Patent ID: 7516789

Claim:
A hydrocarbon recovery process comprising: a) selecting a hydrocarbon reservoir bearing a heavy oil, the reservoir being in fluid communication with: i) a generally horizontal segment of a hydrocarbon production well; ii) a generally horizontal segment of an oxidizing gas injection well, generally parallel to and vertically spaced apart above the horizontal segment of the hydrocarbon production well, the average distance between the horizontal segments of the oxidizing gas injection well and the hydrocarbon production well providing a hydrocarbon production well offset distance; and, iii) a generally horizontal segment of a combustion gas production well, generally parallel to and horizontally spaced apart laterally from the horizontal segment of the oxidizing gas injection well, the average distance between the horizontal segments of the oxidizing gas injection well and the combustion gas production well providing a combustion gas production well offset distance, wherein the combustion gas production well offset distance is greater than the hydrocarbon production well offset distance; b) injecting an oxidizing gas into the formation through the injection well to support in situ combustion in the formation, to mobilize hydrocarbons in the heavy oil; c) producing fluids from the combustion gas production well, to direct combustion gases to the combustion gas production well; and, d) recovering the mobilized hydrocarbons from the reservoir through the hydrocarbon production well.