In recent years, production decline-curve analysis has become the most widely used tool in the industry for oil and gas reservoir production analysis. However, most curve analysis is done by computer today, promoting a "black-box" approach to engineering and leaving engineers with little background in the fundamentals of decline analysis. Advanced Production Decline Analysis and Application starts from the basic concept of advanced production decline analysis, and thoroughly discusses several decline methods, such as Arps, Fetkovich, Blasingame, Agarwal-Gardner, NPI, transient, long linear flow, and FMB. A practical systematic introduction to each method helps the reservoir engineer understand the physical and mathematical models, solve the type curves and match up analysis, analyze the processes and examples, and reconstruct all the examples by hand, giving way to master the fundamentals behind the software. An appendix explains the nomenclature and major equations, and as an added bonus, online computer programs are available for download. Understand the most comprehensive and current list of decline methods, including Arps, Fetkovich, Blasingame, and Agarwal-Gardner Gain expert knowledge with principles, processes, real-world cases and field examples Includes online downloadable computer programs on Blasingame decline type curves and normalized pseudo-pressure of gas wells

ne of the most important aspects in the life-cycle of a petroleum well is understanding, and being able to reasonably predict, the total hydrocarbon output that a well will have through its producing life. The estimation of reserves has strong economic and legal implications that will not only determine whether a well-drilling plan is viable but also the worth of a company itself. This study aims to better understand the two primary production forecasting methods used in the petroleum industry: decline curve analyses and numerical reservoir simulations, and their ability to complement one another to make a better-informed production forecast when used together. Decline curve analyses have a heavy reliance on prior hydrocarbon production data which presents difficulty in forecasting during early-term behavior due to a lack of production data; however, reservoir simulations are stronger in early well-life because they are based more heavily on reservoir parameters. The objective is to use reservoir simulations to inform the decline curve's early time behavior, by informing parameters in their equations such as Dmin, while developing a correlational relationship between the two forecasting techniques that could be applied and translated to other reservoirs in the future. A decline curve analysis was performed on a three-well study area and Dmin values of 6%, 8%, and 10% were evaluated. The matching process of the decline curves heavily relied on the cumulative production in addition to the production rates, which used a thirty-day rolling average of the daily production data. Two equivalent numerical reservoir simulation models were built for the Eagle Ford which primarily used literature sourced values for the properties. The models were history matched to the observed data very well, though each model indicated different conclusions for a suggested Dmin value. Further compounding the results, the range of uncertainty in the matrix porosity property is larger than the range of the Dmin values. Due to this, the authors are not able to use the simulation models to inform parameters in decline curve analyses nor attempt to translate that relationship to other reservoirs.

This book covers the production characteristics and associated interpretation analyses of petroleum reservoirs in a complete, thorough, and consistent manner.

Reservoir modeling of shale gas and tight oil presents numerous challenges due to complicated transport mechanisms and the existence of fracture networks. Even then, oil and gas companies have not slowed down on shale hydrocarbon investment and production using horizontal well drilling and hydraulic fracturing techniques. Many small oil companies may not have the budget to build a reservoir model which typically requires drilling test wells and performing well logging measurements. Even for large oil companies, building a reservoir model is not worthwhile for the evaluation of small-scale oil fields. Comprehensive numerical simulation methods are likely impractical in those cases. Decline Curve Analysis (DCA) is one of the most convenient and practical techniques in order to forecast the production of these reservoirs. With the rapid increase in shale hydrocarbon production over the past 30 years, there have been numerous production data for shale gas reservoirs. Many different DCA models have been constructed to model the shale hydrocarbon production rate, from the classical Arps to the latest and more advanced models; each has its advantages and shortcomings. In practice and in all existing commercial DCA software, most of these DCA models are implemented and open to be used. Most of the deterministic DCA models are empirical and lack a physical background so that they cannot be used for history-matching of the reservoir properties. In this study, popular DCA models for shale gas reservoirs are reviewed, including the types of reservoirs they fit. Their advantages and disadvantages have also been presented. This work will serve as a guideline for petroleum engineers to determine which DCA models should be applied to different shale hydrocarbon fields and production periods. The research objective also includes evaluating the performance of top unconventional plays (Bakken, Barnett, and Eagle Ford). Productions by counties are analyzed and compared to see how they stack up against each other. One section of this study also sheds some light on the future of shale gas and tight oil plays based on the simulation of models created.

This book provides a clear and basic understanding of the concept of reservoir engineering to professionals and students in the oil and gas industry. The content contains detailed explanations of key theoretic and mathematical concepts and provides readers with the logical ability to approach the various challenges encountered in daily reservoir/field operations for effective reservoir management. Chapters are fully illustrated and contain numerous calculations involving the estimation of hydrocarbon volume in-place, current and abandonment reserves, aquifer models and properties for a particular reservoir/field, the type of energy in the system and evaluation of the strength of the aquifer if present. The book is written in oil field units with detailed solved examples and exercises to enhance practical application. It is useful as a professional reference and for students who are taking applied and advanced reservoir engineering courses in reservoir simulation, enhanced oil recovery and well test analysis.

Advanced Reservoir Engineering offers the practicing engineer and engineering student a full description, with worked examples, of all of the kinds of reservoir engineering topics that the engineer will use in day-to-day activities. In an industry where there is often a lack of information, this timely volume gives a comprehensive account of the physics of reservoir engineering, a thorough knowledge of which is essential in the petroleum industry for the efficient recovery of hydrocarbons. Chapter one deals exclusively with the theory and practice of transient flow analysis and offers a brief but thorough hands-on guide to gas and oil well testing. Chapter two documents water influx models and their practical applications in conducting comprehensive field studies, widely used throughout the industry. Later chapters include unconventional gas reservoirs and the classical adaptations of the material balance equation. * An essential tool for the petroleum and reservoir engineer, offering information not available anywhere else * Introduces the reader to cutting-edge new developments in Type-Curve Analysis, unconventional gas reservoirs, and gas hydrates * Written by two of the industry's best-known and respected reservoir engineers