Gas Reservoirs

In general, if the reservoir temperature is

above the critical temperature of the
hydrocarbon system, the reservoir is
classified as a natural gas reservoir.
On the basis of their phase diagrams
and the prevailing reservoir conditions,
natural gases can be classified into 3
categories:
• Retrograde gas-condensate
• Wet gas
• Dry gas
 Retrograde gas-condensate reservoir

If the reservoir temperature T lies

between the critical temperature Tc
and cricondentherm Tct of the
reservoir fluid, the reservoir is
classified as a retrograde gas-
condensate reservoir.
• the gas-oil ratio for a condensate
system increases with time due to the
liquid dropout and the loss of heavy
components in the liquid.
• Condensate gravity above 50° API
• Stock-tank liquid is usually water-white
or slightly colored.
 Wet-gas reservoir

Temperature of wet-gas reservoir

is above the cricondentherm of the
hydrocarbon mixture.
Because the reservoir temperature
exceeds the cricondentherm of the
hydrocarbon system, the reservoir
fluid will always remain in the
vapor phase region as the
reservoir is depleted isothermally,
along the vertical line A-B.
 Wet-gas reservoir

Wet-gas reservoirs are characterized by the following

properties:
• Gas oil ratios between 60,000 to 100,000 scf/STB
• Stock-tank oil gravity above 60° API
• Liquid is water-white in color
• Separator conditions, i.e., separator pressure and
temperature, lie within the two-phase region
 Dry-gas reservoir

The hydrocarbon mixture

exists as a gas both in the
reservoir and in the
surface facilities.
Usually a system having a
gas-oil ratio greater than
100,000 scf/STB is
considered to be a dry gas.
 Gas Wells
• Volume of gas in reservoir ; volume
determined by porosity… ?? ~ 20-30 %
• Gas expands and is produced
• Some liquids may come from formation or
be condensed in tubing as saturated gas
enters lower pressure wellbore.
Gas Wells
Gas Wells PI & IPR
 Gas Wells
• When both pwf and pr > 3000 psi, to give the
following Equation:
 Gas Wells
• When the Pwf & Pr are both between 2000
and 3000 psi, the Equation should be used to
calculate the gas flow rate Qg.
P P
 Gas Wells
• At low pressures, usually less than 2000 psi, the
Equation: pressure-squared approximation method

at
 Dry Gas Wells
• Example
• The PVT properties of a gas sample taken from a
dry gas reservoir are given in the following table:
 Dry Gas Wells
• The reservoir is producing under the following
conditions:
• k = 65 md h = 15’ T = 600°R
• re = 1000’ rw = 0.25’ s = 0.4
• Calculate the gas flow rate under the following
pressures;
• a. pr = 4000 psi, pwf = 3200 psi
• b. pr = 2000 psi, pwf = 1200 psi
• Use the appropriate methods.
 Gas Wells
• Solution
• a. Calculate Qg at pr = 4000 and pwf = 3200 psi:
• Step 1. Because pr and pwf are both >3000, use
Equation.

Qg= 44490 MScf/D

• Step 2. Calculate average pressure and

determine the corresponding gas properties.
 Gas Wells
• Solution
 Gas Wells
• Solution
• a. Calculate Qg at b. pr = 2000 psi, pwf = 1200 psi
• Step 1. Because pr and pwf are both <2000, use
Equation.

• Step 2. Calculate average pressure and determine

the corresponding gas properties.
 Gas Wells- IPR
• The Simplified Treatment Approach
• Based on the analysis for flow data obtained
from a large member of gas wells, Rawlins and
Schellhardt (1936) postulated that the
relationship between the gas flow rate and
pressure can be expressed as:
 Gas Wells: IPR
• Qgas, Mscf/D = C ( Pr2- Pwf2)n

• n varies from 0.5 (turbulence) to 1.0 (laminar), Darcy

Flow
• C and n determined from well tests if well permeable
enough to do tests in short time
• C depends on:
• • Reservoir rock properties
• • Fluid properties
• • Reservoir flow geometry
Gas Wells: IPR
 Gas Well Test
The Back-Pressure Test
• Rawlins and Schellhardt (1936) proposed a
method for testing gas wells by gauging the
ability of the well to flow against various back
pressures.
• This type of flow test is commonly referred to as
the conventional deliverability test. The
required procedure for conducting this back-
pressure test consists of the following steps:.
 Gas Well Test
• Step 1. Shut in the gas well sufficiently long for the
formation pressure to equalize at the volumetric average
pressure pr.
• Step 2. Place the well on production at a constant flow
rate Qg1 for a sufficient time to allow the bottom-hole
flowing pressure to stabilize at pwf1, i.e., to reach the
pseudosteady state.
• Step 3. Repeat Step 2 for several rates and the stabilized
bottom-hole flow pressure is recorded at each
corresponding flow rate.
• If three or four rates are used, the test may be referred to
as a three-point or four-point flow test.
 Gas Well Test
• The Back-Pressure Test
• Rawlins and Schellhardt (1936) proposed a
method for testing gas wells by gauging the
ability of the well to flow against various back
pressures.
• This type of flow test is commonly referred to as
the conventional deliverability test. The
required procedure for conducting this back-
pressure test consists of the following steps:.
 Gas Well Test
• The Back-Pressure Test
 Gas Well Test - IPR
• Example A gas well was tested using a three-
point conventional deliverability test. Data
recorded during the test are given below:

Generate the current IPR by using Simplified back-pressure

equation methods.
 Gas Well Test - IPR
• Solution
• a. Back-Pressure Equation:
• Step 1. Prepare the following table:
 Gas Well Test - IPR
• Step 2. Plot vs. Qg on a log-log scale as
shown in Figure below. Draw the best straight line
through the points.
• Step 3. Using any two points on the straight line,
calculate the exponent n .

Step 4. Determine the

performance coefficient C
Gas Well Test - IPR
 Gas Well Test - IPR
• Inflow Performance Relationships - for all methods.
 HORIZONTAL GAS WELL
PERFORMANCE
• Many low permeability gas reservoirs are historically
considered to be noncommercial due to low
production rates.
• Most vertical wells drilled in tight gas reservoirs are
stimulated using hydraulic fracturing and/or acidizing
treatments to attain economical flow rates.
• In addition, to deplete a tight gas reservoir, vertical
wells must be drilled at close spacing to efficiently
drain the reservoir.
• This would require a large number of vertical wells
 HORIZONTAL GAS WELL
PERFORMANCE
• In such reservoirs, horizontal wells provide an attractive
alternative to effectively deplete tight gas reservoirs and attain high flow
• rates. Joshi (1991) points out those horizontal wells are applicable in
both low-permeability reservoirs as well as in high-permeability
reservoirs.
• An excellent reference textbook by Sada Joshi (1991) gives a
comprehensive treatment of horizontal wells performance in oil and
gas reservoirs.
• In calculating the gas flow rate from a horizontal well, Joshi introduced
• the concept of the effective wellbore radius r’w into the gas flow
• equation. The effective wellbore radius is given by:
 Horizontal Gas Well

For a pseudosteady-state flow, Joshi expressed Darcy’s equation

of a laminar flow in the following two familiar forms:
 Horizontal Gas Well
• Example
• A 2,000-foot-long horizontal gas well is draining an area of
approximately 120 acres. The following data are available:
• Pr = 2000 psi ; pwf = 1200 psi
• (mg z)avg = 0.011826 rw = 0.3 ft s = 0.5
• h = 20 ft T = 180°F k = 1.5 md
• Assuming a pseudosteady-state flow, calculate the gas flow rate
by using the pressure-squared method.
 Horizontal Gas Well
• Solution
• Step 1. Calculate the drainage radius (reh) of the horizontal well:

Step 2. Calculate half the major axis of drainage ellipse a

Step 3. Calculate the effective wellbore radius r’w

 Gas Well Test - IPR
• Step 4. Calculate the flow rate by using the pressure-squared
approximation
P/Z Gas Decline:

Cumulative
Production
 Gas Decline Curve

Drops off decline

curve and stays
there… liquid
loading..
Rate, Mscf/D

Time