Patent ID: 7938182

Claim:
A method for recovering natural gas from a group of subterranean zones containing natural gas, the method comprising: (a) injecting an amount of a displacing gas into a first subterranean zone at a first injection location associated with the first subterranean zone; (b) producing a first produced gas from the first subterranean zone at a first production location associated with the first subterranean zone, wherein the first production location is spaced from the first injection location, wherein the first produced gas has a first produced gas quality, and wherein the first produced gas quality changes over time following breakthrough of the first displacing gas at the first production location; (c) collecting an amount of the first produced gas, wherein the first produced gas quality of the collected first produced gas is higher than or equal to a threshold production quality for the first produced gas; (d) injecting an amount of the first produced gas into a second subterranean zone at a second injection location associated with the second subterranean zone, wherein the first produced gas quality of the injected first produced gas is higher than or equal to a threshold injection quality for the first produced gas; (e) producing a second produced gas from the second subterranean zone at a second production location associated with the second subterranean zone, wherein the second production location is spaced from the second injection location, wherein the second produced gas has a second produced gas quality, and wherein the second produced gas quality changes over time following breakthrough of the second displacing gas at the second production location; and (f) collecting an amount of the second produced gas, wherein the second produced gas quality of the collected second produced gas is higher than or equal to a threshold production quality for the second produced gas.