Controlling water coning through the drilling of horizontal wells

In oil wells, after a short period of oil production, early water production will cause serious decrease in oil production. Actually water coning is an event in which water and oil surfaces will move simultaneously to the well perforation. This event, if occurs in a well, will affect the well production and will increase the costs. Consequently, the production life of the well will be shortened. This paper simulates and studies water production and water coning of horizontal oil wells in compare with verticals. The results show that water production in horizontal oil wells are much less than vertical wells.

Keywords:

Water coning , Horizontal wells , Simulation , Flow rate