The state-of-the-art in natural gas production

This paper summarizes the fundamentals of natural gas production, especially in moderate-to high-permeability reservoirs and shows the key issues in natural gas wells by performing studies in the permeability range of 0.1-100 md. Emphasis is given on the impact of turbulence and the importance of hydraulic fracturing on well deliverability for both vertical and horizontal gas wells. In addition, a design procedure for hydraulic fractures in a gas well is provided. A sample of economic evaluation is also presented to emphasize that production enhancement requires both physical and economic optimization. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.