According to a method of recovering petroleum from dormant oil wells or increasing the production of oil wells, an alkali or alkali earth carbonate is introduced into a water layer associated with a subterranean petroleum reservoir and/or an explosive composition is introduced into an oil layer associated with a subterranean petroleum reservoir. CO2 gas is produced by reacting the alkali or alkali earth carbonate with an acid and/or by detonating the explosive composition. An explosive composition can be introduced and detonated to achieve sufficient CO2 gas production to increase pressure within the subterranean petroleum reservoir. Petroleum recovery can be further enhanced through the use of recycling.