Hi everyone,
I recently joined the forum and wanted to contribute from a technical perspective. I’m a reservoir engineer with 15 years of experience, having worked in major oil & gas companies as well as with private operators.
One recurring observation in mature or low-rate wells is that production underperformance is often attributed to reservoir depletion, when in reality the limitation may be operational or surface-related.
This can create confusion between:
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True reservoir decline
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Mechanical or artificial lift constraints
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Surface handling or backpressure effects
From a technical standpoint, distinguishing between these factors is critical before drawing conclusions about remaining potential.
For those willing to share: When a well underperforms, what data or indicator do you personally trust the most to decide whether it’s a reservoir issue or something else?