Experimental evaluation of polymer-enhanced foam transportation on the foam stabilization in the porous media

With the addition of polyacrylamide homopolymer (PAM) to the foam solution which is known as polymer-enhanced foam (PEF), the lamella strength in the surface could be enhanced and subsequently the membrane liquid drainage is weakened, and the diffusion of gas phase would reduce. In this comprehensive study, the comparison of different types of polymers on the property of a foaming agent is taken into the experimental evaluation. To do this, polyacrylamide homopolymer (PAM), flopaam (FA920) with the mixture of surfactants and its comparison with the utilization of only surfactants are being evaluated to generate the polymer-enhanced foam (PEF) in the porous medium. Furthermore, the performances of the foaming agent are analyzed regarding the pressure drop measurement at the displacement of the foam and the resistance factor of the gas phase (RF_gas) is investigated. Consequently, polymer addition would increase the RF_gas regarding the more propagation of foam in the porous media which has caused more foam stabilization. The property of PEF is utterly dependent on the type of used polymer, and according to the results, the amphiphilic polymer has experienced more resistance due to more reactions with a surfactant.