COMBINED STEAM AND VAPOR EXTRACTION PROCESS (SAVEX) FOR IN SITU BITUMEN AND HEAVY OIL PRODUCTION

摘要

AbstractA process for recovery of hydrocarbons from anunderground reservoir of said hydrocarbons the undergroundreservoir being penetrated by an injection well and aproduction well spaced from the injection well, the processcomprising:(a) injecting steam into said reservoir thereby heatingsaid reservoir to mobilize and recover at least a fractionof said hydrocarbons and to form a chamber in saidreservoir; and then,(b) continuing to inject steam into said reservoir andmobilize and recover hydrocarbons therefrom until at leastone of (i) an upper surface of said chamber has progressedvertically to a position that is approximately 25 to 75%,preferably 40 to 60%, or about 50% the distance from theinjection well to the top of the reservoir, and (ii) therecovery rate of said hydrocarbons is approximately 25 to75%, preferably 40 to 60%, or about 50% of the peakpredicted recovery rate using steam-assisted gravitydrainage; and(c) injecting a solvent of at least a fraction of saidhydrocarbons, said solvent being capable of existing invapor form in said chamber and being just below saidsolvent's saturation pressure in said chamber therebymobilizing and recovering a subfraction of said fraction ofsaid hydrocarbons.