drilling 101 - production

Once a natural gas or oil well is drilled, and it has been verified that commercially viable quantities of natural gas are present for extraction, the well must be 'completed' to allow for the flow of petroleum or natural gas out of the formation and up to the surface.

This process includes strengthening the well hole with casing, evaluating the pressure and temperature of the formation, and then installing the proper equipment to ensure an efficient flow of natural gas out of the well.

There are three main types of conventional natural gas wells. Since oil is commonly associated with natural gas deposits, a certain amount of natural gas may be obtained from wells that were drilled primarily for oil production. These are known as oil wells. In some cases, this "associated" natural gas is used to help in the production of oil, by providing pressure in the formation for the oils extraction. The associated natural gas may also exist in large enough quantities to allow its extraction along with the oil.

Natural gas wells, on the other hand, are wells drilled specifically for natural gas, and contain little or no oil.

Condensate wells are wells that contain natural gas, as well as a liquid condensate. This condensate is a liquid hydrocarbon mixture that is often separated from the natural gas either at the wellhead, or during the processing of the natural gas.

Depending on the type of well that is being drilled, completion may differ slightly. It is important to remember that natural gas, being lighter than air, will naturally rise to the surface of a well. Because of this, in many natural gas and condensate wells, lifting equipment and well treatment are not necessary.

Completing a well (i.e. well completion) consists of a number of steps; installing the well casing, completing the well, installing the wellhead, and installing lifting equipment or treating the formation should that be required.