(445c) Improving Gas Condensate Reservoir Productivity

Gas condensate reservoirs experience great losses in productivity as the reservoir pressure drops below the dew point pressure due to formation and accumulation of liquid condensate around the well bore and subsequent reduction of gas relative permeability.  Several methods have been proposed to minimize liquid condensate and or restore gas productivity of gas condensate well.  Among these methods: pressure maintenance, gas re-injection, solvent injection for wettability alteration and near well bore massive hydraulic fracturing.  Each of the previously mentioned method has its own advantages and shortcoming.  One method which shows great success on laboratory scale and great potential in field application is wettability alteration to gas wetting which reduces condensate accumulation in the vicinity of well bore and hence maintain gas productivity.  This paper evaluates the various techniques that have been used in the industry to maintain gas condensate productivity.  Gas flow tests have been used to study the effectiveness of each method to restore or maintain gas production for gas condensate reservoir.