An autonomous inflow-control technology for gas wells (gas AICT) has been developed to autonomously detect and choke unwanted water production while allowing gas and condensate production, improving both economic and sustainability measures of gas wells. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first published flow performance test of an AICT that autonomously detects and chokes water while allowing gas and light condensate at downhole conditions.
Introduction
Autonomous inflow-control technology (AICT), which operates without the need for electronics or other means of communication or control, has demonstrated its market value by efficiently choking back unwanted fluids in oil wells. Currently, no proven autonomous technology exists for gas wells with potential water problems, although it has been discussed as a potential application for density-based AICT. Using the same principles as the proven AICT concept for oil wells, this paper presents the development and testing of a novel AICT for gas wells. Hereafter, the featured technology will be referred to as gas AICT, or simply “the valve.”
The valve’s autonomy is regulated by a secondary flow path, known as the pilot flow, that runs parallel to the main flow within the valve.
