Screening and Coreflood Testing of Gel Foams To Control Excessive Gas Production in Oil Wells

Abstract

Summary Polymer-enhanced foam and gel-foam formulations were screened and tested for their injectability and gas-blocking ability in Berea sandstone cores and carbonate packs (in the presence and absence of oil at 85°C). Gel foams, with suitable gelation delay, were propagated through packed cores in a similar manner as polymer-enhanced foams (PEF's). However, the gas-blocking ability of cured gel foam was far superior to that of PEF. The gel foam blocked gas flow completely, even in the presence of oil, and a significant pressure differential had to be exceeded before the gas could channel through the gel foam and flow through the core.

Comprehensive Review of Sealant Materials for Leakage Remediation Technology in Geological CO2 Capture and Storage Process

“…In recent years, researchers have proposed some improvements to increase the strength, fluidity, and thermal and chemical stability of the foam system. These measures mainly include polymer-reinforced foam and gel-reinforced foam . On the basis of the research results in the literature, the gel foam system seems to be the most promising method and technology to prevent gas channeling due to its high strength, but it needs to be carefully designed before it is applied, that is, the injection parameters and placement strategy.…”

“…These measures mainly include polymer-reinforced foam and gel-reinforced foam. 351 On the basis of the research results in the literature, the gel foam system seems to be the most promising method and technology to prevent gas channeling due to its high strength, but it needs to be carefully designed before it is applied, that is, the injection parameters and placement strategy. Gel foam is composed of gas and gelant with surfactant.…”

Enhanced foam stability by adding comb polymer gel for in-depth profile control in high temperature reservoirs

“…When polymers have been added into surfactant solution, the viscosity of liquid phase increases which decreases liquid drainage rate, thus enhances foam stability. Compared with aqueous foams, polymer enhanced foam obtains a better gas blocking capability, greater decay half-life, and larger residual resistance factor after defoaming [14][15][16]. However, the stability of polymer enhanced foam could be confined by the limited increased viscosity of polymers.…”

Study and Application of a Gelled Foam Treatment Technology for Water Shutoff in Naturally Fractured Reservoir

“…16,17 In the meantime, gelled foam had been proposed and found its application for water or gas shutoff in fractured reservoirs as well as nonfractured reservoirs. 18,19,20 In this gelfoam process, a surfactant was added to the gelling solution and was co injected in the reservoir along with a gas, such as nitrogen. In such a formulated system, the gelling solution was continuous phase and trapped gas bubbles form the dispersed phase.…”