Understanding the Impact of Condensate Composition on Performance of Gas Well Deliquification Surfactants

Surfactants are used in gas well deliquification to generate foam to lift liquid condensates and brine from a well during gas production. In this paper, the effect of various hydrocarbon components typically found in natural condensates on selected foaming surfactants was studied. The screening methodology used a modified blender test to evaluate foam height and its half-life. The foaming results from the blender tests are reported for a number of alpha olefin sulfonates (AOS), alkyl ether sulfates (AES), and betaines at 25°C and ambient pressure. The surfactants were also evaluated using dynamic foam carry-over apparatus at ambient conditions for further validation. This work helps to elucidate problems associated with choosing the proper gas well deliquification surfactant suitable for a condensate of a specific composition.