{"title":"Foam-assisted oil recovery: A physics-based perspective","authors":"Hernán A. Ritacco","doi":"10.1016/j.cocis.2024.101809","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>In this paper, I delve into the physics of foams within the context of Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR). Foams present a promising prospect for use in EOR, applicable to both conventional and non-conventional oil wells. A primary challenge faced by oil industry technologists is ensuring foam stability in porous media under harsh conditions of temperature, pressure, and salinity. To surmount these challenges, a profound understanding of the physicochemical mechanisms governing foam formation and stability at a microscopic level is required. In this article, I explore some fundamental aspects of foam physics that should be considered when developing foam systems for EOR. I conclude the paper by briefly discussing the use of machine learning in the design of foam-assisted EOR, and by highlighting the potential of smart foams in the oil industry.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":293,"journal":{"name":"Current Opinion in Colloid & Interface Science","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":7.9000,"publicationDate":"2024-05-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Current Opinion in Colloid & Interface Science","FirstCategoryId":"92","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S135902942400027X","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"CHEMISTRY, PHYSICAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
In this paper, I delve into the physics of foams within the context of Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR). Foams present a promising prospect for use in EOR, applicable to both conventional and non-conventional oil wells. A primary challenge faced by oil industry technologists is ensuring foam stability in porous media under harsh conditions of temperature, pressure, and salinity. To surmount these challenges, a profound understanding of the physicochemical mechanisms governing foam formation and stability at a microscopic level is required. In this article, I explore some fundamental aspects of foam physics that should be considered when developing foam systems for EOR. I conclude the paper by briefly discussing the use of machine learning in the design of foam-assisted EOR, and by highlighting the potential of smart foams in the oil industry.
期刊介绍:
Current Opinion in Colloid and Interface Science (COCIS) is an international journal that focuses on the molecular and nanoscopic aspects of colloidal systems and interfaces in various scientific and technological fields. These include materials science, biologically-relevant systems, energy and environmental technologies, and industrial applications.
Unlike primary journals, COCIS primarily serves as a guide for researchers, helping them navigate through the vast landscape of recently published literature. It critically analyzes the state of the art, identifies bottlenecks and unsolved issues, and proposes future developments.
Moreover, COCIS emphasizes certain areas and papers that are considered particularly interesting and significant by the Editors and Section Editors. Its goal is to provide valuable insights and updates to the research community in these specialized areas.