Coning

Coning is a term used to describe the mechanism underlying the upward movement of water and/or
the down movement of gas into the perforations of a producing well. Coning can seriously impact the
well productivity and the overall recovery efficiency of the oil reservoirs.

Coning is primarily the result of movement of reservoir fluids in the direction of least
resistance.

Water Coning: The change in the oil-water contact profile as a result of drawdown pressures
during production.

Gas Coning: Change in the gas-oil contact profile as a result of drawdown pressures
during production.

The term coning is used because, in a vertical well, the shape of the interface when a well is
producing the second fluid resembles an upright or inverted cone. Important examples of coning
include:

 Production of water in an oil well with bottom water drive

 Production of gas in an oil well overlain by a gas cap
 Production of bottom water in a gas well

Coning is a problem because the second phase must be handled at the surface in addition to the
desired hydrocarbon phase, and the production rate of the hydrocarbon flow is usually dramatically
reduced after the cone breaks through into the producing well.

Produced water must also be disposed of. Gas produced from coning in an oil well may have a
market, but also may not. In any event, production of gas in an oil well after the cone breaks through
can rapidly reduce reservoir pressure and, for that reason, may force shut in of the oil well.