1. Use the exponential, hyperbolic and harmonic decline curve equations - including exercises to perform the calculations

2. See the relationships between reservoir recovery mechanisms and decline curve types

3. Identify and understand how the transient flow period can lead to an overestimation of reserves

4. Use multiple methods to avoid overestimating reserves

5. Recognize reservoir performance characteristics based on actual field examples

6. See the impact of reservoir heterogeneities such as faulting, permeability variance and layering

7. Account for changing operating conditions

8. Perform analysis on a multi-well basis without introducing common errors

9. Use alternative methods including diagnostic performance plots (e.g., log WOR vs. Np, Stagg's, P/Z vs. Gp, etc.) for rate and reserves analysis

10. Use advanced decline curve and production data analysis for reservoir characterization: flow regime, hydrocarbons-in-place, permeability, skin, drainage area, fracture properties, etc.

1.      Conventional decline curve equations: exponential, hyperbolic and harmonic rate versus time and rate versus cumulative production relationships, selecting the proper equation based on reservoir properties and drive mechanisms

2.      The effects of transient production: how to recognize transient production, how transient forecasts can overestimate remaining reserves, how to properly constrain transient forecasts

3.      Forecasting during displacement processes: using trends like water-oil ratio and versus cumulative oil production to estimate ultimate oil recovery, converting these trends into an oil rate versus time forecast

4.      Difficult situations: layered and compartmented reservoirs, downtime, workovers, changing facility conditions and facility constraints, forecasting groups of wells, common mistakes

5.      Production decline type-curves: Introduction and historical background on production decline type-curve methods, how to use modern decline type-curves to determine reservoir properties during both transient and stabilized production, using type-curve methods for forecasting future production

This training course was designed for Engineers or technical assistants who are responsible for making forecasts of future production using decline curves analysis. Economists, managers, or geoscientists who are interested in developing a greater working knowledge of decline curve methods and how to make better forecasts will also benefit from this course.