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The Blocking Ability and Flowing Characteristics of Steady Foams in Porous Media

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Abstract

Foam flow experiments were carried out to study the influence factors such as surfactant concentration, foam quality, injection rate of liquid and gas, permeability of porous media, temperature, and oil saturation on blocking ability and flowing characteristics of steady foams in porous media. Foam blocking mechanisms and flowing characteristics were summarized according to the experimental results and foam migration behavior. The results showed that the pressure distribution of flowing foams was linearly descending in porous media at steady state. The results further showed that the foam size and quality in pores along the sand pack were almost uniform, that is, foam generation and destruction gradually reached dynamic equilibrium at steady state. In porous media, the blocking ability of steady foams increased with the concentration of the foaming agent and the increase in the permeability of porous media, but the blocking ability decreased with the increase in the temperature, the shearing rate, and the oil saturation of the porous media. Foam resistance factor reached maximal value at the foam quality of 85% in porous media.

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Abbreviations

CMC:

Critical micelle concentration of surfactant in solution, wt%

AOS:

Alpha olefin sulfonate, which is a kind of surfactant

BS-12:

Dodecyl dimethyl betaine, which is a kind of surfactant

SDS:

Sodium dodecyl sulfate, which is a kind of surfactant

V fm :

Foaming volume of foaming agent, ml

T 1/2 :

Half-life of foams, min

p fm :

Inlet pressure of sand pack for injection foam at steady state, kPa

p wg :

Inlet pressure of sand pack for injection water and gas at steady state, kPa

p out :

Outlet pressure of sand pack, kPa

p sc :

Standard pressure, P sc = 101.325 kPa

Δp fm :

Working pressure drop of injection foam across the sand pack, Δp fm = p fm −p out, kPa

Δp wg :

Basic pressure drop of injection water and gas across the sand pack, Δp wg = p wg −p out, kPa

R fm :

Foam resistance factor, \({R_{\rm fm} =\frac{\Delta p_{\rm fm}}{\Delta p_{\rm wg}}}\), dimensionless

Q L :

Injection liquid flux at standard conditions, ml/min

Q g :

Injection gas flux at standard conditions, ml/min

R gL :

The volume ratio between gas and liquid at the inlet of sand pack at inlet pressure, dimensionless

Q fm :

Foam flux at the inlet of sand pack at inlet pressure, ml/min

x fm :

Foam quality at the inlet of sand pack at inlet pressure, dimensionless

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum, Beijing, 18 Fuxue Road, Changping, Beijing, 102249, China

    Zhan-Xi Pang

  2. MOE Key Laboratory of Petroleum Engineering, Beijing, 102249, China

    Zhan-Xi Pang

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Pang, ZX. The Blocking Ability and Flowing Characteristics of Steady Foams in Porous Media. Transp Porous Med 85, 299–316 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11242-010-9563-2

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