Analysis of selected problems encountered while testing natural gas-condensate fields in the Western Carpathians.
Czesław Rybicki, Stanisław Dubiel, Jacek Blicharski
Vol. 32, no. 3 (2015), s. 575-579, [1]
The potential change of natural gas composition in the near-wellbore zone creates a big problem with the selection of appropriate initial value of counterpressure exerted by the displacement fluid on reservoir during the test, and also with the interpretation of the reservoir and production tests results. The analysis of the industrial data reveals that the effect of condensate production in the near-wellbore zone could take place while using too high counterpres-sure during DST tests, as a consequence of using a relatively high column of water displacement fluid in the DST column, i.e. about 2500 m. This thesis can be confirmed after further detailed theoretical analysis of the occurring thermodynamic conditions. The paper addresses technological and interpretation problems encountered during drill stem tests (DST) of gas-bearing Devonian strata, on the example of the Stryszawa field in the Western Carpathians. Special attention was paid to the possible changes of gas composition during flow tests and the cases of gas condensation of heavier fractions during build-up tests. Attempts were made at explaining sudden drops of pressure at the build-up stage along with the thermodynamic conditions responsible for this effect. The authors explained the necessity of using an appropriate Ful-Flo sampler in the DST set for collecting gas samples at any time of the test, and devices for continuous measurement of temperature. The use of new types of drill stem testers and appropriate interpretation methods, which would account for a detailed analysis of technological and reservoir conditions allows for more efficient oil prospecting and deciding about enhancement methods in hydrocarbon production. The analysis of thermodynamic conditions on the bottom of the wellbore allows for selecting proper counterpressure values in view of the condensation of heavier gas fractions in the near wellbore rocks. The analysis of conditions in which heavier gas fractions undergo condensation is approximate and general because the gas samples were collected at the outlet of the DST string (in surface conditions), without a Ful-Flo sampler and without temperature measurements.