Patent ID: 8025101

Claim:
A cyclic steam stimulation method for producing heated hydrocarbons from a viscous hydrocarbon-containing formation, comprising the following steps: a) drilling a well having a substantially horizontal or inclined lower section into the viscous hydrocarbon-containing formation substantially along the trajectory of the minimum compressive horizontal stress Sh; b) cutting at selected intervals along the length of the lower well section substantially disk-shaped cavities into the viscous hydrocarbon-containing formation by a rotating hydraulic jet cutting device; c) completing the well; d) injecting steam into the well and disk-shaped cavities at such an elevated pressure that the hydraulic pressure in at least one disk-shaped cavity is above the formation fracturing pressure, thereby fracturing the formation and permitting the steam to invade the formation surrounding the fracture and to heat hydrocarbons in the steam invaded zone; e) interrupting steam injection and producing heated hydrocarbons via the well; and f) repeating steps (d) and (e) a number of times.