A novel technique to estimate water saturation and capillary pressure of foam in model fractures

Foam is applied in enhanced oil recovery to improve the sweep of injected gas and increase recovery, by greatly reducing mobility gas. In laboratory, X-ray computed tomography commonly used evaluate performance foam core plugs. However, properties, such as bubble size capillary pressure, are much more difficult measure. recent years, microfluidic models have gained attention because they easily facilitate imaging study in-situ foam. it still challenging estimate a model with uniform depth etching. this paper, we report novel technique water saturation pressure two 1-meter-long fractures. Both fractures made glass plates. They different roughness hydraulic apertures. Unlike microfluidics etching, our each has variation aperture. We characterize represent aperture distribution fracture network pore bodies throats. study, pre-generated then into The inlet outlet valves closed for 24 hr after reaches steady-state. use high-speed camera visualize ImageJ software analyze texture quantify density, average polydispersivity. addition, analyzing images terms geometry. found that resides locations narrow aperture, Plateau borders, lamellae between bubbles, films on walls. Water-filled zones borders account almost all water. During re-distribution static foam, in-flow out-flow must take paths along water-occupied zones, only continuous flow. both fractures, decrease coincides an expected. This estimation provides insights studies naturally fractured reservoirs complex geometry, where measuring properties challenging. analysis possible varies unlike most devices. Our would also application aquifer remediation CO2 sequestration.