Foam-based enhanced oil recovery (EOR) continues to gain attention as an effective technique for mobility control and sweep improvement in heterogeneous and high-permeability reservoirs. However, foam performance is strongly influenced by water chemistry, gas composition, and surfactant selection, particularly in high-salinity environments where foam destabilization commonly limits field applicability. This study evaluates the foaming behavior, stability, and viscosity of two distinct surfactant systems. This evaluation was carried out in deionized (DI) water and brine, using both nitrogen and carbon dioxide as the gas. The study provides a systematic comparison of the two surfactant formulations and identifies the conditions under which each system is most effective. The findings suggest that AOS (alpha olefin sulfonate) system yielded significant foam degradation in the high brine water, while the Mod APG (alkyl polyglucoside) formulation maintains a robust and improved foam under such conditions. This work offers practical insights for selecting foaming agents capable of generating stable, high-strength foams in reservoirs containing high-salinity formation waters.
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Cited:
Lucas R. Moore, Clint Stoddard, Gavin Erickson
Evaluation of N2 and CO2 Foams Generated by a Novel Alkyl Polyglucoside Surfactant Formula. Journal of Surfactants and Detergents (2026)
https://aocs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/jsde.70080
