Optimal Drawdown for Woodford and Mayes in the Anadarko Basin Using Data Analytics

One of the enduring pieces of the jigsaw puzzle for all unconventional plays is drawdown (DD), a technique for attaining optimal return on investment. Assessment of the DD from producing wells in unconventional resources poses unique challenges to operators; among them the fact that many operators are reluctant to reveal the production, pressure, and completion data required. In addition to multiple factors, various completion and spacing parameters add to the complexity of the problem. This work aims to determine the optimum DD strategy. Several DD trials were implemented within the Anadarko Basin in combination with various completion strategies. Privately obtained production and completion data were analyzed and combined with well log analysis in conjunction with data analytics tools. A case study is presented that explores a new strategy for DD producing wells within the Anadarko Basin to optimize a return on investment. We use scatter-plot smoothing to develop a predictive relationship between DD and two dependent variables—estimated ultimate recovery (EUR) and initial production (IP) for 180 days of oil—and introduce a model that evaluates horizontal well production variables based on DD. Key data were estimated using reservoir and production variables. The data analytics suggested the optimal DD value of 53 psi/D for different reservoirs within the Anadarko Basin. This result may give professionals additional insight into more fully understanding the Anadarko Basin. Through these optimal ranges, we hope to gain a more complete understanding of the best way to DD wells when they are drilled simultaneously. Our discoveries and workflow within the Woodford and Mayes Formations may be applied to various plays and formations across the unconventional play spectrum. Optimal DD techniques in unconventional reservoirs could add billions of dollars in revenue to a company’s portfolio and dramatically increase the rate of return, as well as offer a new understanding of the respective producing reservoirs.