In their natural state, most gas wells in the Middle East do not produce at their optimum level. This is mainly attributable to formation tightness or near-wellbore damage caused by drilling operations; however, a properly designed and executed stimulation program can enable more commercial gas production rates at higher flowing wellhead pressures (FWHPs). For this reason, and others, stimulation jobs (e.g., hydraulic fracturing and matrix acidizing) are common completion operations in the Middle East.

In recent years, stimulation technologies have witnessed major advances, as their use has been the main driver for production from tight reservoirs worldwide. This paper outlines eight new stimulation technologies that have been recently deployed in a major gas field in the Middle East. In addition, the paper looks at candidate selection, the main characteristics and benefits of the technologies, and post-treatment results.

Overall, the production results from the use of these technologies have been very positive and impressive, and the forecast is that their implementation will grow considerably over the coming years. The value of these new technologies will become even more significant as our industry accelerates the development of unconventional resources.