Integrated Wellbore/Reservoir Model Predicts Flow Transients in Liquid-Loaded Gas Wells

Abstract

Abstract An integrated transient wellbore/reservoir model is described and applied to investigate the liquid loading in a gas well. The well produces from a storage reservoir with water coning from its aquifer. The integrated model shows that the water cone causes the gas flow rate from each gas layer to decrease and the liquid holdup in the wellbore to increase. Depending on reservoir conditions, the well may enter into a mode of unsteady production during which the gas flow rate cycles over a period of several days. The reason for this unsteady flow is uncovered by the simulation. Simulation results are compared with operational experience and full field reservoir simulations. The integrated model provides more realistic results compared to methods where the reservoir and the wellbore are modeled separately.