Performance Study of High-Temperature Foaming Agents for Improved Steam Flooding

Abstract

Performance studies of foaming agents in terms of thermal endurance, foaminess, foam stability, and structural and morphological robustness are carried out to investigate the mechanism of steam overlay and channeling that arise during steam flooding of heavy-oil reservoirs. The results show that agent CX-4 possesses excellent thermal endurance, foaminess, and foam stability. High temperatures did not affect the foaming-agent structure although the foam hexagonal structure weakened. The absorbed films of foam bubbles have centered ring structures intertwined with each other and overlapped significantly. The spatial distribution and three-dimensional foam structure become slightly worse. The foaming agent consists mainly of the four elements S, C, Na, and O. High-temperature treatment did not affect the elemental composition and molecular structure.