Experiments in homogeneous and heterogeneous sand-packed columns showed that the foam mobility in the two cases could differ by two orders of magnitude. The difference is due to the generation of foam lamellae by snap-off for flow across an abrupt increase in permeability. This mechanism is shown to be dependent on the degree of permeability contrast and the gas fractional flow. It has important implications for the degree of gravity segregation of gas and liquid in field scale recovery processes.

Keywords:
saturation, fluid dynamics, permeability increase, mobility, foam generation, enhanced recovery, perpendicular, flow in porous media, experiment, upstream oil & gas
Subjects:
Reservoir Characterization, Reservoir Fluid Dynamics, Improved and Enhanced Recovery, Reservoir Simulation, Formation Evaluation & Management, Flow in porous media, Gas-injection methods, Chemical flooding methods, Miscible methods
Copyright 2000, Society of Petroleum Engineers
You can access this article if you purchase or spend a download.