Gas Fracture Injection to Overcome Retrograde Condensation in Gas Wells

Abstract

Disclosed is a well configuration and method of forming the configuration and producing hydrocarbons from the configuration. In one embodiment, multiple fractures are formed from a wellbore in a subterranean hydrocarbon gas formation. One fracture is filled with material to create a flow barrier that modifies the flow pattern of at least one fluid within the subterranean hydrocarbon formation. Also disclosed is the process of injecting a Dew Point altering gas into the formation on one side of the barrier and producing a mixture of formation gas and injected gas from the fractures on the other side of the barrier.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of producing hydrocarbons from a subterranean hydrocarbon fluid bearing formation, containing hydrocarbons in a gaseous phase, comprising:
 providing a wellbore extending into the subterranean hydrocarbon fluid-bearing formation;   providing an in-situ barrier, wherein the in-situ barrier is disposed within the subterranean formation and modifies the flow pattern of at least one fluid within the subterranean formation;   injecting a fluid in gaseous state from the wellbore into the formation from one side of the barrier to mix with the formation fluid to form a hydrocarbon mixture with a lower Dew Point Pressure than the formation hydrocarbon; and   flowing hydrocarbon mixture from the formation into the wellbore on the other side of the barrier.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the injected fluid comprises a gas with a Dew Point Pressure that is higher than the formation gas Dew Point Pressure. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the injected fluid is selected from the group, consisting of methane and carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , additionally comprising the step of removing the hydrocarbon mixture entering the wellbore, stripping methane gas from the removed hydrocarbon mixture and using the stripped methane gas in the injecting step. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the flowing step comprises selectively flowing hydrocarbon fluids in the gaseous phase into the wellbore, while restricting the flow into the wellbore of hydrocarbon fluids in the liquid phase. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the flowing step comprises selectively flowing hydrocarbon fluids in liquid phase into the wellbore, while restricting the flow into the wellbore of fluids in the gaseous phase. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , additionally comprising the steps of:
 casing the wellbore;   flowing the hydrocarbon mixture into the wellbore at a plurality of locations spaced apart along the wellbore; and   controlling the flow of the hydrocarbon mixture into the wellbore at the plurality of locations by limiting the flow of hydrocarbon in liquid phase, while permitting the flow of hydrocarbon in gaseous phase into the wellbore.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , additionally comprising the step of controlling the flow of the hydrocarbon mixture into the wellbore as a function of the phase of the hydrocarbon mixture. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the flowing step comprises the step of varying the flow of hydrocarbon mixture into the wellbore in response to changes in the fluid flow characteristic of the hydrocarbon mixture, wherein the characteristics are selected from the group consisting of viscosity, density, and velocity. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , additionally comprising providing a cased wellbore and a valve controlling the flow into the wellbore. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the in-situ barrier comprises a fracture with a sealant disposed therein. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the sealant comprises a relative formation permeability modifier. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the flowing step comprises the step of varying the flow of hydrocarbon mixture into the wellbore to maintain the flowing hydrocarbon mixture in a substantially gaseous phase. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the flowing step comprises the step of varying the flow of hydrocarbon mixture into the wellbore to maintain the flowing hydrocarbon mixture in a substantially liquid phase. 
     
     
         15 . A subterranean well for producing hydrocarbons from a subterranean formation containing hydrocarbon fluids in a gaseous phase, comprising:
 a horizontally extending cased wellbore extending into the subterranean hydrocarbon fluid-bearing formation; the wellbore having separate fluid injection and fluid production pathways therein connected to the formation at a longitudinally-spaced location along the wellbore;   an in-situ barrier, extending generally transversely from the wellbore, wherein the in-situ barrier is disposed within the subterranean formation and modifies the flow pattern of at least one fluid within the subterranean formation, the barrier being positioned on the wellbore between the injection and production pathway connections to the formation; and   a valve connected to the wellbore at a subterranean location positioned to control the flow of hydrocarbon fluid into the production pathway.   
     
     
         16 . The well of  claim 15 , wherein the valve comprises means for varying the fluid flow into the wellbore in response to changes in the fluid flow characteristic of the hydrocarbon fluid. 
     
     
         17 . The well of  claim 14 , wherein the fluid flow characteristics are selected from the group consisting of fluid viscosity, density and velocity. 
     
     
         18 . The well of  claim 15 , additionally comprising a plurality of valves connected to the wellbore at subterranean locations spaced apart along the well to control the flow of hydrocarbon fluid into the production pathway. 
     
     
         19 . The well of  claim 14 , wherein the valve selectively flows fluids in the gaseous phase into the wellbore, while restricting the flow into the wellbore of fluids in the liquid phase. 
     
     
         20 . The well of  claim 14 , wherein the valve selectively flows fluids in the liquid phase into the wellbore, while restricting the flow into the wellbore of fluids in the gaseous phase. 
     
     
         21 . The well of  claim 13 , wherein the in-situ barrier comprises a fracture with a sealant disposed therein. 
     
     
         22 . The well of  claim 19 , wherein the sealant comprises a relative formation permeability modifier.