Close the Loop: From Geology Assumptions to Live Production Reality

Turn type curves into a feedback system that gets smarter every month

Type curves are a promise. The reservoir writes the truth. Closed‑loop management connects the two—continuously updating models with

fresh production data and then adjusting operations so the field improves in real time.

The closed‑loop approach

• Measure early‑time behavior against expectations (rate, pressure, decline slope).
• Update the model as new data arrives; don’t protect old assumptions.
• Change the plan (lift settings, choke strategies, frac design) and watch the response.
• Scale what works across similar wells and zones.

Why engineers trust it

• It treats modeling as a living process—not a one‑and‑done report.
• It shortens the learning cycle from years to months, letting teams bank gains faster.
• It aligns subsurface, completions, and production on the same scoreboard.

A practical cadence

1. Monthly model refresh with latest production and pressure data.
2. Targeted experiments on a subset of wells; set clear success thresholds.
3. Design reviews that document what changed and why.
4. Roll‑out packs for look‑alike wells (templates, setpoints, expected impacts).

Final thought

Assumptions aren’t sacred—outcomes are. When teams close the loop, they don’t just learn; they compound.

Hear how this mindset plays out in operations in our Cougar Energy episode with Robert Wichert on the Wisdom at the Wellhead YouTube channel here - https://youtu.be/wTEYnWUMbBg