Study and Modeling the Effect of Brine Salinity and Composition and Oil Type on the Foam Stability

Abstract

Through stability experiments, this study investigates the stability of foams prepared using Cetyltrimethylammonium Bromide (CTAB). The aim is to examine the influence of salt type, salinity, and brine composition on foam stability. The findings reveal that salts diminish stability at intermediate and high salinities, while the brine composition also significantly affects stability. By manipulating the composition, it is possible to achieve optimal foam stability. Specifically, seawater compositions with doubled concentrations of CaCl2, Na2SO4, KCl, NaCl, and identical concentrations of MgCl2 are identified as the optimum concentrations of smart water for attaining the best foam stability, with respective half-lives of 270, 298, 262, 280, and 248 seconds. Additionally, the longevity of CTAB foams is adversely affected by oils, although the impact varies depending on the type of hydrocarbon. Generally, more polar hydrocarbons exhibit a reduced negative effect on foam stability.

Keywords

• surfactant
• foam injection
• stability
• enhanced oil recovery
• salt