INTERFACIAL EFFECTS IN THE DISPLACEMENT OF RESIDUAL OIL BY FOAM

A qualitative theory is developed to explain the roles of surface tension and the two surface viscosities in the displacement of foams through porous media. There is a critical value of the surface tension above which a foam cannot be displaced under a given pressure gradient. The displacement efficiency of a foam can be raised by increasing the surface tension to only slightly less than this critical value, by increasing the viscosity of the aqueous surfactant solution from which the foam is formed and by increasing the surface viscosities. These predictions are in agreement with available experimental data. Copyright © 1979 American Institute of Chemical Engineers