Synergistic Influence Between Surfactants and Nanoparticles in Foam Flooding as an Optimization Method for Gas EOR

Abstract

Abstract Foam flooding is positioned to be one of the promising oil recovery techniques to keep up with the continuously increasing global energy demand. Due to their low sensitivity to gravity and permeability heterogeneities that boost sweep efficiency, foams are preferred injection fluids over water or gas. However, this method is not frequently used because of the thermodynamic instability of foams. Therefore, a stable additive that maintains the foam properties in reservoir conditions is needed. Due to its promising properties, such as interfacial tension reduction, increased viscosity and density, wettability modification, and others, nanoparticles have gained attention for their various applications in oil recovery. Even though a number of factors have been studied in the past in relation to increasing foam stability with nanoparticles, the ideal conditions for achieving effective foamability and stability are still unknown. The majority of the experiments were conducted under ambient conditions. However, screening should be carried out under reservoir condition because it is important influence on foam enhanced oil recovery (EOR). As a result, in this work, foam qualities were examined at high temperatures and pressures as well as, in the presence of a synthetic formation brine. Firstly, preliminary experiments, which included surfactants and nanoparticles screening, were conducted. Three different ionic surfactant types were examined for this purpose at various temperatures, concentrations of monovalent and divalent salts, and a synthetic formation brine. Then, bulk foam stability investigations were carried out under ambient and thermobaric conditions. The morphology and texture of the foam were assessed using microscopic examinations. The ideal nano-augmented surfactant solution was then foamed with CO2 and used in core flooding studies.