Advances in understanding and controlling liquid loading in gas-condensate production well

Gas-condensate production wells frequently encounter retrograde condensation as a result of significant pressure and temperature changes during production, which disrupts mass conservation, alters fluid composition, and changes flow regimes along the wellbore and production tubing with depth. This phenomenon can lead to liquid accumulation, resulting in reduced gas flow rates at the bottomhole zone and unstable well operation. The transition from annular to slug flow regimes typically marks the onset of liquid loading, which poses risks to well integrity and may ultimately lead to production failure. This paper reviews the conventional understanding of well liquid loading and explores various deliquification techniques used to mitigate its impact. Based on detailed analysis, introduces a novel pipe element and an automated control system designed to maintain stable production in gas-condensate wells. The pipe element helps sustain constant mass flow through the production tubing and effectively prevents liquid loading. Laboratory testing of this element demonstrated a 20–40 % improvement in production stability. The automated control system enables real-time synchronization between the choke valve and the pressure differential between the wellhead and bottomhole, ensuring optimal gas flow rates. It functions by continuously monitoring changes in wellhead and downhole pressures, comparing them to predefined optimal values, and adjusting flow conditions accordingly. Overall, this integrated control approach has shown promising results in simulation scenarios and offers a practical solution for improving production efficiency and operational reliability in gas-condensate wells. The presented research advances scientific and theoretical understanding of the fluid loading process in gas-condensate production wells and introduces practical, more easily applicable technologies aimed at ensuring smooth well operation within normal operating limits. Keywords: gas-condensate reservoir; retrograde condensation; liquid loading; vertical flow regimes; automatic control system.