Achieving Balanced Maintenance of Gas and Gas Condensate Wells under Abnormally Low Pressures

This article discusses gas condensate reservoirs and their economic value. It also introduces the challenges that face practicing engineers in producing gas condensate reservoirs. The economic value of gas condensate reservoirs depends largely on the richness of the gas (how much condensate drops out from the gas when it reaches the surface) and the production and management techniques of the reservoir. It introduces the plant products and how they can be calculated with examples. It also explains gas in place calculations for gas condensate reservoirs using material balance equations and the role of pressure, volume, and temperature properties in these calculations. Applications and needed calculations for managing gas condensate reservoirs are explained with practical examples.

Keywords: gas condensate wells, achieving optimal performance and reliability.

Gas and gas condensate wells are critical assets in the energy industry, supplying natural gas and valuable condensates for various applications. However, maintaining optimal production levels and ensuring the longevity of these wells can be challenging, particularly when operating under abnormally low pressures. In such conditions, the risk of wellbore damage, productivity decline, and equipment failure increases, necessitating a balanced maintenance approach. This essay examines the complexities of maintaining gas and gas condensate wells under low-pressure conditions and explores strategies for achieving optimal performance and reliability.

Challenges of Low-Pressure Operation: Abnormally low pressures in gas and gas condensate wells pose significant challenges to maintenance and production operations. Some of the key challenges include:

1. Reduced Production Rates: Low reservoir pressures result in decreased gas flow rates and condensate recovery, limiting overall production levels and revenue generation.
2. Liquid Loading: As reservoir pressure declines, the ability to lift liquids to the surface diminishes, leading to liquid loading in the wellbore. Liquid accumulation reduces gas flow efficiency and can ultimately lead to well shutdown or gas locking.
3. Formation Damage: Low-pressure conditions increase the risk of formation damage due to the influx of formation fines, clay swelling, or liquid blockages in the reservoir matrix. This can impair well productivity and necessitate costly remediation efforts.
4. Equipment Limitations: Surface equipment, such as compressors, separators, and pumps, may be operating beyond their design limits under low-pressure conditions, leading to reduced efficiency, increased maintenance requirements, and higher energy consumption.

Balanced Maintenance Strategies:

Achieving balanced maintenance of gas and gas condensate wells under abnormally low pressures requires a multifaceted approach that addresses reservoir, wellbore, and surface equipment considerations.

Key strategies include:

1. Reservoir Management: Implementing reservoir management techniques, such as gas cycling, pressure maintenance, or enhanced oil recovery (EOR) methods, can help sustain reservoir pressure and prolong productive life. Gas injection, water alternating gas (WAG) injection, or polymer flooding are common EOR techniques employed to mitigate pressure decline and enhance hydrocarbon recovery.
2. Liquid Unloading: Deploying effective liquid unloading techniques is crucial for mitigating liquid loading and maintaining gas flow rates in low-pressure wells. Gas lift systems, plunger lift systems, intermittent gas injection, or chemical treatments can be utilized to remove liquids from the wellbore and restore productivity.
3. Artificial Lift Optimization: Optimizing artificial lift systems, such as gas lift, electric submersible pumps (ESP), or rod pumps, is essential for overcoming the challenges of low-pressure operation. Selecting the appropriate lift method, optimizing operating parameters, and monitoring well performance are critical for maximizing efficiency and reliability.
4. Well Stimulation: Performing well stimulation treatments, such as acidizing, hydraulic fracturing, or matrix stimulation, can improve reservoir connectivity, remove formation damage, and enhance well productivity in low-pressure environments. Targeted treatments can help restore reservoir permeability and increase hydrocarbon flow rates.
5. Surface Equipment Upgrades: Upgrading surface equipment to handle low-pressure conditions is essential for ensuring reliable production operations.

Installing high-efficiency compressors, separators, and pumps, as well as implementing advanced control systems and monitoring technologies, can improve system performance, reduce downtime, and minimize maintenance costs.

6. Integrated Asset Management: Adopting an integrated approach to asset management, incorporating predictive maintenance, condition monitoring, and risk-based inspection strategies, is essential for optimizing the performance and longevity of gas and gas condensate wells under low-pressure conditions. By proactively identifying potential issues and implementing timely interventions, operators can minimize downtime, maximize production uptime, and extend asset life cycles.

Balanced maintenance of gas and gas condensate wells under abnormally low pressures is crucial for sustaining production, minimizing operational risks, and maximizing asset value. By employing a comprehensive approach that encompasses reservoir management, liquid unloading, artificial lift optimization, well stimulation, surface equipment upgrades, and integrated asset management strategies, operators can overcome the challenges associated with low-pressure operation and ensure the long-term viability of their assets. As technology continues to evolve and industry best practices evolve, the maintenance of gas and gas condensate wells will continue to advance, enabling operators to achieve optimal performance and reliability in even the most challenging operating environments.

References:

1. Aliyev Z. S. etc. Technological modes of operation of gas wells. M., Nedra, 1978.
2. Instructions for complex exploration of gas and gas condensate reservoirs and wells. (Edited by G. A. Zotova, Z. S. Aliyeva). M., Nedra, 1980.