Foam-Assisted Water Alternating Gas (FAWAG) Injection in Offshore Malaysia Fields: A Single Formulation Approach for Enhanced Oil Recovery

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This study explores the development of a unified foam formulation for Foam-Assisted Water Alternating Gas (FAWAG) injection in offshore Malaysia fields. The goal is to improve sweep efficiency and enhance oil recovery by utilizing foam as a mobility control agent. The research focuses on optimizing the FAWAG process for offshore Malaysia's reservoir conditions. Laboratory experiments evaluated various foam surfactants to enhance the Water Alternating Gas (WAG) process, with three promising formulations identified. These formulations underwent rigorous testing using native sandstone core samples at high temperatures to assess their applicability in fields with lower reservoir temperatures. The results indicated that the surfactants initially increased differential pressure during the WAG cycle due to their low relative permeability. However, as they displaced gas and advanced through the core, the pressure gradually decreased. Increasing the injection rate improved foam generation, ensuring adequate foam formation. Post-flush injection with synthetic brine confirmed the effectiveness of the foam surfactant formulation. This study represents a groundbreaking effort to develop a regionally applicable foam surfactant for FAWAG injection in offshore Malaysia fields.