Horizontal well completion

A method of completing a well for simultaneously and continuously injecting steam and producing heavy oil from a single well comprising:

• drilling a well bore from the surface of the earth downwardly, then substantially horizontally into an earth formation containing heavy oil,
• placing a well casing in the well bore,
• perforating at least a portion of the horizontally disposed casing in the well bore, placing a well head on the casing,
• placing a packer in sealing engagement in the casing between the perforations and the well head,
• placing a production tubing string through and in sealing engagement with the packer and extending to the surface,
• placing an injection tubing string in the well casing and through and in sealing engagement with the packer, the interior of the casing below the packer forming a continuous, unobstructed, open annulus connected to and extending from the inlet of the production tubing string to the outlet of the injection tubing string,
• circulating steam down the injection string, through at least a portion of the horizontal portion of the well casing,
• injecting the steam upward into the earth formation containing heavy oil where it condenses, heats the heavy oil, reducing the viscosity of the heavy oil,
• whereby the steam condensate and hot oil flow downwardly into the horizontal portion of the well casing,
• controlling the steam pressure and therefore the steam temperature in the earth formation containing heavy oil by controlling the injection pressure and flow rate of the steam, and
• simultaneously producing the condensate and hot oil at a controlled rate through the production string.

A system of completion for simultaneous and continuous steam injection and production of heavy oil from a single well comprising:

• well casing means disposed in a well bore, the well bore and well casing means having a substantially horizontal portion disposed in an earth formation containing heavy oil, and the well casing means having perforations in the horizontal portion,
• well head means at the top end of the well casing means,
• packer means sealing the casing between the perforations and the well head means,
• production tubing string means extending from the well head means, sealing with and communicating through the packer means,
• injection tubing string means extending from the well head means, sealing with and extending through the packer means and extending through at least a portion of the perforations, the interior of the casing below the packer forming a continuous, unobstructed, open annulus connected to and extending from the inlet of the production tubing string to the outlet of the injection tubing string, and
• means for injecting steam into the injection tubing string means, and
• means for controlling the pressure of the steam and therefore the temperature of the steam in the formation,
• whereby steam is continuously circulated into the injection string means, out of the injection tubing string means, through a portion of the horizontal casing means, wherein injection forces drive the steam upward into the formation where it condenses, heating the heavy oil, reducing the viscosity of the heavy oil, the steam condensate and hot oil to flow downward into the horizontal portion of the well casing where the condensate and oil flow into the production tubing string means and flow through the production tubing string means to the well head simultaneously with the steam injection.