Heavy oil recovery-principles, practicality, potential, and problems

The principles, philosophy, plausibility, practicality, promise, prospects, potential, possibilities, and problems of heavy oil recovery are presented. Methods of heavy oil recovery are briefly examined, and field results are summarized. The criteria for applying such methods to specific reservoirs are outlined in the light of field test results. Finally, the heavy oil reservoirs in the Rocky Mt. region are briefly described, and possible recovery techniques are considered. (72 refs.)