Generation and destruction of steam foam in porous media are governed by the stability of evaporating/condensing thin liquid films, with a surface active solute, in contact with the pore wall (wall films) and sandwiched between two liquid/gas interfaces (free films or lamellae), respectively. The surface tension at the film interface is allowed to vary as a result of temperature (thermocapillarity) and surface excess concentration gradients (surfactant effect). A comparison of evaporating/condensing films associated with steam foams to isothermal films associated with "cold" gas foams is made in terms of stability characteristics.

Keywords:
surface tension, wavenumber, surfactant, steam foam, liquid film, stability curve, linear stability analysis, stability analysis, dimensionless group, interface
Subjects:
Improved and Enhanced Recovery, Gas-injection methods
Copyright 1991, Society of Petroleum Engineers
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