A method has been invented for recovering hydrocarbons from an earth formation containing hydrocarbons, the method including injecting a
recovery injectant into the earth formation at a plurality of injection points spaced apart by about 14 to about 208 feet, and producing hydrocarbons from the formation with at least one producer well. In one aspect the method includes injecting steam into an earth formation which contains oil bearing diatomite at a plurality of injection points spaced apart by about 14 to about 208 feet, and producing hydrocarbons from the formation with a one or more producer wells extending into the oil bearing diatomite formation, with a plurality of producer wells spaced apart by a distance
ranging between about 14 to about 149 feet, injecting steam into the oil bearing diatomite at an
injection rate of between about 10 to about 149 barrels of steam per day per hundred feet thickness of diatomite, and injecting the steam at a pressure between about 10 p.s.i. to about 260 p.s.i. The present invention also discloses a method for treating a
hydrocarbon-bearing diatomite formation including applying an artificial
overburden over at least a portion of the formation and applying a variable well spacing as needed. A field on an earth formation has been invented for recovering hydrocarbons, the earth formation having an
earth surface above it, the field including a plurality of
injector well and a plurality of producing wells, the field including at least one
injector well per acre of
earth surface above the earth formation and at least one producing well per acre. Certain parts of the wells may be in below-grade chambers.