Abstract
This work is a study of the properties of foam in porous media representative of reservoir rock. Because of its low viscosity, free gas present in a reservoir often flows preferentially into a production well designed to produce oil. Gas that is injected in order to improve oil recovery may sweep only a small portion of the reservoir, if its low viscosity and density cause it to flow primarily in gravity tongues or to channel through to a production well in highly permeable zones. Foam can be generated inside the reservoir rock by injecting an applicable surfactant solution in some manner of combination with the gas. The resultant foam can improve oil production by selectively reducing gas mobility in the pores. The liquid films that constitute the foam create bridges across the pore throats which, in effect, make the gas discontinuous. The main focus of this work is on characterizing a state of foam where gas is persistently blocked by foam films. Flow experiments in packed columns, sandstone cores, and glass micromodels are reported. The conditions for creating such gas-blocking foams, the influence of a range of parameters on their properties, the interaction between foam and oil in the pores,
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Citation Formats
Hanssen, J E.
Foam as a gas-blocking agent in petroleum reservoirs.
Norway: N. p.,
1992.
Web.
Hanssen, J E.
Foam as a gas-blocking agent in petroleum reservoirs.
Norway.
Hanssen, J E.
1992.
"Foam as a gas-blocking agent in petroleum reservoirs."
Norway.
@misc{etde_10105809,
title = {Foam as a gas-blocking agent in petroleum reservoirs}
author = {Hanssen, J E}
abstractNote = {This work is a study of the properties of foam in porous media representative of reservoir rock. Because of its low viscosity, free gas present in a reservoir often flows preferentially into a production well designed to produce oil. Gas that is injected in order to improve oil recovery may sweep only a small portion of the reservoir, if its low viscosity and density cause it to flow primarily in gravity tongues or to channel through to a production well in highly permeable zones. Foam can be generated inside the reservoir rock by injecting an applicable surfactant solution in some manner of combination with the gas. The resultant foam can improve oil production by selectively reducing gas mobility in the pores. The liquid films that constitute the foam create bridges across the pore throats which, in effect, make the gas discontinuous. The main focus of this work is on characterizing a state of foam where gas is persistently blocked by foam films. Flow experiments in packed columns, sandstone cores, and glass micromodels are reported. The conditions for creating such gas-blocking foams, the influence of a range of parameters on their properties, the interaction between foam and oil in the pores, and the mechanisms of flow in foam-containing porous media are particular subjects investigated. A wide range of surfactants are use to create foam, including fluorinated surfactants for aqueous as well as non-aqueous systems. The results may be applied in selecting foaming agents for use in reservoir processes and in obtaining a better description and modeling of flow in reservoirs containing foam.}
place = {Norway}
year = {1992}
month = {Nov}
}
title = {Foam as a gas-blocking agent in petroleum reservoirs}
author = {Hanssen, J E}
abstractNote = {This work is a study of the properties of foam in porous media representative of reservoir rock. Because of its low viscosity, free gas present in a reservoir often flows preferentially into a production well designed to produce oil. Gas that is injected in order to improve oil recovery may sweep only a small portion of the reservoir, if its low viscosity and density cause it to flow primarily in gravity tongues or to channel through to a production well in highly permeable zones. Foam can be generated inside the reservoir rock by injecting an applicable surfactant solution in some manner of combination with the gas. The resultant foam can improve oil production by selectively reducing gas mobility in the pores. The liquid films that constitute the foam create bridges across the pore throats which, in effect, make the gas discontinuous. The main focus of this work is on characterizing a state of foam where gas is persistently blocked by foam films. Flow experiments in packed columns, sandstone cores, and glass micromodels are reported. The conditions for creating such gas-blocking foams, the influence of a range of parameters on their properties, the interaction between foam and oil in the pores, and the mechanisms of flow in foam-containing porous media are particular subjects investigated. A wide range of surfactants are use to create foam, including fluorinated surfactants for aqueous as well as non-aqueous systems. The results may be applied in selecting foaming agents for use in reservoir processes and in obtaining a better description and modeling of flow in reservoirs containing foam.}
place = {Norway}
year = {1992}
month = {Nov}
}