Methods and systems produce petroleum products by insulating a thermal hydrocarbon recovery process from heat loss to surrounding areas of a formation utilizing an insulating composition including a non-gaseous phase component introduced into the reservoir that is different from water and insoluble in the hydrocarbons. The insulating composition may be disposed in the reservoir adjacent to where the heat loss is desired to be limited. In addition, the insulating composition may be disposed in a thief zone and may also be from an agent activated to form the composition at such desired locations by selecting activation dependent on at least one of temperature, time delay and oil saturation.