Work

Advances and Future Prospects of Temperature and Salt-Resistant Gel Materials for Downhole Plugging Applications

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The exploitation of deep hydrocarbon resources in extreme environments, particularly high-temperature and high-salinity (HTHS) carbonate reservoirs, poses unprecedented challenges for downhole plugging operations. This review provides a critical analysis of the development of gel-based plugging materials designed to withstand these harsh conditions. It systematically examines three primary material categories-polymers, inorganic composites, and nanocomposites-dissecting the fundamental relationships between their molecular architectures and their resulting performance, including the pervasive trade-offs between mechanical strength, stability, and controllable degradation. While highlighting promising advances, such as bio-derived polymers and self-healing mechanisms, the review explicitly identifies the limitations of current technologies, most notably their inadequate long-term durability under synergistic HTHS stress and lack of industrial scalability. This forward-looking perspective emphasizes the integration of nano-reinforcements and stimuli-responsive chemistries as a critical pathway toward achieving the next generation of high-performance, deployable, and environmentally considerate plugging materials, thereby ensuring the efficient and sustainable development of challenging oil and gas assets.

Source: Gels

DOI: 10.3390/gels11120955

Authors: Junwei Fang, Peng Xue, Biao Wang, Jinsheng Sun, Yingrui Bai, Kaihe Lv, Yi Zhang

Institutions: China University of Petroleum, East China, Central South University, Xinjiang University

Language: English

Topic: Drilling and Well Engineering

Subfield: Ocean Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,534

Funder: National Natural Science Foundation of China