Study on Optimization of Polymer Enhanced Foam Formulation System

Taking the pilot test area of polymer enhanced foam flooding in Y oilfield as the prototype, a numerical core model was established, and the polymer enhanced foam formulation system was optimized by analyzing the resistance factor and the change rule of oil recovery of different formulation systems. Research shows that the higher the polymer concentration, the greater the resistance factor, and the more obvious the sealing effect formed in the formation. The concentration of surfactant has a greater impact on the resistance factor. With the increase of surfactant concentration, the resistance factor increases significantly, and the plugging effect of foam agent on core is significantly enhanced. With the increase of gas-liquid ratio, the resistance factor first increases and then decreases. When the gas-liquid ratio is 1:1, the resistance is the largest, and the foam agent has the strongest plugging effect on the core. The optimal formula system of polymer enhanced foam flooding in Y oilfield is: polymer concentration is 1200 mg/L, surfactant concentration is 0.25 wt%, gas-liquid ratio is 1:1.

Enhancement of a foaming formulation with a zwitterionic surfactant for gas mobility control in harsh reservoir conditions

This work presents the design of a robust foam formulation that tolerates harsh reservoir conditions(high salinity,high divalent ion concentration,high temperature,light oil,and hydrocarbon injection gas)in a sandstone reservoir.For this,we selected anionic Alpha Olefin Sulfonate(AOS)surfactants and studied their synergistic effects in mixtures with zwitterionic betaines to enhance foam performance.The laboratory workflow used to define the best formulation followed a de-risking approach in three consecutive phases.First,(phase 1)the main surfactant(AOS)was selected among a series of commercial candidates in static conditions.Then,(phase 2)the betaine booster to be combined with the previously selected AOS was chosen and their ratio optimized in static conditions.Subsequently,(phase 3)the surfactant/booster ratio was optimized under dynamic conditions in a porous medium in the absence and the presence of oil.As a result of this study,a mixture of an AOS C14-C16 and cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine(CAPHS)was selected as the one having the best performance.The designed formulation was proven to be robust in a wide range of conditions.It generated a strong and stable foam at reservoir conditions,overcoming variations in salinity and foam quality,and tolerated the presence of oil.