Nanoparticle-Stabilized Foam for Effective Displacement in Porous Media and Enhanced Oil Recovery.

Foam flooding is a promising technique for enhancing oil recovery, but the foam instability limits its application. This study investigates the properties of foam stabilized by silica (SiO₂) nanoparticles combined with hexylamine. Surface dilational rheology, contact angle, and adsorption measurements have been performed and correlated with the foam stability. The results show that the SiO₂/hexylamine dispersion induces a synergistic effect on the foam stability at intermediate hexylamine concentrations. The most stable foam was obtained with the most hydrophobic particles. The dilational viscoelasticity and the adsorption amount followed the same trend as that of foam stability. As a plugging agent, the SiO₂/hexylamine foam could block the core with the maximum pressure peak at approximately 0.85 MPa. Moreover, our results indicate that the foam stability, dilational viscoelasticity, and roughness of the bubble surface together might contribute to better plugging performance in porous media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]