Effects of capillary pressure on coalescence and phase mobilities in foams flowing through porous media
The stability of foam lamellae is limited by capillary pressure. Consequently, as the fractional flow of gas in a foam is raised at a fixed gas velocity, the capillary pressure in a porous medium at first increases and then approaches a characteristic value, termed here the limiting capillary pressure. If the gas fractional flow is increased after the limiting capillary pressure has been attained, coalescence coarsens foam texture, the liquid saturation remains constant, and the relative gas mobility becomes proportional to the ratio of gas to liquid fractional flow. The limiting capillary pressure itself varies with the surfactant formulation, gas velocity, and permeability of the medium.
- Research Organization:
- Shell Development Co.
- OSTI ID:
- 7159857
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-861080-
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
COALESCENCE
COLLOIDS
DISPERSIONS
DISPLACEMENT FLUIDS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FLOW RATE
FLUID FLOW
FLUID INJECTION
FLUIDS
FOAMS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GAS FLOW
LIQUID FLOW
MISCIBLE-PHASE DISPLACEMENT
OIL WELLS
PERMEABILITY
PETROLEUM
PHASE STUDIES
PRESSURE EFFECTS
RECOVERY
RESERVOIR ROCK
SATURATION
STIMULATION
TWO-PHASE FLOW
WELL STIMULATION
WELLS