InterPore2026

Investigating the effect of nanoparticles on CO2 foam stability

19 May 2026, 15:05

1h 30m

Poster Presentation (MS09) Pore-Scale Physics and Modeling Poster

Speaker

Jihad Bakrim (Texas A&M University)

Description

Foam is a dispersion of gas bubbles within a liquid medium, separated by thin liquid films called lamellae. In petroleum engineering, foams are of particular interest because they restrict gas mobility and redirect fluid flow, making them valuable for enhanced oil recovery and carbon dioxide storage. By blocking preferential flow paths, foam can improve efficiency, yet its stability in porous media is not guaranteed and depends on several interacting factors. This study evaluated which nanoparticle type and concentration most effectively stabilized CO₂ foam in seawater conditions representative of subsurface environments. CO₂ foam was generated using 1 wt% Cocamidopropyl Betaine in 3.5 wt% synthetic seawater, and three oxide nanoparticles (SiO₂, Al₂O₃, ZrO₂) were tested across concentrations ranging from 0.00625 to 0.05 wt%. Foam half-life was measured using a Krüss Dynamic Foam Analyzer, and bubble geometry was recorded to examine lamella drainage and film rigidity. The baseline surfactant produced a half-life of 671.7 seconds. ZrO₂ at 0.025 wt% exhibited the strongest stabilization, achieving a half-life of 1067 seconds, with bubble images showing dry, rigid lamellae consistent with its extended stability (Fu, Yu & Liu, 2019). SiO₂ also enhanced stability at very low dosage, peaking at 961 seconds, but its performance declined sharply with higher concentrations due to particle aggregation observed in the saline medium. Al₂O₃ produced moderate improvements, with the best results at the lowest concentration, although sensitivity to mixing and dispersion conditions reduced its reliability at higher dosages. Collectively, the results established a clear performance hierarchy: ZrO₂ as the most robust stabilizer, SiO₂ as highly effective but easily overdosed, and Al₂O₃ as a moderate contributor. This work provides new comparative data on nanoparticle-stabilized CO₂ foam under seawater salinity and identifies ZrO₂ at 0.025 wt% as a promising formulation for future foam-based mobility control.