Application of polymer-reinforced methane foam in the presence of nanoparticles in increasing oil recovery from carbonate porous media at different temperatures

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Abstract
Foams are vital for enhancing oil recovery (EOR) but face significant thermodynamic instability under high-temperature conditions. This study comprehensively investigates the synergistic stabilization of methane foams using silica (SiO₂) and titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanoparticles in combination with polyacrylamide (PAM) polymer at elevated temperatures (28 °C, 50 °C, and 85 °C). The critical micelle concentration of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and the critical aggregation concentration of PAM were determined to be 0.1 wt% and 0.04 wt%, respectively, with an optimal nanoparticle concentration of 0.01 wt%. Bulk-scale tests revealed that the PAM-SiO₂ synergistic system has the best half-life in all tested temepratures, and at 28 °C the half time was 538 min. Bubble-scale analysis correlated this enhancement with the smallest average bubble size (~ 140 μm) and the thickest lamellae (~ 55 μm). Interfacial characterization confirmed that the additives reduced gas-liquid interfacial tension and altered rock wettability toward a more hydrophilic state. Critically, core flooding experiments in carbonate cores translated these superior properties into a direct EOR performance, with the PAM-SiO₂ foam achieving the highest tertiary incremental oil recovery of 7.40% OOIP. The novelty of this work lies in demonstrating that the synergy between commercially available nanoparticles and a conventional polymer creates a cost-effective and robust foam system that rivals the performance of more complex chemical formulations, offering a highly practical solution for high-temperature EOR applications in challenging carbonate reservoirs.

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