Abstract: Techniques for recovering hydrocarbons, such as heavy hydrocarbons or bitumen, from a cellar region below a horizontal production well can include providing a cellar well section that extends from the horizontal production well into the cellar region. The horizontal production well can be part of a Steam-Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) in situ recovery system, which forms a hydrocarbon depleted region and a hydrocarbon bearing cellar region. The cellar region includes hydrocarbons that have been pre-heated by SAGD operations. One or more cellar well sections are provided from the SAGD production well to extend into the cellar region, in order to form a branched production well. A pressurizing gas can be injected into the hydrocarbon depleted region from a SAGD injection well, in order to provide sufficient pressure to promote production of pre-heated hydrocarbons from the cellar region through the cellar well section.

Abstract: Techniques for recovering hydrocarbons, such as heavy hydrocarbons or bitumen, from a cellar region below a horizontal production well can include providing a cellar well section that extends from the horizontal production well into the cellar region. The horizontal production well can be part of a Steam-Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) in situ recovery system, which forms a hydrocarbon depleted region and a hydrocarbon bearing cellar region. The cellar region includes hydrocarbons that have been pre-heated by SAGD operations. One or more cellar well sections are provided from the SAGD production well to extend into the cellar region, in order to form a branched production well. A pressurizing gas can be injected into the hydrocarbon depleted region from a SAGD injection well, in order to provide sufficient pressure to promote production of pre-heated hydrocarbons from the cellar region through the cellar well section.