Cause Analyses and Countermeasures of Abnormal-Low-Production Wells in Jingbian Tight Gas Reservoir, Ordos Basin

Low-production wells can often be found during the process of gas field production, particularly in low-permeability and tight gas reservoirs. In the Jingbian gas field, some wells (defined as abnormal-low-production wells (ALPWs)) have a much earlier decline period, a larger decline rate, and greater remaining dynamic reserves. In this paper, the low-production gas wells in the Xiagu gas reservoir of Jingbian gas field are taken as the research object, and the existing static and dynamic data of the gas field are comprehensively studied. To enhance the production of the ALPWs, this study focused on the production characteristics, decline causes, and applicable countermeasures of the ALPWs. Static and dynamic data from 57 low-production wells in the Xiagu gas reservoir were analyzed. In addition, differences in production characteristics between traditional low-production wells and the ALPWs are compared using production, pressure and other development indicators. Furthermore, the rapid identification and selection criterion of the ALPWs is established by implementing the producing indexes of the ALPWs. The study shows that several characteristics of the ALPWs can be determined by the production-pressure limiting method. The main determination criteria are listed as follows: The annual production decline rate is more than 20% (far greater than the normal annual decline rate of 5%). The single gas well continues to produce for more than 30 days with a daily production of 10000 m3. The tubing-casing pressure differential is greater than 2.5MPa. The most significant characteristic is that the remaining dynamic reserves of the ALPWs are greater than 250 million m3. All the above characteristics demonstrate that the ALPWs might still have great production potential and the causes for the abnormal-low-production could be analyzed by the node analysis and the IPR curve. Moreover, the bottom-hole water loading and wellbore plugging are the main causes of the abnormal-low-production. This research helps the engineers identify 57 ALPWs in Jingbian gas field, and puts forward adaptive countermeasures for the abnormal production decline causes, which helps the gas field achieve the goal of increasing production and stabilizing productivity. And it could be applied in other similar low-production gas wells with hydraulic fractures in tight gas reservoirs worldwide, and could provide research reference for the progress of enhancing productivity from the low-production gas wells.