The effects of in-situ emulsion formation and superficial velocity on foam performance in high-permeability porous media

Sri Hanamertani, Alvinda; Saraji, Soheil; Piri, Mohammad

doi:10.1016/j.fuel.2021.121575

Title: The effects of in-situ emulsion formation and superficial velocity on foam performance in high-permeability porous media

Journal Article · 12 August 2021 · Fuel

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2021.121575 · OSTI ID:1977132

Sri Hanamertani, Alvinda ^[1]; Saraji, Soheil ^[2]; Piri, Mohammad ^[2]

Univ. of Wyoming, Laramie, WY (United States); OSTI
Univ. of Wyoming, Laramie, WY (United States)

Foam has been considered as a mobility control agent for Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) applications in heterogeneous and fractured reservoirs. Foam enhances sweep efficiency by enabling the injected gas to flow from high-permeability to low-permeability regions. The foam injection velocity is an essential factor affecting foam mobility control and flow behavior. Furthermore, the presence of remaining oil adversely impacts foam generation leading to a failure in governing mobility control. In this study, foam performance in establishing mobility control effect and favorable apparent viscosity was experimentally investigated under a range of total superficial velocities in the presence and absence of crude oil during foam propagation in high permeability sand packs representing a propped fracture network. In the absence of oil, a pronounced effect of total superficial velocity on the mobility control performance was observed at the transition foam quality regime. Co-injection of oil and foam led to noticeable foam destabilization, as expected. However, a further increase in oil fractional flow resulted in larger overall flow resistance. We found that the formation of in-situ surfactant/oil emulsion contributed to the high apparent viscosity exhibited at the steady-state condition. These findings suggest that the steady-state flow resistance established during foam flooding at high oil saturations should be interpreted as the mobility control effect resulting from emulsion formation rather than the development of strong foam.

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Research Organization:: Univ. of Wyoming, Laramie, WY (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: Hess Corporation; USDOE; USDOE Office of Fossil Energy (FE)

Grant/Contract Number:: FE0031787

OSTI ID:: 1977132

Journal Information:: Fuel, Journal Name: Fuel Journal Issue: C Vol. 306; ISSN 0016-2361

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Title: The effects of in-situ emulsion formation and superficial velocity on foam performance in high-permeability porous media

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