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Geosciences
Special Issues
Circular Economy in Energy Extraction: Geological Insights and Innovations
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Circular Economy in Energy Extraction: Geological Insights and Innovations

A special issue of Geosciences (ISSN 2076-3263).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 205

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Chinedu J. Okere

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Bob L. Herd Department of Petroleum Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA
Interests: petroleum engineering; sustainable energy goals
Prof. Dr. James J. Sheng

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Bob L. Herd Department of Petroleum Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA
Interests: EOR; pressure transient analysis; reservoir simulation; experimental studies; shale

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Achieving sustainability in resource extraction is a critical challenge as industries transition to cleaner energy systems. New technologies may provide innovative strategies to reduce environmental impact while maximizing resource efficiency in energy extraction and geological processes. This Special Issue explores low-impact extraction techniques, sustainable resource management, and circular economy principles in both conventional and emerging energy sectors.

We invite contributions focusing on geological hydrogen (including natural H₂ and subsurface H₂ production and storage), geothermal energy, carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS), and responsible extraction practices for critical minerals such as lithium. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, low-emission extraction, waste-to-energy strategies, sustainable mining techniques, and resource recovery from geological formations. Case studies, innovative technologies, and interdisciplinary research that align with sustainability goals are highly encouraged.

Through this Special Issue, we aim to bridge the gap between geosciences, engineering, and environmental sustainability to advance knowledge in low-impact extraction methods and foster innovative pathways for the future of clean energy production.

Dr. Chinedu J. Okere
Prof. Dr. James J. Sheng
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. Geosciences 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 1800 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

  • geological hydrogen (natural H2)
  • subsurface H2 production and storage
  • geothermal energy
  • carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS)
  • sustainable resource extraction
  • low-impact mining
  • circular economy in energy production
  • lithium and critical mineral recovery
  • geoscience innovations in clean energy

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

26 pages, 3377 KiB  
Article
Which Offers Greater Techno-Economic Potential: Oil or Hydrogen Production from Light Oil Reservoirs?
by Chinedu J. Okere, James J. Sheng and Princewill M. Ikpeka
Geosciences 2025, 15(6), 214; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences15060214 - 9 Jun 2025
Abstract
The global emphasis on clean energy has increased interest in producing hydrogen from petroleum reservoirs through in situ combustion-based processes. While field practices have demonstrated the feasibility of co-producing hydrogen and oil, the question of which offers greater economic potential, oil, or hydrogen, [...] Read more.
The global emphasis on clean energy has increased interest in producing hydrogen from petroleum reservoirs through in situ combustion-based processes. While field practices have demonstrated the feasibility of co-producing hydrogen and oil, the question of which offers greater economic potential, oil, or hydrogen, remains central to ongoing discussions, especially as researchers explore ways to produce hydrogen exclusively from petroleum reservoirs. This study presents the first integrated techno-economic model comparing oil and hydrogen production under varying injection strategies, using CMG STARS for reservoir simulations and GoldSim for economic modeling. Key technical factors, including injection compositions, well configurations, reservoir heterogeneity, and formation damage (issues not addressed in previous studies), were analyzed for their impact on hydrogen yield and profitability. The results indicate that CO2-enriched injection strategies enhance hydrogen production but are economically constrained by the high costs of CO2 procurement and recycling. In contrast, air injection, although less efficient in hydrogen yield, provides a more cost-effective alternative. Despite the technological promise of hydrogen, oil revenue remains the dominant economic driver, with hydrogen co-production facing significant economic challenges unless supported by policy incentives or advancements in gas lifting, separation, and storage technologies. This study highlights the economic trade-offs and strategic considerations crucial for integrating hydrogen production into conventional petroleum extraction, offering valuable insights for optimizing hydrogen co-production in the context of a sustainable energy transition. Additionally, while the present work focuses on oil reservoirs, future research should extend the approach to natural gas and gas condensate reservoirs, which may offer more favorable conditions for hydrogen generation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Circular Economy in Energy Extraction: Geological Insights and Innovations)
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