In unconventional plays, comparing the effect of different completion designs or well-management strategies on well performance remains a challenge because of the relatively brief production history and lack of long-term field analogs of these plays. This study examines various production durations as potential candidates for reliable indicators of well quality. The results show that predictions of midterm performance begin to be reliable only near 180 days of cumulative well production. This study used actual daily production data to confirm that 30- and 90-day initial production are not correlated strongly to well actual performance in the 2-year range.
Introduction
It has been a common practice to quantify performance of unconventional wells through their 30-day initial production for purposes of information for the media and in investor presentations.
