vertical boreholes. A mixture of reducing gases, oxidizing gases, and steam are fed to downhole combustion devices located in the injection boreholes. Combustion of the reducing gas-oxidizing gas mixture is carried out to produce superheated steam and hot reducing gases for injection into the formation to convert and upgrade the heavy crude or bitumen into lighter hydrocarbons.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for the in situ conversion and recovery of heavy crude oils and natural bitumens from subsurface formations using either a continuous operation with one or more injection and production boreholes, which may include horizontal boreholes, or a cyclic operation whereby both injection and production occur in the same boreholes. A mixture of reducing gases, oxidizing gases, and steam are fed to downhole combustion devices located in the injection boreholes. Combustion of the reducing gas-oxidizing gas mixture is carried out to produce superheated steam and hot reducing gases for injection into the formation to convert and upgrade the heavy crude or bitumen into lighter hydrocarbons. Communication between the injection and production boreholes in the continuous operation and fluid mobility within the formation in the cyclic operation is induced by fracturing or related methods.

Abstract: An integrated process is disclosed for treating, at the surface, production fluids recovered from the application of in situ hydrovisbreaking to heavy crude oils and natural bitumens deposited in subsurface formations. The production fluids include virgin heavy hydrocarbons, heavy hydrocarbons converted via the hydrovisbreaking process to lighter liquid hydrocarbons, residual reducing gases, hydrocarbon gases, and other components. In the process of this invention, the hydrocarbons in the production fluids are separated into a synthetic-crude-oil product (a nominal butane to 975.degree. F. fraction with reduced sulfur, nitrogen, metals, and carbon residue) and a residuum stream (a nominal 975.degree. F.+ fraction). Partial oxidation of the residuum is carried out to produce clean reducing gas and fuel gas for steam generation, with the reducing gas and steam used in the in situ hydrovisbreaking process.