The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.

The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.

Date of Patent:
Dec. 16, 2003

Filed:

Nov. 07, 2001
Applicant:
Inventors:

A. M. Harold Gutek, Calgary Alberta, CA;

Brian Harschnitz, Calgary Alberta, CA;

Ronald D. Myers, Calgary Alberta, CA;

Tadahiro Okazawa, Calgary Alberta, CA;

Assignee:
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
E21B 4/322 ; E21B 4/324 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
E21B 4/322 ; E21B 4/324 ;
Abstract

Steam is injected into the reservoir, heats the reservoir to mobilize and recover at least a fraction of reservoir hydrocarbons, forming a steam chamber in the reservoir. The steam is continuously injected into the reservoir to mobilize and recover reservoir hydrocarbons therefrom until at least one of (i) an upper surface of the chamber has progressed vertically to a position that is approximately 25 percent to 75 percent the distance from the bottom of the injection well to the top of the reservoir, and (ii) the recovery rate of the hydrocarbons is approximately 25 percent to 75 percent of the peak predicted recovery rate using steam-assisted gravity drainage. A viscosity-reducing hydrocarbon solvent is injected into the reservoir, the solvent being capable of existing in vapor form in the chamber and being just below the solvent's saturation pressure in the chamber, mobilizing and recovering additional hydrocarbons from the reservoir.


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