Abstract
Surfactant-stabilized foams have been used in the past for vertical conformance and mobility control in gas-enhanced oil recovery processes. Lack of stability of these foams often limits their application. The goal of this study is to investigate the synergistic effects of using a blend of silica nanoparticles (NPs) and anionic surfactants on foam stability in both bulk and porous media. First, the stability of static foams was studied using surfactants and surfactant–NP mixtures with and without the presence of a crude oil. Second, the foam drainage behavior and thickness of the foam lamella were studied by fluorescence microscopy. Third, the mobility of foams was measured by coinjecting the surfactant or surfactant–NP solution with nitrogen gas through a Berea sandstone core at a fixed foam quality (gas volume fraction). Finally, oil displacement experiments were conducted in Berea cores using these foams. Static foam tests indicated a stabilization effect of nanoparticles on surfactant–NP-stabilized fo...
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