Caption:
SwRI and UT Austin evaluated the effectiveness of using supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO₂) foams for oil recovery and sequestration. This clip shows how the texture of the sCO₂ foam evolves as its gas to liquid ratio changes before and after a simulated fracture (sand pack). As the amount of gas increases, the bubbles become more tightly packed and change shape, increasing viscosity until it peaks at about 95% gas. When it reaches 97%, the foam begins to break down, losing structure and stability, identifying the ideal gas-to-liquid ratio.