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Improving Decline-curve Analysis of

Low-permeability Gas Wells Using Type
Curves
a b c a
Y. Shen , S. Wang & S. He
a
Key Laboratory of Petroleum Engineering, Ministry of Education,
China University of Petroleum, Beijing, China
b
Unconventional Natural Gas Institute, China University of
Petroleum, Beijing, China
c
PetroChina Exploration and Development Research Institute,
Beijing, China

To cite this article: Y. Shen , S. Wang & S. He (2013) Improving Decline-curve Analysis of Low-
permeability Gas Wells Using Type Curves, Petroleum Science and Technology, 31:7, 738-747, DOI:
10.1080/10916466.2010.533142

To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10916466.2010.533142

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 Petroleum Science and Technology, 31:738–747, 2013
Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
ISSN: 1091-6466 print/1532-2459 online
DOI: 10.1080/10916466.2010.533142

Improving Decline-curve Analysis of Low-permeability

Gas Wells Using Type Curves
Y. Shen,1;2 S. Wang,3 and S. He1
Downloaded by [University of Tennessee, Knoxville] at 22:43 01 August 2013

1
Key Laboratory of Petroleum Engineering, Ministry of Education,
China University of Petroleum, Beijing, China
2
Unconventional Natural Gas Institute, China University of Petroleum, Beijing, China
3
PetroChina Exploration and Development Research Institute, Beijing, China

The authors present a rigorous method to analyze and interpret production rate and pressure data
of low-permeability gas wells using type curves. The method is based on the type curve analysis
method presented by Blasingame et al. (1991), but imports the wellbore storage coefficient, which
influences the flow behavior of low-permeability gas wells significantly, for the first time. This work
fills a significant void in the inventory of decline curve type curves, and the method is applicable to
production analysis for cases taken from low-permeability gas wells.

Keywords: decline-curve analysis, low-permeability gas wells, production analysis, type curves, well-
bore storage coefficient

INTRODUCTION

Decline-curve analysis is one of the most commonly used techniques to predict future production
performance and estimate reserves from routinely available production data. The conventional anal-
ysis techniques are based on Arps’s (1945) decline equations. Type curves are plots of theoretical
solutions to flow equations and can be generated for virtually any kind of reservoir model (Lee
and Wattenbarger, 1996). The decline type curves were first presented by Fetkovich (1980). They
were proved easy to use. Further, decline type curve analysis allows us to estimate not only original
gas in-place (OGIP) but also the flowing characteristics of individual wells. In 1991, Blasingame
et al. presented modified time functions, which allow rigorous analysis of variable rate and/or
variable pwf production data. This method can analyze the production decline data where the
flowing bottomhole pressure varies significantly, so it allows the direct calculation of initial gas
in place without the need for iterative method. Based on the main thoughts of the above two methods,
subsequent studies have been made focusing on gas wells (Palacio and Blasingame, 1993), oil wells
(Doublet et al., 1994), horizontal wells (Shih and Blasingame, 1995), fractured wells (Pratikno et al.,
2003), multiwell reservoir systems (Marhaendrajana and Blasingame, 2001), and naturally fractured
gas reservoirs (Shahab et al., 2007). The decline type curve analysis method is becoming mature.
The low-permeability gas reservoir is characterized by permeability less than 10 md, containing
the tight gas reservoir, where the permeability is less than 0.1 md. It is very difficult to estimate
the reserves and the flowing characteristics of individual wells. Long time is required to reach

Address correspondence to S. He, Key Laboratory of Petroleum Engineering, Ministry of Education, China University
of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, China. E-mail: koooobe@gmail.com

738
 IMPROVING DECLINE-CURVE ANALYSIS 739

pseudosteady flow (Cheng et al., 2007). Also there are no type curves considering the wellbore
storage coefficient, which influences the flow behavior of low-permeability gas wells significantly.
Here we present the type curves designed for the decline-curve analysis of low-permeability
gas wells, which import the wellbore storage coefficient. And detailed analysis procedures and
interpretation strategies are provided. The method is verified with the field data.

TYPE CURVES FOR THE DECLINE-CURVE ANALYSIS OF

LOW-PERMEABILITY GAS WELLS
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First, the diffusivity equation for gas flow in terms of pseudopressure is

Cg @'
r2' D : (1)
k @t
Second, suppose the physical model under consideration of a homogeneous porous medium
(reservoir) containing a single-phase dry gas. The reservoir is penetrated fully by a wellbore of
radius, rw , as shown in Figure 1.
The following assumptions are made regarding the reservoir and the reservoir fluids:

1. The reservoir is a finite and cylindrical reservoir and fluid flows from the reservoir to the
wellbore radially.
2. Gas flow in reservoir is assumed to obey Darcy’s law.
3. The porosity, permeability, and reservoir thickness are assumed to be constant throughout
the reservoir.
4. Gravitational effects are negligible.
5. Consider the wellbore storage effect and skin effect.

Before we present the mathematical model we should use dimensionless groups to express
equations more simply. The definitions of the dimensionless variables are as follows:

Dimensionless pseudopressure:
78:489Kh
pD D '.p/ (2)
qT

FIGURE 1 Schematic diagram of the radial model.

 740 Y. SHEN ET AL.

Dimensionless rate:
1 T q
qD D D (3)
pD 78:489Kh '
Dimensionless material balance pseudotime:
3:6Ktca
tD D 2
(4)
g Ct rwe

In which tca is material balance pseudotime (Palacio and Blasingame 1993):

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.g Cg /i t qg
Z
tca D dt (5)
qg 0 C g

Dimensionless radius:
r
rD D (6)
rwe
Dimensionless reservoir radius:
re
ReD D (7)
rwe
Dimensionless wellbore-storage coefficient:
C
CD D 2
: (8)
2Ct hrwe

Then we get the mathematical model in terms of these dimensionless variables.

The diffusivity equation is
@ 2 pD 1 @pD @pD
C D : (9)
@r 2 D rD @rD @tD
The initial condition is
pD .rD ; 0/ D 0: (10)

The inner boundary condition is

 
dpwD @pD
CD rD D 1: (11)
dtD @rD rD D1

The outer boundary condition is

@pD
lim D 0: (12)
rD !ReD @rD
The solution of the mathematical model (Eqs. [9–12]) in Laplace space is
   1
1
p wD D u CD u C ; (13)
up LD
 IMPROVING DECLINE-CURVE ANALYSIS 741

where
p p p p
K1 . uReD /I0 . u/ C K0 . u/I1 . uReD /
pLD D p p p p p : (14)
u u.K1 u/I1 . uReD / K1 . uReD /I1 . u/
In Duhamel’s principle:
1
qD D : (15)
u2 pwD
So we can get the dimensionless rate solution in real space with the Stehfest’s algorithm.
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At last, we use decline curve dimensionless time and pressure (Fetkovich, 1980) to get the
type curves for the decline-curve analysis of low-permeability gas wells.
2
tDd D 2
 1
 tD ; (16)
ŒReD 1 ln ReD 2
 
1
qDd D ln ReD qD : (17)
2
We also import the pressure integer function and pressure integer derivate function (Blasingame
et al., 1991).
Z tDd
NpDd 1
qDdi D D qDd ./d ; (18)
tDd tDd 0
dqDdi dqDdi
qDdid D D tDd : (19)
d ln.tDd / dtDd
Then we get the type curves considering wellbore-storage coefficient under different values of
ReD and CD . The example type curves are shown as Figures 2, 3, and 4. The figures show the
type curves under the condition of ReD D 800, for different values of CD .
Any one of the previous three curves can be used individually but often using more than one
curve helps in achieving a more unique match of the data with the type curves.

ANALYSIS PROCEDURES

We can use the automatic matching techniques to get the results. The basic analysis procedures
are as follows:

1. Computation of the basic plotting function for the vertical axis: Transform pressures .p/ to
q
normalized pseudopressures and compute the ' group and tca .
2. Computation of the additional plotting functions for the vertical axis: To match the type
curves of pressure integer function and pressure integer derivate function got through Eqs.
(18) and (19), we need to compute the additional plotting functions as follows:
  Z tca
q 1 q
D
dtca ;
' i tca 0 '
    
q q
D tca
d dtca :
' id ' i
 742 Y. SHEN ET AL.
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FIGURE 2 Dimensionless pressure type curves .ReD D 800/.

FIGURE 3 Dimensionless pressure integer type curves .ReD D 800/.

3. Match of the different plotting functions to type curves derived for low-permeability gas
wells: This procedure can establish the match point and the appropriate match value. The
match values are rate match parameter .. q=' / /, time match parameter .. ttDd
qDd m
ca
/m /, reservoir
re
radius match parameter .. rwe /m /, and wellbore-storage coefficient match parameter ..CD /m /.
 IMPROVING DECLINE-CURVE ANALYSIS 743
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FIGURE 4 Dimensionless pressure integer derivate type curves .ReD D 800/.

4. Calculating of the reservoir parameters: Combining the definitions of the dimensionless

variables and the match values, we can calculate the reservoir parameters.
     
T q=' re 1
KD ln I
78:489h qDd m rwe m 2

v  
u tca
u 3:6K
tDd m
u
rwe
u
Du      I
t1 re re 1
i Cti 1 ln
2 rwe m rwe m 2

 
rw
S D ln I
rwe

2
C D 2Ct hrwe .CD /m I

v    
tca q=' T
u
u
re D u 3:6 I
t tDd m qDd m 1
78:489hi Cti
2

 re2 hsg pi Tsc

GD :
zi Tpsc
 744 Y. SHEN ET AL.
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FIGURE 5 Test history profile of the example low-permeability gas well.

FIGURE 6 Match of the different plotting functions to the ordinary type curves.
 IMPROVING DECLINE-CURVE ANALYSIS 745
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FIGURE 7 Match of the different plotting functions to the type curves derived for the low-permeability gas
wells.

FIELD CASE EXAMPLE

We present a gas well which is in a low-permeability gas reservoir as a field example. The test is
a modified isochronal test, the duration of which duration is 10 months. Figure 5 shows the test
history.
Figure 6 presents the matching of the different plotting functions to the ordinary Blasingame
type curves. Figure 7 presents the matching of the different plotting functions to the type curves
derived for the low-permeability gas wells.
The comparison of Figures 6 and 7 shows a significant improvement in the degree of the curve
fitting. So the type curves considering the wellbore-storage coefficient can get a much better curve
fitting.
The results of the type curve matching through Figure 7 are shown in Table 1. We also compare
the result to the well test result. The comparison shows that the results derived by the method
presented by this article are comparable to the well test result.

SUMMARY

This work has introduced new decline type curves for low-permeability gas wells. The method is
based on the type curve analysis method presented by Blasingame et al. (1991), but imports the
wellbore storage coefficient for the first time. The new decline type curves ensure that the good
curve fitting for the low-permeability gas wells, and we have presented a field example verifying
 746 Y. SHEN ET AL.

TABLE 1
Results Derived by Different Methods

Wellbore-storage
Permeability, Skin Coefficient, OGIP,
Method md Factor m3 /MPa 108 m3

Well test analysis 1.30 4.57 2.94

New method 1.12 4.92 2.63 8.31
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the validity of the new decline type curves. This work fills a significant void in the inventory of
decline curve type curves.

REFERENCES

Arps J. J. (1945). Analysis of decline curves. Trans. AIME 160:228–247.

Blasingame, T. A., McCray, T. L., and Lee, W. J. (1991). Decline curve analysis for variable pressure drop/variable flowrate
systems. SPE Gas Technology Symposium, Houston, Texas.
Cheng, Y., Lee W. J., and McVay. D. A. (2007). Improving reserves estimates from decline curve analysis of tight and
multilayer gas wells. SPE Hydarcarbon Economics and Evaluation Symposium, Dallas, Texas.
Doublet, L. E., Pandie, P. K., McCollum, T. J., and Blasingame, T. A. (1994). Decline curve analysis using type curves
analysis of oil well production data using material balance application to field cases. International Petroleum Conference
and Exhibition of Mexico, Veracruz, Mexico.
Fetkovich, M. J. (1973). Decline-curve analysis using type curves. J. Pet. Technol. 32:1065–1077.
Lee, W. J., and Wattenbarger R. A. (1996). Gas reservoir engineering. Dallas, TX: AIME and SPE.
Marhaendrajana, T., and Blasingame, T. A. (2001). Decline curve analysis using type curves: Evaluation of well perfor-
mance behavior in a multiwell reservoir system. SPE annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, Denver, Colorado.
Palacio, J. C., and Blasingame, T. A. (1993). Decline curve analysis using type curves: Analysis of gas well production
data. Joint Rocky Mountain Regional and Low Permeability Reservoirs Symposium, Denver, Colorado.
Pratikno, H., Rushing, J. A., and Blasingame, T. A. (2003). Decline curve analysis using type curves: Fractured wells.
SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, Denver, Colorado.
Shahab, G., Mehran, P. D., and Louis, M. (2007). Decline curve analysis for naturally fractured gas reservoirs: A study on
the applicability of “pseudo-time” and “material balance pseudo-time.” International Petroleum Technology Conference,
Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Shih, M. Y., and Blasingame, T. A. (2007). Decline curve analysis using type curves: Horizontal wells. SPE Joint Rocky
Mountain Regional and Low Permeability Reservoirs Symposium, Denver, CO.

NOMENCLATURE

C wellbore-storage coefficient, m3 /MPa

CD dimensionless wellbore-storage coefficient
cg gas compressibility, MPa 1
cgi gas compressibility at original reservoir pressure, MPa 1
cg gas compressibility at average reservoir pressure, MPa 1
I0 .x/; I1 .x/ modified Bessel function of the first kind, order zero, order one
K effective permeability, md; K0 .x/, K1 .x/ D modified Bessel function of the
second kind, order zero, order one
p pressure, MPa
p average reservoir pressure, MPa
pD dimensionless pseudopressure
 IMPROVING DECLINE-CURVE ANALYSIS 747

pi initial reservoir pressure, MPa

pwf wellbore flowing pressure, MPa
Gp cumulative gas production, 104 m3
G original gas in place, 104 m3
q surface flow rate, 104 m3 /day
qD dimensionless rate function
qDd dimensionless decline rate function
qDdi dimensionless decline rate integral
qDdid dimensionless decline rate integral derivative
r radius, m
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rD dimensionless radius
rw wellbore radius
re drainage radius, m
rwe effective wellbore radius, m
ReD dimensionless drainage radius
S formation damage (skin) factor
T temperature, K
tca material balance pseudotime, days
u Laplace transform parameter
z real gas deviation factor at initial pressure
Z real gas deviation factor at average pressure
 gas viscosity, mPa.sec
i gas viscosity at initial reservoir pressure, mPa.s
 gas viscosity at average reservoir pressure, mPa.s
 formation porosity, fraction
' pseudopressure, MPa
Euler’s constant D 0.577216