Patent ID: 8127865

Claim:
An excavation method, comprising: (a) providing a substantially vertically inclined shaft, at least a portion of the substantially vertically inclined shaft being lined to inhibit entry, into an interior of the at least a portion of the substantially vertically inclined shaft, of a formation fluid from a hydrocarbon-containing formation; (b) at a selected level of the at least a portion of the substantially vertically inclined shaft forming, while maintaining a pressure and fluid seal between the shaft interior and the formation, a plurality of recess cavities extending approximately radially outward from the at least a portion of the substantially vertically inclined shaft, the selected level being adjacent to or near the hydrocarbon-containing formation; and (c) drilling, while maintaining the pressure and fluid seal between the at least a portion of the substantially vertically inclined shaft interior and the formation to inhibit entry of the formation fluid into the shaft interior, at least one well outward from a face of each of the recess cavities, the at least one well penetrating at least a portion of the hydrocarbon-containing formation and wherein the seal is maintained continuously during a duration of formation and operation of the at least one well; wherein the forming step (b) comprises: from the at least a portion of the substantially vertically inclined shaft, pipe-jacking and/or pile-driving a rigid tube into the hydrocarbon-containing formation; from the at least a portion of the substantially vertically inclined shaft, thereafter excavating a formation material positioned interiorly of the rigid tube; and after the excavating step, forming a sealed end to the rigid tube.