This paper examines the hydro-mechanical aspect of the sand production problem and sets the basic frame of the corresponding mathematical modelling. Accordingly, piping and surface erosion effects are studied on the basis of mass balance and particle transport considerations as well as Darcy＇s law. The results show that surface erosion is accompanied by high changes of porosity and permeability close to the free surface. Quantities which can be measured in experiment, like the amount of produced solids or fluid discharge, can be used in an inverse way to determine the constitutive parameters of the problem.