Decline Curves

Part 2
Hyperbolic Equations
Calculate the time interval spanning the initial and final rate for the
hyperbolic case.
[

Rearrange the rate-decline relationship

[ ]
For cumulative production

Sub in the flow equation for

[ ]

Assume q2 = 0, maximum cumulative production

(

q qi 1 bDit

b1

Log q

q = production rate at time t

qi = initial rate of production
Di = initial nominal decline rate
b = hyperbolic exponent (~ 0 and 1) (Special case b = 1 is harmonic
decline)

Linear Time

Figure 8-2: Hyperbolic Decline Plot.

log q

b=
1
b=
0

b=
0.5

b=
0.3
Time

Hyperbolic Decline b values.

Effective decline rate is
Dei

qi q
qi

where a tangent is drawn at t = 0

Log q

q
iq

Linear Time

Hyperbolic Decline Plot.

Initial nominal decline rate is
Di

1 Dei b 1
b

Cumulative production
t

N p qdt
0

1
b

N p q i 1 bDi t dt
0

Integrating (b 1)

1
qi
1
1 bDi t b 1
Np
1
bD
1 i
b

Np

1 b
qi

b 1

bD
t
i

b 1Di

Np

qi b
q i1b q 1b
1 b Di

NOTE: When dealing with hyperbolic decline, we will use the

cumulative equation for each individual year. Then to get year
production we will subtract from the total to get each year.
To find b for hyperbolic decline
1. Select points (t1, q1)
and (t2, q2)
2. Read t3 at

q3 q1 q 2

b t t 2t 3
3. Calculate 1 2 2
t 3 t1 t 2
a
4. Find q0 at t = 0
5. Pick up any point (t*, q*)
6. Use
q*

q0
b
1 a t*

7. Finally

b
b a
a

q
log 0
q*
a
b
log 1 t*
a

1
q3

(t*, q*)
2

t3

The b calculated here is D in the above equations, and 1/a is the b in

the above equations

Example 4: The following data for a hyperbolic decline is known

q i 100 BOPD
Di 0.5 / yr
b 0.9

Find production for the first year

q q i 1 bDi t

1
b

q 1001 0.90.51

1
0.9

q 66.176 BOPD

q ib
Np
q i1b q 1b
1 b Di

Np

0. 9

100

10010.9 66.17610.9

0 0.90.5

N p 126.9151.585 1.521

N p 80.889

STB / day
days
365

1 / yr
year

N p 29,524 STB

Example 5: For the previous example find the yearly production for 5
years.
Step 1: Tabulate the producing rate at the end of each year using

q q i 1 bDi t

1
b

Step 2: Calculate the cumulative production from time 0 to the end

of each year using
Np

q ib
q i1b q 1b
1 bDi

Step 3: Subtract the previous years cumulative from this years

cumulative to fine the production during the year.

Table 8-2: Examples 4 and 5 Data

Cumulative
Yearly
Rate of End of Production
Production
Year Year BOPD Thru Year STB
STB
0
100
0
1
66.176
29,524
29,524
2
49.009
50,249
20,724
3
38.699
66,115
15,867
4
31.854
78,914
12,799
5
26.992
89,606
10,692