The present invention is a method and apparatus for the enhanced recovery of petroleum fluids from the subsurface by in situ combustion of the hydrocarbon deposit, from injection of an oxygen rich gas and drawing off a flue gas to control the rate and propagation of the combustion front to be predominantly horizontal and propagating vertically downwards guided by the vertical highly permeable hydraulic fractures. Multiple propped vertical hydraulic fractures are constructed from the well bore into the oil sand formation and filled with a highly permeable proppant containing hydrodesulfurization and thermal cracking catalysts. The oxygen rich gas is injected via the well bore into the top of the propped fractures, the in situ hydrocarbons are ignited by a downhole burner, and the generated flue gas extracted from the bottom of the propped fractures through the well bore and mobile oil gravity drains through the propped fractures to the bottom of the well bore and pumped to the surface. The combustion front is predominantly horizontal, providing good vertical and lateral sweep, due to the flue gas exhaust control provided by the highly permeable propped fractures.