SPE Journal
Volume 15, Number 4, December 2010, pp. 928-942

SPE-113910-PA

Foam Mobility Control for Surfactant Enhanced Oil Recovery

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DOI  More information 10.2118/113910-PA http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/113910-PA

Citation

  • Li, R.F., Yan, W., Liu, S., Hirasaki, G.J., and Miller, C.A. 2010. Foam Mobility Control for Surfactant Enhanced Oil Recovery. SPE J.  15 (4): 928-942. SPE-113910-PA. doi: 10.2118/113910-PA.

Discipline Categories

  • 6.4 Primary and Enhanced Recovery Processes

Keywords

  • foam, heterogeneity, mobility control, crossflow, sweep

Summary

Foam generated in situ by surfactant-alternating-gas (SAG) injection is demonstrated as a substitute for polymer drive in the alkaline/surfactant/polymer (ASP) enhanced-oil-recovery (EOR) process. Foam is also effective in a similar process for a 266-cp crude oil, even though the system did not have enough polymer for favorable mobility control. Foam is shown to enhance sweep efficiency greatly in a layered sandpack with a 19:1 permeability ratio. Foam diverted surfactant solution from the high-permeability layer to the low-permeability layer. Ahead of the foam front, liquid in the low-permeability layer crossflowed into the high-permeability layer. A layered system with a 19:1 permeability contrast could be completely swept in 1.3 total pore volumes (TPV) with foam, while waterflood required 8 pore volumes (PV).

© 2010. Society of Petroleum Engineers

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History

  • Original manuscript received: 13 February 2008
  • Meeting paper published: 21 April 2008
  • Revised manuscript received: 24 November 2009
  • Manuscript approved: 2 March 2010
  • Published online: 21 July 2010
  • Version of record: 2 December 2010