Stabilization of Foam Lamella Using Novel Surface-Grafted Nanocellulose-Based Nanofluids

To solve the potential risk of present oilfield chemistries to subterranean environment, our group contributes to the development of "green" petroleum production processes. This proof-of-concept research studied the well-defined nanocellulose-based nanofluids, i.e., original (NC), AMPS grafted (NC-KY), and AMPS and hydrophobic chains grafted (NC-KYSS), in stabilizing foam lamella for potential use in enhanced oil recovery (EOR). The data showed that the collaboration of the surface-functional nanocellulose considerately improved the foam stability particularly in the presence of hydrocarbons due to the thickened foam film coupled with the molecular interactions at interior lamella. Since the grafted AMPS and alkyl chains, NC-KYSS noticeably enhanced foam quality compared against NC and NC-KY. With the increase in gas pressure, the lamella stabilizing effect of NC-KYSS became increasingly significant. The coflowing behaviors of foam with oleic phase in porous media were examined in a five-spot visualization micromodel (15 cm × 15 cm × 1 cm) and identified using a digital analysis method. The defoaming/destabilizing effect of hydrocarbons was fairly notable in porous media, causing the foam to finger through the formed "oil bank". However, a tough displacement front was constructed when the surfactant synergized with NC-KYSS due to the stabilized foam lamella and 12% of incremental oil recovery was produced.