Patent ID: 8387690

Claim:
An in situ combustion process in an underground reservoir having hydrocarbons, comprising the steps of: (a) providing at least one injection well for injecting an oxidant into the underground reservoir, wherein the injection well is vertically displaced within the underground reservoir; (b) providing at least one production well having a substantially horizontal section and a substantially vertical section, wherein the distal end of the substantially horizontal section extending toward the injection well includes a toe portion at one end of the horizontal section closest to the injection well and a heel portion at the opposite end of the horizontal section, wherein the heel portion connects the horizontal portion to the vertical portion of the production well, wherein the toe portion is closer to the injection well than the heel portion; (c) injecting an obstructing agent into the substantially horizontal section of the production well, wherein the obstructing agent is a highly permeable granular material and is one of gravel pack sand, frac sand, ceramic beads and bauxite; (d) injecting the oxidant into the injection well to establish a combustion front of ignited hydrocarbons within the underground reservoir; and (e) propagating the combustion front through the underground reservoir to facilitate in obtaining hydrocarbons.