Patent ID: 9291042
Filing Date: 2016-03-22
CPC Classification: E21B

Claim Text:
1. An improved thermal oil recovery method for recovering oil from a development region of a hydrocarbon-containing subterranean reservoir, comprising the steps of: (i) drilling a first heated fluid injection well, having a horizontal portion extending into said development region and adapted for injecting a heated fluid into said development region; (ii) drilling a first production well within said development region, having a horizontal portion situated parallel with but positioned below said horizontal portion of said first heated fluid injection well, said production well adapted for collecting heated oil from said development region; (iii) drilling at least one liquid injection well along at least one side edge of said development region; (iv) injecting a heated fluid such as steam into said first heated fluid injection well and into the development region via said horizontal portion of said heated fluid injection well; (v) injecting a liquid such as water into said liquid injection well along said one side edge of said development region to create a pressurized zone at said one side edge to reduce flow of the heated fluid and/or heated oil past said pressurized zone; and (vi) collecting and producing to surface the heated oil within said reservoir that has flowed into said production well.