Method for increasing the recovery of natural gas from a geo-pressured aquifer

Patent · Tue Aug 16 04:00:00 EDT 1977

OSTI ID:6615194

Cook, Jr, H L; Geer, E C

A method is described for increasing the recovery of natural gas from a geopressured aquifer containing water and gas and having a zone of free gas dispersed in water. One or more wells are completed in the geopressured aquifer in the zone. The aquifer is allowed to flow water and gas under natural pressure through the well thus lowering the pressure in the aquifer sufficiently to allow the gas to be released from solution in the water. The released gas will migrate more freely to the well and be produced. Preferably the wells are produced at a high enough rate of production to reduce the existing aquifer pressure in the drainage area of the wells as quickly as possible so that gas may be released from solution in the water, and so that gaseous hydrocarbons in the formation may expand and flow to the wells. A high initial flow rate of at least 15,000 bwpd from each well is necessary to effect the lowering of the aquifer pressure by at least 25% in order to provide the necessary mobility of the gas to obtain the enhanced gas recovery by the present method. (10 claims)

• Assignee: Transco Energy Co
• Patent Number(s): US 4042034
• OSTI ID: 6615194
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

03 NATURAL GAS
030300* -- Natural Gas-- Drilling
Production
& Processing
AQUIFERS
DRILLING
ENERGY SYSTEMS
ENHANCED RECOVERY
EVALUATION
GEOPRESSURED SYSTEMS
NATURAL GAS WELLS
PRODUCTIVITY
RECOVERY
WELL COMPLETION
WELL DRILLING
WELLS