Steamflooding with alternating injection and production cycles

A method for recovering hydrocarbons from a hydrocarbon bearing formation penetrated by multiple 5-spot, inverted 5-spot, 7-spot, or 9-spot patterns of injection and production wells, comprising:

• injecting steam into a hydrocarbon bearing formation penetrated by multiple 5-spot, inverted 5-spot, 7-spot, or 9-spot vertical well patterns through a first group of wells comprising approximately one-half of the injection wells of the patterns;
• ceasing steam injection through the first group of wells and injecting steam into the formation through a second group of wells comprising approximately the remaining one-half of the injection wells excluded from the first group;
• ceasing steam injection through the second group of wells and injecting steam into the formation through a third group of wells comprising approximately one-half of the injection wells of the patterns;
• ceasing steam injection through the third group of wells and injecting steam into the formation through a fourth group of wells comprising approximately the remaining one-half of the injection wells excluded from the third group,
• said first group of injection wells comprising alternating rows of wells separated by alternating rows of the second group of injection wells, said third group of injection wells comprising alternating rows of wells separated by alternating rows of the fourth group of injection wells,
• said alternating rows of injection wells arranged in horizontal rows, vertical rows or diagonal rows where the alternating rows of injection wells in the first and second groups are different from the alternating rows of injection wells in the third and fourth groups;
• and
• producing hydrocarbons and other fluids from production wells in the 5-spot, inverted 5-spot, 7-spot, or 9-spot well patterns.