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Gels for Oil and Gas Industry Applications (3rd Edition)
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Gels for Oil and Gas Industry Applications (3rd Edition)

A special issue of Gels (ISSN 2310-2861). This special issue belongs to the section "Gel Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2025 | Viewed by 3831

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Qing You

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Energy Resources, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China
Interests: gel; conformance control; temporary plugging; enhanced oil recovery
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Guang Zhao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qindao 266580, China
Interests: profile control; water shutoff; chemical materials; enhanced oil recovery
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Xindi Sun

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Physics and Engineering Department, College of Health, Engineering and Science, Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania, Slippery Rock, PA 16057, USA
Interests: gel conformance control; CO2 EOR; CO2 sequestration; chemical EOR
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are grateful to all authors, reviewers, and readers for their responses to the 1–2 editions of our Special Issue on “Gels for Oil and Gas Industry Applications”. You can access these articles for free via the following links:

Gels for Oil and Gas Industry Applications (1st Edition)

Gels for Oil and Gas Industry Applications (2nd Edition)

This edition of the Special Issue focuses on the application of gels in oil and gas fields to improve hydrocarbon recovery. A broad range of topics will be discussed, including (but not limited to) field application cases, novel gel development, the experimental evaluation of gel performance for conformance control, fracturing, lab- and field-scale numerical simulations, etc. 

Gels, such as in situ gels and preformed particle gels, have been widely used in the oil and gas industry to control excess water production and gas channeling, which significantly contributes to improving hydrocarbon recovery. Based on different application conditions, many novel gels have been developed. An evaluation of novel gels is crucial since the properties of some polymers can be altered under high temperatures, high salinity levels, or high CO2 conditions. In addition, due to the complexity of the reservoirs, some gels may perform differently in the field than in the lab. In this case, the experiences gained from field application studies are very valuable for future gel development, evaluation, and application. As a cost-effective method, numerical simulation is widely used in the oil and gas industry to simulate gel treatment, analyze production data, and predict future production after gel treatment. Any studies related to gels used for oil and gas field applications can advance our understanding of gel performance in porous media and large channels, which is of significant importance to the oil and gas industry. 

We look forward to the submission of new studies on gel development or gel application in the oil and gas industry. Submissions of experimental or field studies are welcomed.

Prof. Dr. Qing You
Prof. Dr. Guang Zhao
Dr. Xindi Sun
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Gels is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2100 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • the development of novel gels
  • the conformance control of gels
  • the fracturing of gels
  • the chemical EOR of gels
  • the field application of gels

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 2890 KiB  
Article
Removal of Divalent Cations from Produced Water and Its Impact on Rheological Properties and Proppant Settling Velocity
by Yanze Zhang, Wajid Ali and Hassan Dehghanpour
Gels 2025, 11(3), 158; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels11030158 (registering DOI) - 22 Feb 2025
Viewed by 106
Abstract
The petroleum industry seeks to optimize the reuse of flowback and produced water (FPW) in hydraulic fracturing to reduce environmental impacts and costs. This study investigates how controlling divalent cations in FPW influences its rheological properties and proppant carrying capacity, both of which [...] Read more.
The petroleum industry seeks to optimize the reuse of flowback and produced water (FPW) in hydraulic fracturing to reduce environmental impacts and costs. This study investigates how controlling divalent cations in FPW influences its rheological properties and proppant carrying capacity, both of which are crucial for efficient fracturing. Synthetic FPW, modified to simulate treated and untreated conditions, was analyzed to determine the impact of gel-based additives such as anionic polyacrylamide-based friction reducers (FRs). Results indicate that removing divalent cations increases relaxation times from 0.12 s in untreated FPW to 1.00 s in a 1 gallon per thousand gallons (gpt) FR solution, demonstrating improved viscoelastic gel characteristics. However, these changes do not significantly increase proppant carrying capacity. Even with relaxation times increasing to 4.5 s at higher FR dosages (3 gpt), the treated FPW still does not achieve the relaxation time observed in FR solutions using deionized (DI) water, which remain above 10 s. The removal of divalent cations from FPW resulted in only minor changes to its shear viscosity, with a modest 15% increase that was not enough to significantly affect the settling velocity of the proppant. Thus, removal of divalent cations can positively influence rheological behavior; it does not necessarily improve proppant transport efficiency in hydraulic fracturing operations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gels for Oil and Gas Industry Applications (3rd Edition))
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32 pages, 9545 KiB  
Article
Effect of Temperature, Salinity, and pH on Nanocellulose-Improved Polymer Gel for Oilfield Water Control
by Previnah Loganathan, Harjeet Kaur Sukhbir Singh and Zulhelmi Amir
Gels 2025, 11(3), 151; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels11030151 - 20 Feb 2025
Viewed by 157
Abstract
Excessive water produced in oil reservoirs reduces oil recovery and increases the cost of water treatment. Conventional water control methods use synthetic polymer gels like PAM-PEI, which are sensitive to harsh reservoir conditions. This study investigates the use of cellulose nanofibers (CNF) to [...] Read more.
Excessive water produced in oil reservoirs reduces oil recovery and increases the cost of water treatment. Conventional water control methods use synthetic polymer gels like PAM-PEI, which are sensitive to harsh reservoir conditions. This study investigates the use of cellulose nanofibers (CNF) to enhance polymer gels for oilfield water control under various temperatures, salinities, and pH conditions. Polymer gels were prepared by combining PAM and PEI with CNF concentrations of 1–4 wt% in deionized water. Salinity effects were studied by adding NaCl (1.5–2.5 g), while pH effects were assessed under acidic (pH 2–3), neutral, and alkaline (pH 13–14) conditions. The mixtures were stirred, homogenized, and subjected to thermal treatment in a water bath oven at temperatures ranging from 70 °C to 90 °C for gel formation. Gelation time was determined by the Sydansk gel code, and gel strength was assessed through storage modulus (G′) and loss modulus (G″) from oscillatory rheometry tests. Results show that lower temperatures increase gelation time, with higher CNF concentrations needed to elongate gelation at higher temperatures. At 30,000 ppm NaCl, gelation time decreases with increasing CNF, while at 50,000 ppm NaCl, it increases. Extreme pH conditions (pH 2–3 and pH 13–14) lead to longer gelation times with decreasing CNF concentration. While high salinity and extreme pH reduce gel strength, the addition of CNF enhances it, though this effect is minimal beyond 2–3 wt%. These findings suggest that CNF can improve the performance of polymer gels under challenging reservoir conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gels for Oil and Gas Industry Applications (3rd Edition))
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19 pages, 18445 KiB  
Article
Rheological Properties of Weak Gel System Cross-Linked from Chromium Acetate and Polyacrylamide and Its Application in Enhanced Oil Recovery After Polymer Flooding for Heterogeneous Reservoir
by Yunqian Long, Chenkan Zhang, Dandan Yin, Tao Huang, Hailong Zhang, Ming Yue and Xiaohe Huang
Gels 2024, 10(12), 784; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels10120784 - 1 Dec 2024
Viewed by 767
Abstract
Long-term polymer flooding exacerbates reservoir heterogeneity, intensifying intra- and inter-layer conflicts, which makes it difficult to recover the remaining oil. Therefore, further improvement in oil recovery after polymer flooding is essential. In this study, a weak gel system was successfully synthesized, and possesses [...] Read more.
Long-term polymer flooding exacerbates reservoir heterogeneity, intensifying intra- and inter-layer conflicts, which makes it difficult to recover the remaining oil. Therefore, further improvement in oil recovery after polymer flooding is essential. In this study, a weak gel system was successfully synthesized, and possesses a distinct network structure that becomes more compact as the concentration of partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide increases. The network structure of the weak gel system provides excellent shear resistance, with its apparent viscosity significantly higher than that of partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide solution. The weak gel system exhibits typical pseudo-plastic behavior, which is a non-Newtonian fluid as well as a viscoelastic fluid. Additionally, the weak gel system’s elasticities exceed its viscosities, and longer crosslinking time further enhances the viscoelasticity. The weak gel system achieves superior conformance control and enhanced oil recovery in highly heterogeneous reservoirs compared to partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide solutions. The weak gel system is more suited to low-permeability reservoirs with strong heterogeneity, as its effectiveness in conformance control and oil recovery increases with greater reservoir heterogeneity. Enhanced oil recoveries of the weak gel system in low-permeability sandpacks increase from 22% to 48% with a rise in permeability ratios from 14.39 to 35.64 after polymer flooding. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gels for Oil and Gas Industry Applications (3rd Edition))
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16 pages, 7199 KiB  
Article
CO2 Foamed Viscoelastic Gel-Based Seawater Fracturing Fluid for High-Temperature Wells
by Jawad Al-Darweesh, Murtada Saleh Aljawad, Muhammad Shahzad Kamal, Mohamed Mahmoud, Shabeeb Alajmei, Prasad B. Karadkar and Bader G. Harbi
Gels 2024, 10(12), 774; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels10120774 - 27 Nov 2024
Viewed by 779
Abstract
This study investigates the development of a novel CO2-foamed viscoelastic gel-based fracturing fluid to address the challenges of high-temperature formations. The influence of various parameters, including surfactant type and concentration, gas fraction, shear rate, water salinity, temperature, and pressure, on foam [...] Read more.
This study investigates the development of a novel CO2-foamed viscoelastic gel-based fracturing fluid to address the challenges of high-temperature formations. The influence of various parameters, including surfactant type and concentration, gas fraction, shear rate, water salinity, temperature, and pressure, on foam viscosity was systematically explored. Rheological experiments were conducted using a high-pressure/high-temperature (HPHT) rheometer at 150 °C and pressures ranging from 6.89 to 20.68 MPa. To simulate field conditions, synthetic high-salinity water was employed. The thermal stability of the CO2 foam was evaluated at a constant shear rate of 100 1/s for 180 min. Additionally, foamability and foam stability were assessed using an HPHT foam analyzer at 100 °C. The results demonstrate that liquid phase chemistry, experimental conditions, and gas fraction significantly impact foam viscosity. Viscoelastic surfactants achieved a peak foam viscosity of 0.183 Pa·s at a shear rate of 100 1/s and a 70% foam quality, surpassing previous records. At lower foam qualities (≤50%), pressure had a negligible effect on foam viscosity, whereas at higher qualities, it increased viscosity by over 30%. While a slight increase in viscosity was observed with foam qualities between 40% and 60%, a significant enhancement was noted at 65% foam quality. The addition of polymers did not improve foam viscosity. The generation of viscous and stable foams is crucial for effective proppant transport and fracture induction. However, maintaining the thermal stability of CO2 foams with minimal additives remains a significant challenge in the industry. This laboratory study provides valuable insights into the development of stable CO2 foams for stimulating high-temperature wells. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gels for Oil and Gas Industry Applications (3rd Edition))
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21 pages, 5514 KiB  
Article
Long-Term Investigation of Nano-Silica Gel for Water Shut-Off in Fractured Reservoirs
by Ahmed Ali, Mustafa Al Ramadan and Murtada Saleh Aljawad
Gels 2024, 10(10), 651; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels10100651 - 11 Oct 2024
Viewed by 991
Abstract
Silicate gels have long been utilized as water shut-off agents in petroleum fields to address excessive water production. In recent years, nano-silica gel has emerged as a promising alternative to traditional silicate gels, offering potentially improved plugging performance. However, the long-term effectiveness of [...] Read more.
Silicate gels have long been utilized as water shut-off agents in petroleum fields to address excessive water production. In recent years, nano-silica gel has emerged as a promising alternative to traditional silicate gels, offering potentially improved plugging performance. However, the long-term effectiveness of these gels remains uncertain, posing challenges to sustained profitability. Therefore, a comprehensive study spanning 6 months was conducted on fractured and induced channel samples treated with nano-silica gel of 75/25 wt% (silica/activator) at 200 °F. A comparative analysis was performed with samples treated using polyacrylamide/polyethyleneimine PAM/PEI gel (9/1 wt%) to compare the performance of both systems. Throughout the aging period in formation water at 167 °F, endurance tests were conducted at regular intervals, complemented by computed tomography (CT) scans to monitor any potential degradation. The results revealed nano-silica gel’s superior long-term performance in plugging fractures and channels compared to PAM/PEI gel. Even after 6 months, the nano-silica gel maintained a remarkable 100% plugging efficiency at 1000 psi, with a maximum leak-off rate of 0.088 cc/min in the mid-fractured sample and 0.027 in the induced channel sample. In comparison, PAM/PEI gel exhibited a reduction in efficiency to 99.15% in the fractured sample (5.5 cc/min maximum leak-off rate) and 99.99% in the induced channel sample (0.036 cc/min maximum leak-off rate). These findings highlight the potential of nano-silica gel as a more durable water shut-off agent for managing water production in fractures and channels. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gels for Oil and Gas Industry Applications (3rd Edition))
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