Patent ID: 7717171
Filing Date: 2010-05-18
Classification: C10G,E21B

Abstract:
1. A method for treating a tar sands formation, comprising: heating a first portion of a hydrocarbon layer in the formation from a first set of heaters located in the first portion; controlling the heating to increase a fluid injectivity of the first portion; injecting and/or creating a drive fluid and/or an oxidizing fluid in the first portion to cause at least some hydrocarbons to move from a second portion of the hydrocarbon layer to a third portion of the hydrocarbon layer, the second portion being between the first portion and the third portion, and at least two of the first, second, and third portions being at least partially horizontally displaced from each other; heating the third portion from a second set of heaters located in the third portion; and producing hydrocarbons from the third portion of the formation, the hydrocarbons including at least some hydrocarbons from the second portion of the formation.