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Polymer Gels for Oil Recovery and Industry Applications

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A Special Issue of Gels (ISSN 2310-2861) belonging to the section "Gel Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2026) | Viewed by 9461

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Editors

Dr. Yinbo He

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Guest Editor

National Key Laboratory of Petroleum Resources and Engineering, China University of Petroleum (Beijing), Beijing 102249, China
Interests: oil recovery; gelling agent; oil-based drilling fluid
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Dr. Zheyu Liu

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State Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Resources and Exploration and College of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum (Beijing), Beijing 102249, China
Interests: chemical flooding enhanced oil recovery; emulsification behavior characterization and control; multiphase fluid microscale flow
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Prof. Dr. Yiqiang Li

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State Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Resources and Exploration and College of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum (Beijing), Beijing 102249, China
Interests: enhanced oil recovery; microemulsions; oil and gas fields
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Dr. Jingyang Pu

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Guest Editor

College of Carbon Neutral Energy, China University of Petroleum (Beijing), Beijing 102249, China
Interests: polymers; particle gels; chemical EOR methods; water management in the oilfield
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Polymer flooding is a crucial method used to enhance oil recovery, effectively controlling water and increasing oil production through profile modification in injection wells or water blocking in production wells. This technique has been successfully applied in numerous oilfields worldwide, demonstrating significant advantages, particularly in increasing recovery rates in mature oilfields and developing complex reservoirs. However, under challenging conditions such as high temperatures, high salinity, and alkaline environments, conventional polymer flooding systems exhibit low efficiency and fail to meet the actual needs of oilfield development.

We are pleased to invite you to conduct focused research on "Polymer Gels for Oil Recovery and Industry Applications" to address technical challenges such as the insufficient thermal resistance of polymer gels under complex geological conditions and the significant decrease in viscosity and shear strength in high-salinity environments.

This Special Issue aims to advance the application of polymer gels in petroleum engineering, providing robust technical support for enhancing oil recovery rates and extending the lifespan of oilfields.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome to be submitted. Research areas may include, but are not limited to, the following:

The development of novel polymer gel materials is urgently needed to enhance their performance under harsh conditions such as high temperatures and high salinity.
An in-depth investigation into the micro-mechanisms of polymer gels within oil reservoirs is required to elucidate their diffusion and water-blocking mechanisms in porous media.
The integration of smart materials and nanotechnology is essential to create adaptive smart polymer gels, thereby increasing their potential applications in oilfield development.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Yinbo He
Dr. Zheyu Liu
Prof. Dr. Yiqiang Li
Dr. Jingyang Pu
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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-anonymized 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

polymer gel
polymer flooding
enhanced oil recovery
intelligent gel
temperature resistance
salt resistance
flow behavior

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Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

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29 pages, 10395 KB

Open AccessArticle

Visualized Experimental Investigation of Flow-Field Reconstruction and Enhanced Oil Recovery by Heterogeneous-Phase Composite Flooding in Complex Narrow-Channel Reservoirs

by Xianmin Zhang, Junzhi Yu, Kuiqian Ma, Lei Zhang, Yue Wang and Fei Shi

Gels 2026, 12(8), 752; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels12080752 - 21 Aug 2026

Viewed by 328

Abstract

Complex narrow-channel reservoirs are strongly constrained by depositional architecture, resulting in highly nonuniform areal waterflood sweep, and pronounced water-cut variations among different channel types. These characteristics pose substantial challenges to stabilizing oil production and controlling water cut at high water-cut stages. To elucidate how narrow-channel planform architecture controls waterflood sweep, gel-assisted flow-field regulation by heterogeneous-phase composite flooding (HPCF), and remaining-oil mobilization, three representative configurations were reproduced in two-dimensional visual physical models. Sequential waterflood–HPCF–post-waterflood experiments were conducted, and time-lapse images and dynamic production data were integrated to characterize sweep evolution and remaining-oil mobilization across displacement stages. The results demonstrate that narrow-channel architecture exerts primary control on preferential flow-path development, gel migration and retention, spatial fluid redistribution, and displacement performance. During waterflooding, injected water preferentially migrated through high-permeability zones along channel centerlines, leaving channel margins, branch termini, and poorly connected regions insufficiently swept. After HPCF injection, the gel-containing composite system preferentially entered the established dominant flow paths. Gel retention and accumulation selectively increased flow resistance in these pathways, while mobility control induced subsequent fluids to divert toward bypassed regions, thereby enlarging the macroscopic swept volume and improving local displacement efficiency. A low injection rate promoted sustained gel-assisted flow diversion within bifurcated channels, whereas a high injection rate facilitated gel-slug propagation against the geometric constraints of highly sinuous channels and expanded its spatial coverage. Compared with waterflooding alone, HPCF increased the ultimate oil recovery of the three channel models by 19.23–26.47 percentage points. These findings clarify the coupled effects of narrow-channel architecture, gel transport and injection parameters on the profile-control and oil-recovery performance of HPCF, providing a mechanistic basis for water control and development optimization in high-water-cut narrow-channel reservoirs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Gels for Oil Recovery and Industry Applications)

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27 pages, 17420 KB

Open AccessArticle

Foam-Templated Polymer Gels for Mitigating Sediment Entrainment in Salt Caverns: A Robust Strategy for Safe CCUS Operations

by Erdong Yao and Kun Zhang

Gels 2026, 12(8), 732; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels12080732 - 17 Aug 2026

Viewed by 331

Abstract

As critical infrastructure for carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) and large-scale energy storage, subsurface salt caverns are seriously challenged by fluid-induced sediment mobilization during the supplementary debrining. Conventional bulk resin consolidation often causes severe viscous fingering, uneven consolidation, and pore clogging under hypersaline conditions. Here, we develop a foam-templated hybrid polymer gel co-stabilized by silica nanoparticles, polyvinyl alcohol, and the zwitterionic surfactant. The key novelty is the use of foam as a transient transport template that redistributes the resin phase and promotes selective cementation at grain-contact points instead of indiscriminate pore filling. This nano-reinforced gel system remained stable under hypersaline conditions (24% NaCl), and temperatures ranging from 20–80 °C. Micro-CT analysis showed that this selective templating preserved an interconnected pore network with a porosity above 45% and a CT-derived permeability of approximately 1.18 D, while reducing binder consumption by 55.6% relative to bulk resin injection. Crucially, a 1:200 geometrically scaled, velocity-matched pilot model demonstrated that this gel strategy limited sediment entrainment below 0.5% and reduced fluid discharge by 45.9%. These results establish a material-efficient consolidation strategy that combines sediment stabilization with permeability preservation, providing a promising solution for safer supplementary debrining in salt-cavern CCUS and energy-storage operations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Gels for Oil Recovery and Industry Applications)

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23 pages, 10066 KB

Open AccessArticle

Delayed Crosslinking and Plugging Performance of Polyacrylamide Gel Using CaCl₂-Tolerant Delayed-Release Crosslinker in High-Calcium Medium

by Huajie Liu, Zhiwei Tao, Theis I. Solling, Sergei E. Chernyshov, Huanan Zhang, Liming Zhang and Dmitriy A. Martyushev

Gels 2026, 12(8), 725; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels12080725 - 14 Aug 2026

Viewed by 456

Abstract

Lost circulation is a major technical bottleneck restricting safe and efficient while-drilling plugging operations. Polyacrylamide gel has become a widely used plugging material in drilling engineering. Unlike rigid, cement-like plugging materials, the gel system formed in this study does not develop a hardened, consolidated structure capable of anchoring or binding the drill bit during subsequent drilling operations, thereby eliminating the risk of bit-sticking. Nevertheless, the gel possesses sufficient elastic (viscoelastic) structural strength—reflected in its storage modulus (G′)—to effectively resist deformation and displacement under differential pressure, thereby providing reliable fracture-sealing performance, which effectively prevents pipe-sticking risks. However, high-concentration PAM molecular chains easily stretch and entangle in aqueous solution, triggering an abnormal increase in initial viscosity and poor pumpability. Although Ca²⁺ can inhibit the premature water absorption and thickening of PAM to maintain system fluidity, an excessively high Ca²⁺ concentration will suppress the hydrolysis of Al³⁺ and hinder the formation of hydroxyaluminum—the key crosslinking component of the gel system. To solve the above contradiction, a CaCl₂-tolerant delayed-release crosslinker was synthesized. ZnO was selected as a carrier to adsorb and immobilize polynuclear hydroxyaluminum complexes hydrolyzed from an inorganic aluminum crosslinker at 70 °C, realizing the controlled delayed release of the crosslinker. The microstructures and chemical bonding were characterized by SEM elemental mapping, FT-IR and ²⁷Al MAS NMR. The results confirm that abundant aluminum species are uniformly loaded on the ZnO surface to form stable Zn–O–Al covalent bonds, and the loaded aluminum exists mainly in the form of hydroxyaluminum. With increasing temperature, the Zn–O–Al bonds gradually break and slowly release hydroxyaluminum species. A novel delayed crosslinking gel system was ultimately optimized, composed of 6% CaCl₂, 10.4% PAM and 3% ZnO loaded with polynuclear hydroxyaluminum. The system exhibits excellent delayed gelation behavior, with a fluidity loss time longer than 120 min and a gelation time over 200 min. It maintains favorable fluidity within 30–90 °C, and the formed gel shows a stable elastic modulus (G′) and viscous modulus (G″). Moreover, the system achieves a plugging rate of more than 90% and a breakthrough pressure above 5 MPa, demonstrating superior comprehensive plugging performance for while-drilling plugging applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Gels for Oil Recovery and Industry Applications)

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21 pages, 27706 KB

Open AccessArticle

Decoupling Foam Stability from Formation Damage: Interfacial Pseudo-Gelation via Nanoparticle–Fluorosurfactant Synergy for Unconventional Reservoirs

by Hongjian Wu and Xiangwei Kong

Gels 2026, 12(6), 481; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels12060481 - 30 May 2026

Viewed by 593

Abstract

A critical challenge in coalbed methane (CBM) extraction is the severe formation damage induced by conventional foam fracturing fluids, primarily through polymer retention and hydrogen bond disruption within the microporous matrix. This study presents a molecularly engineered, low-damage foam fracturing fluid that leverages synergistic nanoparticle–surfactant interactions to construct a robust interfacial pseudo-gel network, thereby decoupling effective fracture stimulation from adverse geochemical damage. The primary novelties of this work are threefold: (i) establishing a direct, quantitative cause-and-effect relationship between molecular interfacial architecture and reservoir protection, (ii) proposing a comprehensive “interfacial control” design paradigm that engineers viscoelasticity at the gas–liquid interface rather than through bulk polymer gelation, and (iii) demonstrating the complete decoupling of foam stability from formation damage in a polymer-free system. A systematic optimization methodology was employed: initial foaming agents were screened via the Waring Blender method, evaluating foam volume, half-life, and a derived comprehensive index; subsequently, synergistic binary surfactant mixtures and foam stabilizers were assessed to formulate the final systems. An optimized formulation, designated Foam System I (0.5 wt.% fluorosurfactant FK + 0.5 wt.% nano-silica RX + 2.0 wt.% KCl), demonstrated exceptional foam quality (Γ = 77.1 ± 1.5%) and kinetic stability (T₁/₂ > 350 s). Rheological characterization confirmed shear-thinning behavior conforming to the Herschel–Bulkley model (n = 0.38–0.42, R² > 0.98) and a structural recovery of 92.5 ± 2.1%—comparable to crosslinked polymer gels but achieved without any bulk viscosifier. Core flood analyses revealed that Foam System I induced a permeability damage of only 12.75 ± 1.8%, representing a 55–75% reduction compared to polyethylene glycol (PEG)-stabilized reference fluids (28.36–51.91%). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) correlated this enhanced reservoir compatibility with an 18.0 ± 2.0% suppression of oxygen-containing functional group adsorption, attributed to the steric hindrance conferred by the fluorinated hydrophobic moieties. This work establishes an “interfacial control” paradigm wherein gel-like stabilization for proppant transport is achieved via interfacial viscoelasticity rather than bulk polymer gelation, thereby directly addressing the critical imperative to harmonize fracture conductivity with reservoir protection in unconventional energy development. The findings are validated for shallow CBM reservoir conditions (25–35 °C), with extension to higher-temperature formations identified as a priority for future investigation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Gels for Oil Recovery and Industry Applications)

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23 pages, 2384 KB

Open AccessArticle

Investigation of the Gelation Process of a Polymer Composition Based on an Acrylic Polymer

by Inzir Raupov, Tatiana Nosenko, Victoria Grigoreva, Vasiliy Zazulya, Gennadiy Sukhoroslov and Vyacheslav Shkodkin

Gels 2026, 12(3), 204; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels12030204 - 28 Feb 2026

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1302

Abstract

The aim of this work is to describe the gelation process of a crosslinked polymer composition depending on its flow rate in free space and in pore space. The object of the study is a polymer solution based on partially hydrolyzed polyacrylonitrile and chromium acetate. A team of researchers has proposed a new approach to describing the kinetic viscosity curve of a crosslinked polymer system in a free volume. This approach takes into account oscillatory variations in the structural and mechanical characteristics relative to a smoothly increasing gelation curve. The nonlinear effects are linked to the processes of structural formation and, simultaneously, destruction due to mechanical, thermobaric, and chemical destruction under varying flow conditions. The proposed solution is based on the Verhulst differential equation and tested on five values of shear rates with the addition of correction factors. The article explains the processes of gel formation and the destruction of polymer compounds, and compares the equation of limited growth with the Kenneth Sorbie method, which is employed in the PC-GEL simulator. The limitations of the modern gel invasion model used in the UTCHEM and BPOPE simulator within the porous media (within a narrow gap) are revealed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Gels for Oil Recovery and Industry Applications)

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16 pages, 6507 KB

Open AccessArticle

Performance and Numerical Simulation of Gel–Foam Systems for Profile Control and Flooding in Fractured Reservoirs

by Junhui Bai, Yingwei He, Jiawei Li, Yue Lang, Zhengxiao Xu, Tongtong Zhang, Qiao Sun, Xun Wei and Fengrui Yang

Gels 2026, 12(2), 133; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels12020133 - 2 Feb 2026

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 931

Abstract

Enhanced oil recovery (EOR) in fractured reservoirs presents significant challenges due to fluid channeling and poor sweep efficiency. In this study, a synergistic EOR system was developed with polymer-based weak gel as the primary component and foam as the auxiliary enhancer. The system utilizes a low-concentration polymer (1000 mg·L⁻¹) that forms a weakly cross-linked three-dimensional viscoelastic gel network in the aqueous phase, inheriting the core functions of viscosity enhancement and profile control from polymer flooding. Foam acts as an auxiliary component, leveraging the high sweep efficiency and strong displacement capability of gas in fractures. These two components synergistically create a multiscale enhancement mechanism of “bulk-phase stability control and interfacial-driven displacement.” Systematic screening of seven foaming agents identified an optimal formulation of 0.5% SDS and 1000 mg·L⁻¹ polymer. Two-dimensional visual flow experiments demonstrated that the polymer-induced gel network significantly improves mobility control and sweep efficiency under various injection volumes (0.1–0.7 PV) and gravity segregation conditions. Numerical simulation in a 3D fractured network model confirmed the superiority of this enhanced system, achieving a final oil recovery rate of 75%, significantly outperforming gas flooding (65%) and water flooding (59%). These findings confirm that weakly cross-linked polymer gels serve as the principal EOR material, with foam providing complementary reinforcement, offering robust conformance control and enhanced recovery potential in fracture-dominated reservoirs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Gels for Oil Recovery and Industry Applications)

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30 pages, 28571 KB

Open AccessArticle

Research on the Mechanism and Characteristics of Gel–Microbial Composite Oil Displacement in Hypertonic Heavy Oil Reservoirs

by Baolei Liu, Xiang Li, Hongbo Wang and Xiang Liu

Gels 2025, 11(10), 818; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels11100818 - 12 Oct 2025

Viewed by 984

Abstract

To address the limitations of traditional chemical flooding—such as high cost, environmental impact, and formation damage—and the challenges of standalone microbial flooding—including preferential channeling, microbial loss, and limited sweep efficiency—this study develops a novel composite system for a high-permeability heavy oil reservoir. The system integrates a 3% scleroglucan + 1% phenolic resin gel (ICRG) with Bacillus licheniformis (ZY-1) and a surfactant. Core flooding and two-dimensional physical simulation experiments reveal a synergistic mechanism: The robust and biocompatible ICRG gel effectively plugs dominant flow paths, increasing displacement pressure fourfold to divert subsequent fluids. The injected strain ZY-1 then metabolizes hydrocarbons, producing biosurfactants that reduce oil–water interfacial tension by 61.9% and crude oil viscosity by 65%, thereby enhancing oil mobility. This combined approach of conformance control and enhanced oil displacement resulted in a significant increase in ultimate oil recovery, achieving 15% and 20% in one-dimensional and two-dimensional models, respectively, demonstrating its substantial potential for improving heavy oil production. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Gels for Oil Recovery and Industry Applications)

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13 pages, 2752 KB

Open AccessArticle

Development and Mechanistic Evaluation of Polymeric Nanomicrogels Under High-Temperature and High-Salinity Conditions

by Wei Zhang, Yinbo He, Tengfei Dong, Huayan Mu, Guancheng Jiang and Quande Wang

Gels 2025, 11(9), 689; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels11090689 - 30 Aug 2025

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1253

Abstract

Fracture-induced loss poses severe challenges to drilling operations, particularly under high-temperature and high-salinity conditions encountered in deep wells. Conventional plugging materials, characterized by relatively large particle sizes and poor structural integrity, often exhibit insufficient thermal stability and salt tolerance under extreme drilling conditions, making them prone to structural degradation and loss of adhesion, which ultimately leads to drilling fluid deterioration and downhole complications. To address this issue, a core–shell-structured microgel, ANDT-70 (named after the acronyms of 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid, N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidinone, N, N-dimethylacrylamide, dimethyl diallyl ammonium chloride, and titanium dioxide nanoparticles), was synthesized and systematically evaluated for its thermal stability, salt resistance, and interfacial adhesion capabilities. The structural evolution, dispersion behavior, and colloidal stability of the microgel were thoroughly characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), Raman spectroscopy, and Zeta potential analysis. Experimental results indicate that ANDT-70 exhibits excellent thermal stability and resistance to salt-induced degradation at 260 °C, maintaining its fundamental structure and performance under harsh high-temperature and high-salinity conditions, with a viscosity retention of 81.10% compared with ambient conditions. Compared to representative materials reported in the literature, ANDT-70 exhibited superior tolerance to ionic erosion in saline conditions. AFM analysis confirmed that ANDT-70 significantly improves bentonite slurry dispersion and reduces salt sensitivity risks. ANDT-70 stably adsorbs onto bentonite lamellae via the synergistic action of electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonding, thereby forming a dense cementation network that markedly enhances the structural stability and adhesion of the system. This network significantly enhances the cohesion and structural integrity of drilling fluid systems under extreme conditions. In conclusion, ANDT-70 demonstrates strong potential as a high-performance functional microgel for enhancing the stability and effectiveness of advanced drilling fluids under complex geological environments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Gels for Oil Recovery and Industry Applications)

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24 pages, 6238 KB

Open AccessArticle

Temperature-Responsive Micro-Cross-Linking: A Novel Solution for Enhancing High-Temperature Viscosity and Settlement Stability of High-Density Cement Slurry

by Lifang Song, Chengwen Wang, Jingping Liu and Dingye Li

Gels 2025, 11(2), 138; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels11020138 - 15 Feb 2025

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1799

Abstract

In order to solve the problem of solid-phase particle settlement of high-density cement paste used in deep/ultra-deep wells, a temperature-responsive micro-cross-linking method was innovatively adopted to increase the viscosity and settlement stability of high-density cement paste at high temperatures. Through the self-developed suspension stabilizer and cross-linking agent to form micro-cross-linking gel at high temperature, the increase in high-temperature viscosity of cement paste was successfully realized without increasing the low-temperature viscosity of cement paste. Moreover, this micro-cross-linking reaction, together with the hydrophobic binding effect of the suspension stabilizer, strengthened the filamentary linkage network structure in the polymer solution with the formation of a lamellar linkage network structure. This effectively compensated for the decrease in viscosity of the polymer solution with increasing temperature. The results show that the micro-cross-linked system can be successfully cross-linked at elevated temperatures of 120–220 °C in pH 8–13 and salt content of 0–10%. The viscosity of the micro-cross-linked system was 144.5 mPa·s after 20 min at 220 °C with a shear rate of 170 s⁻¹, which was 91% higher than the viscosity of the un-cross-linked system. After curing at 220 °C, the density difference between the top and bottom of the high-density cement was 0.025 g/cm³, which was 84% lower than the un-cross-linked system. This helped the high-density cement slurry to maintain the homogeneity of the components at high temperatures and ensured the high-temperature consistency and suspension stability of the slurry. This study helps to improve the cementing effect of deep/ultra-deep wells and provides a new method to solve the problems of cement slurry settlement and destabilization under high-temperature and high-pressure well conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Gels for Oil Recovery and Industry Applications)

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Review

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26 pages, 1937 KB

Open AccessReview

Action Mechanism, Research Progress and Development Trend of High-Temperature Steam Flooding and Profile Control/Flooding Systems

by Yigang Liu, Jianhua Bai, Xiaodong Han, Qiuxia Wang, Hongwen Zhang, Hongyu Wang, Jinxiang Liu, Yifei Gao and Xianpei Yin

Gels 2026, 12(7), 586; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels12070586 - 2 Jul 2026

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 420 | Correction

Abstract

Offshore high-temperature steam flooding suffers severe steam channeling, uneven steam intake and low thermal efficiency, while conventional profile control agents fail to adapt to coupled harsh environments of 200–350 °C high temperature, ultra-high salinity and continuous steam shear. Existing reviews mainly focus on onshore thermal reservoirs or single foam/gel materials, lacking a targeted, gel-oriented systematic review matching unique offshore platform constraints. Guided by the integrated framework of “flow control–diversion–enhanced sweep efficiency”, this work establishes a six-dimensional quantitative screening standard and unified performance comparison database to systematically review foam, gel, particle, thermo-responsive and composite profile control systems. Differing from petroleum engineering-oriented summaries, this paper subdivides high-temperature gels into six categories from a polymer material perspective, elaborating their crosslinking mechanisms, thermal rheology and cyclic steam degradation rules; the inherent advantages, limitations and offshore applicable boundaries of each medium are quantitatively compared, with special emphasis on the unique “deep migration followed by in situ thermal activation” mechanism of thermo-responsive materials. Composite systems relieve single-material defects via multi-mechanism synergy yet face complicated on-site deployment barriers. Three core bottlenecks restricting field application are identified: the irreconcilable trade-off between deep propagation and stable plugging, large deviation between static aging results and dynamic anti-scouring performance, and exclusive engineering limitations of offshore platforms. A dedicated standardized dynamic laboratory evaluation scheme for cyclic steam flooding is proposed to narrow lab-field performance gaps. Future research priorities include salt-resistant thermally responsive composite gel modification, low-cost multi-component compound formula optimization, unified dynamic evaluation criteria and staged material matching guidelines to realize balanced performance of high-temperature tolerance, deep delivery and offshore operability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Gels for Oil Recovery and Industry Applications)

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