Foam Generation, Propagation and Stability in Porous Medium

• Published in: Transport in porous media 2020, Vol.131 (1), p.5-21
• Main Authors: Skauge, Arne, Solbakken, Jonas, Ormehaug, Per Arne, Aarra, Morten Gunnar
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Carbon dioxide; Carbonate rocks; Civil Engineering; Classical and Continuum Physics; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Field study; Field tests; Fracturing; Gas injection; Gases; Geotechnical Engineering & Applied Earth Sciences; Hydrogeology; Hydrology/Water Resources; Industrial Chemistry/Chemical Engineering; Laboratories; Micelles; Nucleation; Operational problems; Pilots; Porous media; Propagation; Reservoirs; Saline water; Slugs; Stability; Surfactants
• ISSN: 0169-3913; 1573-1634
• DOI: 10.1007/s11242-019-01250-w

There have been several foam field applications in recent years. Foam treatments targeting gas mobility control in injectors as well as gas blocking in production wells have been performed without causing operational problems. The most widely used injection strategy of foam has been injecting alternating slugs of surfactant in brine with gas injection. This procedure seems to be beneficial as injection is easy to perform and control below fracturing pressure. Simultaneous injection of surfactant solution and gas may give difficulties, especially with interpretation of the tests, if fracturing pressure are exceeded during the injection period. This paper reviews critical aspects of foam for reservoir applications and intends to motivate for further field trials. Key parameters for qualification of foam are: foam generation, propagation in porous medium, foam strength and stability of foam. Stability is discussed, especially in the presence of oil at reservoir conditions. Data on each of these topics are included, as well as extracted summary of relevant literature. Experimental studies have shown that foam is generated at low surfactant concentration even below the CMC (critical micelle concentration). Results indicate that in situ foam generation in porous medium may depend on available nucleation sites. In situ generation of foam is complex and has been found to be especially difficult in oil wet carbonate rocks. Foam propagation in porous medium has been summarized, and propagation rate for a given experiment seems to be constant with time and distance. Laboratory studies confirm a propagation rate of 1–3 m/day. Field tests performed have not given reliable information of foam propagation rate, and future field pilots are encouraged to include observation wells in order to gain information of field-scale foam propagation. Foam strength is generally high with all gases. The exception is CO 2 at high pressure where CO 2 becomes supercritical. Stability of foam has been studied in laboratory and field tests, and has confirmed long-term stability of foam.