The Application of Foam and Gel Compositions to Control Gas Inflow in Production Wells: From Laboratory Studies to Injection

Abstract

Abstract The formation of gas cones and the formation of local breakthroughs is a serious complication in the development of thin oil rims with gas caps. It leads to losses in oil production due to the failure of pumping equipment or choking of a productive interval located behind the gas breakthrough interval. With intensive gas breakthrough, the feasible well life is significantly reduced and, as a result, oil recovery factor is hindered. To plan gas inflow reduction measures, it is necessary to conduct special laboratory studies to remove the main uncertainties that affect the success and efficiency. These include physical characteristics of the injection agent under operating conditions, its ability to block the unwanted phase, the selectivity of the treatment, the required injection gradients, and agent shear gradients. Depending on the characteristics of the reservoir and formation fluids, various types of chemical compositions are used to alleviate or prevent gas breakthrough: foams, foam polymers, foam gels, gels, microcements.