Improved Gas Recovery for Bottom-Water-Drive Gas Reservoir Using Downhole Water Drain Technique: A Success Story from Arthit Field, Thailand

The objective of this paper is to demonstrate the implementation of downhole water drain (DHWD) technique to improve gas recovery factor for bottom-water-drive gas reservoir in the multi-thin reservoirs system in Arthit field. This technique was selected as an alternative method to defer water loading in the wellbore by preventing early water breakthrough meanwhile enhancing gas expansion. Project planning, operation, and performance evaluation are the gist of the discussion here. Candidate selection was the critical first step to the success of DHWD technique. The suitable wells require a gas-water contact reservoir at the upper part of the well and totally depleted reservoirs below it. After identifying candidates, bottomhole pressure survey was performed to investigate the reservoir condition for reservoir simulation. Both gas and water layers above and below the gas-water contact were perforated as designed. A plug was set between the perforated gas and water layers to isolate the flow. This allows gas to be produced to surface while water flows downwards to the depleted reservoirs. The key parameters used in evaluating the effectiveness of DHWD technique are incremental gas recovery and water breakthrough time. According to the production history of existing gas-water contact reservoirs in Arthit field, massive water production generally starts to intrude after 1.35 months of production at which water-gas ratio increases above 50 STB/MMscf. As a consequence, the gas production sharply declines and eventually ceases to flow. The water breakthrough time of the two trial wells in which DHWD technique was applied is significantly slower than the field average. One was observed water breakthrough after 2.05 months and the other was after 5.40 months of the production. Gas EUR gain is the difference between the EUR when applying DHWD technique by declined curve analysis and the expected EUR of conventional production by statistical method. The results from the two trial wells indicate that DHWD technique can significantly improve the EUR by 110% and 871%. Downhole water drain is a groundbreaking technique that can be practically implemented to enhance gas recovery of bottom-water-drive gas reservoirs. This technique is recommended for gas field as an alternative strategy since it yields substantial additional reserves gain while required only a small additional cost from the additional perforation of water sand and permanent bridge plug.