Abstract Foam model parameters are often derived from laboratory coreflood data at a steady state foam flow regime, which makes them unsuitable for simulating transient foam flow. Since significant foam trapping occurs during transient flow regime, foam trapping process is inadequately covered in most models. In this study, a coreflooding procedure is presented that allows for estimation of multiple foam model parameters in both transient and steady state foam regimes. Surfactant alternating gas (SAG) method of foam injection was modified such that at the end of each SAG cycle, mobile and trapped foams saturations were measured using a coreflood apparatus equipped with in-situ saturation measuring tool. Multiple SAG cycles were then conducted to generate a dataset as a function of water saturation and capillary pressure. The dataset includes trapped and mobile foam saturation, gas mobility reduction factor, flow rate of mobile foam, limiting capillary pressure, critical water saturation below which foam ruptures, and minimum pressure drop to propagate foam across a porous media, all in a single coreflood experiment. This dataset allowed both capillary pressure and initial-residual gas saturation curves to be generated for foam flow in a representative rock sample. Such curves, which are generated for the first time for foam transport, allow the physics of foam flow in the transient and steady state flow to be captured. The behavior of the curves is also dependent on the properties of the foam and porous medium. The possible application of such curves for modelling and planning CO2 sequestration is also discussed. The method is promising for upscaling to field scale in the sense that the test may be conducted in an actual well in the field. More insight on foam transport in porous media as revealed by this method are discussed in details.

中文翻译：

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探索表征多孔介质中瞬态和稳态泡沫流的机械方法

摘要 泡沫模型参数通常来自稳态泡沫流态下的实验室岩心溢流数据，这使得它们不适合模拟瞬态泡沫流。由于在瞬态流态期间会发生显着的泡沫捕集，因此大多数模型中没有充分涵盖泡沫捕集过程。在这项研究中，提出了一种岩心驱油程序，该程序允许估计瞬态和稳态泡沫状态下的多个泡沫模型参数。对泡沫注入的表面活性剂交替气体 (SAG) 方法进行了改进，以便在每个 SAG 循环结束时，使用配备原位饱和度测量工具的岩心驱油装置测量流动和截留泡沫饱和度。然后进行多个 SAG 循环以生成作为水饱和度和毛细管压力函数的数据集。该数据集包括滞留和流动泡沫饱和度、气体流动性降低因子、流动泡沫流速、毛细管压力限制、临界水饱和度低于该饱和度时泡沫破裂，以及在多孔介质中传播泡沫的最小压降，所有这些都在单个岩心驱替实验中. 该数据集允许为代表性岩石样品中的泡沫流生成毛细管压力和初始残余气体饱和度曲线。此类曲线是第一次为泡沫传输生成的，可以捕捉瞬态和稳态流动中的泡沫流动物理特性。曲线的行为还取决于泡沫和多孔介质的特性。还讨论了此类曲线在建模和规划 CO2 封存方面的可能应用。该方法有望扩大到现场规模，因为测试可以在现场的实际井中进行。详细讨论了通过这种方法揭示的多孔介质中泡沫传输的更多见解。