RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBONS USING ARTIFICIAL TOPSEALS

摘要

A method is described for recovering viscous oil such as bitumen from asubsurface formation. The method involves creating an artificial barrier in asubterraneanzone above or proximate a top of the subsurface formation. The barrier islargelyimpermeable to fluid flow. The method also includes reducing the viscosity ofthe viscousoil and mobilizing hydrocarbons into a readily flowable heavy oil by additionof heatand/or solvent. Heating preferably uses a plurality of heat injection wells.The methodfurther includes producing the heavy oil using a production method thatpreserves theintegrity of the artificial barrier.