In situ formation of sand control medium

Abstract From the Canadian patent

Substantially sand free oil is produced from an unconsolidated oil sand formation by a process characterized by: first forming a zone of consolidated permeable sand containing medium extending from a well bore radially into the formation by injecting substantially oxygen free hot aqueous fluid into the formation containing cokeable oil from the well bore at a rate, temperature and, pressure sufficient to heat the zone to a temperature at least sufficient to form coke binder for the sand grains therein, and then producing the substantially sand free oil through the thus formed consolidated permeable medium into the well bore from the oil sand formation. The process is presently viewed to be …