05217076 is referenced by 333 patents and cites 16 patents.
A method and apparatus for the improved recovery of oil from porous sub-surface deposits such as tar sands comprising mining and drilling a well with upper and lower horizontal rectangular grids extending outward into the deposit and applying steam heat or super heated crude oil vapor through the lower grid and hot pressurized flue gas through the upper grid. The flue gas and steam or super heated crude oil vapor are produced in a generation facility that provides electricity for the installation from turbine generators, the crude oil for super heating being provided by an initial production from the deposit following flue gas injection. Steam condensate is recycled from the recovered oil to the generation facility thereby reducing the water requirements and environmental pollution, and, where super heated crude oil vapor is used, a portion of the produced crude is used for this purpose.