Effect of superficial velocity on liquid injectivity in SAG foam EOR. Part 1: Experimental study

Gong, Jiakun; Martinez, Wendy Flores; Vincent-Bonnieu, S.; Bahrim, Ridhwan Zhafri Kamarul; Mamat, Che A Nasser Bakri Che; Tewari, Raj Deo; Amir, Mohammad; Farajzadeh, R.; Rossen, W.R.

doi:10.1016/j.fuel.2020.118299

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…Therefore, a tremendous amount of nitrogen accumulates in the middle and upper part of the oil layer within the water-swept zone, which can decrease the upward flow velocity of water invasion, increase oil production, and enhance oil recovery in bottom-water reservoirs. However, because of the short effective period of the gas slug, gas phase and foaming agents can generate several steady foams in porous media to effectively block the channeling path of bottom water. − …”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Macro- and Microanalysis on Noncondensable Gas Antiwater Invasion in a Bottom Water Reservoir with a Rupturable Interlayer

et al. 2022

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Developing a bottom-water reservoir with rupturable interlayers is a significant challenge. This paper used a 2D visualization model to study the seepage characteristics of gas–water in two phases during noncondensable gas antiwater invasion. On this basis, the mechanisms of antiwater invasion and enhanced oil recovery (EOR) were summarized. The results show that bottom water advances from the crack of the interlayer to the oil layer, leading to a profile of radial flow. The major swept area occupies the scope near the horizontal well and the oil layer’s middle part. Therefore, a lot of remaining oil distributes beside the crack of the interlayer. Noncondensable gas preferentially flows into the water-swept area due to a lower seepage resistance. Under gravity differentiation, the dispersed gas displaces the invaded bottom water downward, inhibiting water from invading and increasing the oil production rate. These studies provide practical guidance for analyzing bottom-water invading processes and designing suitable measures to develop such reservoirs.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, because of the short effective period of the gas slug, gas phase and foaming agents can generate several steady foams in porous media to effectively block the channeling path of bottom water. 42 − 46 …”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Macro- and Microanalysis on Noncondensable Gas Antiwater Invasion in a Bottom Water Reservoir with a Rupturable Interlayer

et al. 2022

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“…This model also takes no account of possible limits to propagation at low ∇p as discussed below. Gong et al (2020a, b, c) investigated phenomena expected near the injection well that would greatly affect injectivity of both gas and liquid. In those experiments, during injection of the gas slug, a collapsedfoam zone propagated at a dimensionless velocity of (1/400).…”

Section: Gravity Segregationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Potential and Challenges of Foam-Assisted CO2 Sequestration

Rossen

Farajzadeh

Hirasaki

et al. 2022

Day 2 Tue, April 26, 2022

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Foam is a promising means to assist in the permanent, safe subsurface sequestration of CO2, whether in aquifers or as part of an enhanced-oil-recovery (EOR) process. Here we review the advantages demonstrated for foam that would assist CO2 sequestration, in particular sweep efficiency and residual trapping, and the challenges yet to be overcome. CO2 is trapped in porous geological layers by an impermeable overburden layer and residual trapping, dissolution into resident brine, and conversion to minerals in the pore space. Over-filling of geological traps and gravity segregation of injected CO2 can lead to excessive stress and cracking of the overburden. Maximizing storage while minimizing overburden stress in the near term depends on residual trapping in the swept zone. Therefore, we review the research and field-trial literature on CO2 foam sweep efficiency and capillary gas trapping in foam. We also review issues involved in surfactant selection for CO2 foam applications. Foam increases both sweep efficiency and residual gas saturation in the region swept. Both properties reduce gravity segregation of CO2. Among gases injected in EOR, CO2 has advantages of easier foam generation, better injectivity, and better prospects for long-distance foam propagation at low pressure gradient. In CO2 injection into aquifers, there is not the issue of destabilization of foam by contact with oil, as in EOR. In all reservoirs, surfactant-alternating-gas foam injection maximizes sweep efficiency while reducing injection pressure compared to direct foam injection. In heterogeneous formations, foam helps equalize injection over various layers. In addition, spontaneous foam generation at layer boundaries reduces gravity segregation of CO2. Challenges to foam-assisted CO2 sequestration include the following: 1) verifying the advantages indicated by laboratory research at the field scale 2) optimizing surfactant performance, while further reducing cost and adsorption if possible 3) long-term chemical stability of surfactant, and dilution of surfactant in the foam bank by flow of water. Residual gas must reside in place for decades, even if surfactant degrades or is diluted. 4) verifying whether foam can block upward flow of CO2 through overburden, either through pore pathways or microfractures. 5) optimizing injectivity and sweep efficiency in the field-design strategy. We review foam field trials for EOR and the state of the art from laboratory and modeling research on CO2 foam properties to present the prospects and challenges for foam-assisted CO2 sequestration.

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