Abstract: A method of increasing the recovery of natural gas from a geo-pressured aquifer having a structural high or other "trap" from which gas or other fluids cannot escape upward and containing water and gas in solution in the water. The method includes producing water, from one or more wells extending from the surface and completed in the geo-pressured aquifer at a point below and spaced from and remote from the trap, by reservoir pressure at a high enough rate of production to reduce the existing pressure of the aquifer to allow a portion of the gas in solution to be released from the water whereby some of the released gas will migrate upward to form or increase any free-gas phase existing in the trap. Thereafter, gas is produced from one or more wells extending from the surface to the free-gas phase in the trap.

Abstract: A method of increasing the recovery of natural gas from a geo-pressured aquifer containing water and gas and having a zone of free gas dispersed in water, by providing one or more wells extending from the surface to and completed in the geo-pressured aquifer in said zone and allowing the aquifer to flow water and gas under natural pressure through the well and lowering the pressure in the aquifer sufficiently to allow the gas to be released from solution in the water whereby the gas released will migrate more freely to the well and be produced. Also, any gas-phase saturation in the aquifer and any deposit of gaseous hydrocarbons in the formation in pressure communication with the wells will expand due to lowered aquifer pressure and be encouraged to flow to the wells and be recovered.