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Production from an oil well creates a pressure gradient that tends to elevate the oil-water contact in the immediate vicinity of the well. Balancing this flowing gradient is the tendency of oil and water to maintain gravity equilibrium, owing to the density difference between the two fluids.
When the dynamic viscous forces at the well exceed gravitational forces, a water cone ultimate breaks through into the well perforations.
Critical rate is defined as the maximum allowable oil flow rate to avoid a water cone breaking through.
The coning problem for both vertical and horizontal wells typically involves the following calculations:
| • | Determination of the critical flow rate |
| • | Breakthrough time predictions |
| • | Well performance calculations after breakthrough |
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