Percolation modeling concepts are invoked to construct estimates of gas per
meability modification as a result of the introduction of low concentration
or poorly stabilizing surface-active agents in a gas injection process in
porous media. The creation of a low number of quasi-stable lamellae in poro
us media results in an increased stationary gas saturation and is modeled a
s a reduction in effective connectivity of the medium. Medium connectivity
impacts the minimum free gas saturation for continuity and the associated c
haracteristic length scale strongly correlated with permeability. The compl
ex process of in situ foam generation and propagation is modeled through a
foam efficiency parameter and, ultimately, through the assertion of a rough
ly constant mobile gas saturation for good foaming agents. The model is sho
wn to adequately portray literature foam relative permeability measurements
with mobile gas saturation values consistent with the reported values for
similar porous media systems. In the limit where gas percolation is lost, a
second mode of transport involving bubble propagation is observed. The two
regimes of foam transport have been observed in visualization experiments
for gas injection into a brine-saturated, matched refractive index sandpack
. For many processes, the dramatic decrease in gas mobility associated with
propagation of lamellae is detrimental, making process design and modeling
for the continuous-gas regime important.