Importance

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Abstract

The present invention is an improvement on the method of recovering viscous petroleum from a petroleum-containing formation by providing a steam injection well from the earth's surface through the formation, extending at least one lateral hole from the vicinity of the steam injection well through at least a portion of the formation, forming a flow path in the hole isolated from the formation for flow of fluid through the formation, circulating a hot fluid through the flow path to reduce the viscosity of the viscous petroleum in the formation adjacent the outside of the flow path to form a communication path for flow of petroleum in the formation outside of the flow path, and injecting a driving fluid into the formation through the steam injection well and the communication path to promote flow of petroleum in the formation to production wells penetrating the petroleum-containing formation for recovery from the formation. This improvement comprises having at least two of the production wells offset from the flow path by from 2% to 8% the distance from the steam injection well. Preferably, the offset production wells are located on both sides of the flow path and are offset from the flow path by from 3% to 6% the distance from the steam injection well. Preferably, the length of the flow path is at least 600 feet, and preferably there are at least four production wells per flow path.

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First Claim