Wet Gas Reservoir

A wet gas reservoir is a type of natural gas reservoir where the produced gas contains significant amounts of hydrocarbons in liquid form at surface conditions, such as natural gas liquids (NGLs) like ethane (\(C_2H_6\)), propane (\(C_3H_8\)), butane (\(C_4H_{10}\)), and pentane (\(C_5H_{12}\)).  These liquids can be separated from the gas once it is brought to the surface.

Key Characteristics

• Gas Composition  -  Wet gas contains a higher proportion of heavier hydrocarbons compared to dry gas, which is primarily methane (\(CH_4\)).
• Phase Behavior  -  The gas remains in the gaseous phase in the reservoir but may condense into liquids (NGLs) when it is brought to the surface or when the pressure and temperature conditions change during processing.
• Economic Value  -  Wet gas is generally more valuable than dry gas because the NGLs can be sold separately for use in various industries, including petrochemicals, fuel production, and other applications.
• Processing Requirements  -  Wet gas usually requires more processing compared to dry gas to separate the liquid hydrocarbons from the gaseous components.

Wet gas reservoirs are common in many parts of the world and are an important source of both natural gas and natural gas liquids.