Effects of Spreading and Nonspreading Oils on Foam Propagation Through Porous Media

Abstract

Experiments show that a spreading oil increases the time for foam generation and decreases the speed of foam propagation in a porous medium. It also breaks a foam faster than a nonspreading oil. These findings may be important in interpreting results of different foam displacement experiments and therefore surfactant selection.

Foam stability in the presence and absence of hydrocarbons: From bubble- to bulk-scale

“…It is widely accepted that these interactions are governed by three main mechanisms; entry of oil droplet into gas-liquid interface [32,33], spreading of oil on the gas-liquid interface [34], and formation of an unstable bridge across lamella [35]. As discussed in Schramm and Novosad [24] the thermodynamic feasibility of oil destroying foam can be determined by evaluating the entering coefficient (E), spreading coefficient (S) and bridging coefficient (B).…”

Foam Mobility Control for Surfactant Enhanced Oil Recovery

“…To destabilize a foam lamella, an oil drop must first overcome electrostatic or steric interactions in the aqueous pseudoemulsion film, which forms as the drop approaches the gas/water interface (Nikolov et al 1986;Manlowe and Radke 1990). Then, provided that the aqueous phase does not spread at the gas/oil interface so formed, the oil forms a lens that can destabilize the lamella by spreading along the gas/water interface (Lau and O'Brien 1988), by bridging (Garrett 1992), or by some combination of the two. It is a common observation during phase behavior of oil/water/surfactant systems that foam is more stable with Winsor I phase behavior and more unstable with Winsor II or III phase behavior.…”

Transient behavior of simultaneous flow of gas and surfactant solution in consolidated porous media

“…In general, an increase in salinity tends to decrease the CMC and to increase the surface viscosity of the surfactant solution. High salinity increases the adsorption capacity of kaolinite [55] and sands [76,77]. However, some surfactants perform best in the absence of electrolytes [74].…”

“…Result, s of Lau _md O'I3rien [76] show tl_at; flu' presence of a spre_cling oil slows down foam generation and decreases foam propagation rat;e, Mmllowe and l:{,a,dl<e [81] indicated that foam sta,bility in porous media is'dependent ttpoll l,he stability of pseudoemulsiozl films (liquid films between oil and g_s). Collapse of these films c_tzses foam lamellae to rup_,urc,,…”