Bitumen production through a horizontal well

摘要

Method and apparatus for extracting a viscous hydrocarbon from a productive substrate which is characterized by amounts of unconsolidated sand particles. A hot, thermal stimulating medium is introduced at an elevated pressure to the productive substrate through the remote end of an elongated well liner. As the hydrocarbon becomes mobile it is urged to the lower pressured segment of the liner. An expandable diverter, pervious to the stimulating medium, is positioned in the liner to form a quasi-barrier. Said barrier is progressively lengthened to cause the stimulating medium to penetrate progressively increasing lengths of the productive substrate to assure extraction of hydrocarbon along the entire liner length.