Foam And CO₂: A Surprising New Energy Ally?

Early research on foam-assisted injection shows promise for improving recovery and storage

9 Jul 2025

Early-stage research on foam-assisted carbon dioxide injection is gaining attention from US oil producers seeking to improve recovery rates and strengthen carbon management. Work led by the Southwest Research Institute and the University of Texas at Austin remains limited to laboratory experiments and reservoir simulations, but the findings are prompting wider industry discussion.

The research comes as companies expand investment in carbon capture hubs and enhanced recovery projects across major basins. Analysts say the studies could influence how producers approach future partnerships and technology screening, even though no operator has announced a pilot or field deployment of the technique.

The method centres on mixing foam with CO₂ to slow the movement of the gas through porous rock. The reduced flow rate increases sweep efficiency in mature reservoirs and can help retain more CO₂ underground. This addresses a persistent drawback of traditional CO₂ flooding, where gas can advance too quickly through highly permeable zones. Researchers argue the technique could widen the number of fields that are suitable for CO₂ projects, subject to positive results in later tests.

Large producers such as Occidental and ExxonMobil have not adopted the approach and have not announced pilot schemes tied to it. Both companies, however, have stressed the value of technologies that improve CO₂ handling and long-term storage. Analysts note that innovations of this type may become more relevant as operators seek tools that support both output goals and reliable carbon containment.

Significant hurdles remain. The technique has yet to be demonstrated in full-scale field conditions, and the cost and supply of foaming agents will influence commercial viability. Even so, experts say the potential advantages warrant continued research, particularly as policy incentives grow for solutions that link oil recovery with secure carbon storage.

As the studies progress toward possible pilot consideration, producers are monitoring results closely. If future field tests confirm the early laboratory findings, foam-assisted CO₂ injection could add a new option to the US energy sector’s efforts to develop mature reservoirs and advance carbon management.