Patent ID: 9562424
Date: 2017-02-07
CPC Classifications: E21B

Claim:
1. A method of producing heated water from a hydrocarbon reservoir having a hot bitumen-depleted zone adjacent to an aqueous mobile zone formation, the method comprising: generating fluid communication between the aqueous mobile zone formation and the hot bitumen-depleted zone; driving water from the aqueous mobile zone formation through at least a portion of the hot bitumen-depleted zone to heat the water sufficiently to generate both steam and hot liquid water in situ; and producing the heated water from a first and a second heated water production well, wherein: the water from the aqueous mobile zone formation is driven through a portion of the hot bitumen-depleted zone below the first heated water production well and above the second heated water production well, and the first heated water production well produces heated water from the generated steam, and the second heated water production well produces water from the generated hot liquid water.