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