(308e) Insights into Foam Flow in Porous Media: Experiments Using a Capillary Pressure Probe

The first direct measurements of gas-water capillary pressure P_cgw in foam flowing through porous media using a capillary pressure probe were made in 1987 (Khatib et. al.). In that study, an apparent plateau value of P_cgw was described as the limiting capillary pressure, now widely known as P_c^*. Foam flowing in porous media is said to coarsen significantly above P_c^* which leads to associated decreases apparent viscosity. P_c^* is believed to depend on variables such as surfactant formulation, gas velocity, permeability, and salinity, but the understanding of these dependencies remains limited. To better model the behavior of foam flowing in porous media, a more complete understanding of capillary pressure in these systems is important.

In our foam flow experiments, we have incorporated a modern capillary pressure probe. This new tool, has allowed us to better understand the complex phenomena exhibited by foam in porous media. In this presentation, the probe construction and validation will be covered, and our recent foam quality scan data will be discussed.