An experimental study of foam-oil interactions for nonionic-based binary surfactant systems under high salinity...

Area of Science:

• Petroleum Engineering
• Colloid and Surface Science

Background:

• Foam stability is crucial for enhanced oil recovery.
• Oil-foam interactions significantly impact foam performance in reservoirs.
• High salinity conditions pose challenges for traditional foam systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• Investigate the influence of different oil types on binary surfactant foam stability.
• Evaluate foam performance under high salinity conditions.
• Understand the mechanisms of oil-foam interactions for improved foam applications.

Main Methods:

• Generated foams using binary surfactant systems (zwitterionic/nonionic and anionic/nonionic).
• Conducted microscopic analysis to observe foam-oil interactions.
• Performed mechanistic studies on oil solubilization in surfactant micelles.
• Utilized multivariate analysis and partial least square regression for parameter identification.

Main Results:

• Binary surfactant foams exhibited superior stability in high salinity and oil presence compared to single surfactant foams.
• Increased apparent viscosity of binary surfactant foams contributed to enhanced stability.
• Higher molecular weight oils, too large for micelle solubilization, stabilized the foam.
• Oil molecular weight, interfacial tension, and spreading coefficient were identified as key predictors of foam stability.

Conclusions:

• Binary surfactant systems offer robust foam solutions for high salinity reservoir conditions.
• Foam stability is governed by the interplay between surfactant properties, oil characteristics, and interfacial phenomena.
• A predictive model based on key variables can guide future foam formulation and application in oil recovery.