Most of the estimated 8.9 trillion barrels in bitumen and heavy oil in places like Russia, Venezuela and Colombia can't be recovered using current technology.

[15] The technology has either already been applied or is being experimented with at locations in Kerrobert, Sutton, Saskatchewan, White Sands, May River, Dawson, Conklin, Alberta.

[16] According to engineering firm McDaniel and Associates Consultants Ltd. the THAI technology developed by Petrobank has the potential to exploit 17% more bitumen than SAGD.

[5] THAI is an evolutionary new configuration for in situ combustion that combines a horizontal production well with a vertical air injection well placed at the toe.

As the temperature increases inside of the well, the heavy oil is partially upgraded by the cracking of the large hydrocarbon chain.