A method and assembly for treating a portion (e.g. horizontal) of a wellbore for removing solids and for producing fluids therefrom. The assembly is comprised of dual flowpaths (e.g. tubing strings) extend from the surface into the portion of the wellbore to be treated and produced. A liner is connected on the lower end of the first flowpath while the second flowpath terminates within the upper end of the wellbore portion. A treating fluid is flowed down the first flowpath and through the liner into the wellbore to wash and entrain solids therein. The treating fluid and solids are then circulated back to the surface through the second flowpath. After treatment, the second flowpath is closed and fluids are produced through the liner and to the surface through the first flowpath.

A method of achieving a preferential flow distribution in a horizontal well bore. This method consists of the step of positioning in a horizontal wellbore a slotted liner having a plurality of slots which provide a flow area. The slot open flow area of the slotted liner varying along its length in accordance with a selected strategy of flow distribution. The preferred strategy being to create an overbalanced condition in the wellbore which promotes promote a higher flow at the toe portion than at the heel portion.

A method and apparatus for recovering viscous hydrocarbons from a subsurface reservoir holding the same using an essentially horizontal well bore having a production inlet and containing steam injection tubing that carries a plurality of jet nozzles oriented to emit steam along said injection tubing towards said production inlet.

A process for recovery of hydrocarbons in a production fluid from an underground reservoir of said hydrocarbons, the process comprising of: (a) injecting a viscosity reducing solvent of a fraction of said hydrocarbons into said reservoir at a pressure in the reservoir of above a liquid/vapor phase change pressure of a fraction of said solvent; said pressure in said reservoir also being sufficient to cause geomechanical formation dilation or pore fluid compression, and then, (b) allowing said solvent to mix with said hydrocarbons under pore dilation conditions, and then, (c) reducing the pressure in said reservoir to below said liquid/vapor phase change pressure of at least said fraction of said solvent thereby evincing solvent gas drive of said fraction of said hydrocarbons from said reservoir; and then, (d) repeating steps (a) to (c) as required.

LASER-CSS provides a method to improve cyclic steam-based thermal recovery methods for heavy oils and bitumen. A key improvement over prior art consists of mixing liquid hydrocarbons into the injected steam instead of injecting such hydrocarbon as a separate slug in front of a steam stimulation cycle. The objective of the invention is to enhance field applications of Cyclic Steam Stimulation (CSS) by contacting and mobilizing more of the bitumen with the same amount of steam. This is to help increase the recovery efficiency and ultimate recovery normally achieved with conventional CSS-type process operations. The proposed LASER-CSS method utilizes existing CSS wells at some intermediate stage of reservoir depletion. Liquid hydrocarbons are directly mixed and flashed into the injected steam lines, injected into the CSS wellbores and further transported as vapors to contact heavy oil or bitumen surrounding steamed areas between adjacent wells. For the most part injected hydrocarbons are reproduced dissolved within the produced bitumen phase. The optimum loading of hydrocarbons injected with steam will be chosen to maximize pressure drawdown and fluid removal of the reservoir using conventional CSS artificial lift equipment already in place.