Effect of microemulsion on foam stability

Abstract

Abstract Microemulsion–foam interactions are significant in the low tension gas process, an emerging enhanced oil recovery method. As oil–water–surfactant systems are subjected to various salinity environments and microemulsion phase behavior varies, foam strength has also been observed to vary. This may be due to the action of oil-swollen micelles within liquid lamellae. Winsor Type I microemulsions were characterized according to surface tension, oil content, oil-swollen micelle size, and viscosity. Their impact on foam stability was quantified via dynamic Bikerman-style glass column tests and static decay tests in a physical rock network microfluidic chip to observe behavior and trends across scales. Foam stability tests demonstrated up to 90% decrease in stability with similar trends at both scales as oil-swollen micelle diameter increased from 9.30 to 27.08 nm and concentration decreased over 80%. Decrease in micelle availability and micellar structuring effectiveness, with interaction effects, explains the impact of microemulsion on foam stability.