Abstract
The liquid phase of foam systems plays a major role in improving the fluidity of oil, by reducing oil viscosity and stripping oil from rock surfaces during foam-flooding processes. Improving the oil displacement capacity of the foam’s liquid phase could lead to significant improvement in foam-flooding effects. Oil-liquid interfacial tension (IFT) is an important indicator of the oil displacement capacity of a liquid. In this study, several surfactants were used as foaming agents, and polymers were used as foam stabilizers. Foaming was induced using a Waring blender stirring method. Foam with an oil-liquid IFT of less than 10–3 mN/m was prepared after a series of adjustments to the liquid composition. This study verified the possibility of a foam system with both an ultra-low oil-liquid IFT and high foaming properties. Our results provide insight into a means of optimizing foam fluids for enhanced oil recovery.
Highlights
Compared to conventional liquids, foam fluid has several unique properties, such as, a high apparent viscosity, a high system energy, and a blocking effect
The properties of foam fluids related to oil recovery can be modified to better adapt to the geological conditions; this is usually accomplished by changing the composition, preparation method, and/or preparation conditions of the foam system [4,5]
Bubbles in the foam fluid can lose their shape over the course of the flooding process, as the foam system is in a state of foaming-flowing-defoaming dynamic equilibrium in the porous media encountered
Summary
Foam fluid has several unique properties, such as, a high apparent viscosity, a high system energy, and a blocking effect. Foam flooding has been well studied for several decades and has been used in oil recovery worldwide [3]. The properties of foam fluids related to oil recovery can be modified to better adapt to the geological conditions; this is usually accomplished by changing the composition, preparation method, and/or preparation conditions of the foam system [4,5]. Studies have shown that the interfacial tension (IFT) of the displacement phase strongly influences flooding effects [10,11]. A foam system with an ultralow IFT liquid phase was generated by changing the chemical composition of the foam and the stirring method. This study systematically investigated the effect of surfactants on the stability and oil-liquid IFT of the foam, to gain insight into the means to improve foam flooding applications for enhanced oil recovery (EOR)
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