Method for controlling sand in thermal recovery of oil from tar sands

A method is disclosed for producing oil from a subterranean reservoir of tar sands as unconsolidated oil bearing sands. The method comprises basically (1) setting a screen in an open hole, the screen being large enough to pass a majority of the formation sand and small enough to retain a packing material, (2) running a wash pipe through the screen for connecting to a lateral nozzle in a hole in the bottom of the screen for washing out a cavity around the screen, (3) dropping a weight down the wash pipe for breaking off the nozzle for enlarging the screen bottom opening and (4) ejecting a consolidating gravel packing material through the large bottom opening for forming a consolidated gravel pack around the screen for primary production, or (5) agglomerating the gravel pack with chemicals as with resins, plastics, or jelly for secondary recovery production.