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Polymer Science in Petroleum Engineering: Latest Trends and Developments
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Polymer Science in Petroleum Engineering: Latest Trends and Developments

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 February 2026) | Viewed by 11164

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Simón López-Ramírez

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Facultad de Química, USIP, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México 04510, Mexico
Interests: polymer flooding; proformed particle gel; enhanced hydrocarbon recovery; drilling fluids; water shutoff in producer wells; conformace control in oil reservoirs; chemical tracers
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue, titled "Polymer Science in Petroleum Engineering: Latest Trends and Developments", will explore the pivotal role of polymer science in enhancing various aspects of petroleum engineering. As the oil and gas industry faces increasing challenges such as resource depletion, environmental concerns, and the need for improved efficiency, innovative polymer-based solutions are emerging as key contributors to sustainable practices. This Special Issue will highlight recent advancements in polymer applications, including enhanced oil recovery (EOR) techniques, drilling fluids, demulsifiers, lubricants, viscosity reduction, water shutoff, conformance control, reservoir characterization, and the development of smart materials that respond to subsurface conditions.

This Special Issue will gather original articles and reviews showing the latest trends, challenges, and opportunities regarding the integration of polymer science into petroleum engineering to define the future of energy production.

Prof. Dr. Simón López-Ramírez
Guest Editor

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-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Polymers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2700 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 science
  • petroleum engineering
  • enhanced oil recovery (EOR)
  • drilling fluids
  • reservoir characterization
  • polymer rheology
  • polymer surfactants

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

22 pages, 15237 KB  
Article
Regulating the Rheology of Drilling Fluids Under High-Temperature Conditions with Hydrophobically Associating Polymers
by Xuyang Yao, Kaihe Lv, Jing He, Tao Ren and Cheng Ye
Polymers 2026, 18(7), 859; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym18070859 - 31 Mar 2026
Viewed by 531
Abstract
As global oil and gas exploration extends to deep and ultra-deep formations, high-temperature and high-salt environments have become major challenges for drilling fluid viscosifiers. In this study, a hydrophobic associative polymer viscosifier, HATA, was synthesized via free-radical copolymerization using acrylamide (AM), 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid [...] Read more.
As global oil and gas exploration extends to deep and ultra-deep formations, high-temperature and high-salt environments have become major challenges for drilling fluid viscosifiers. In this study, a hydrophobic associative polymer viscosifier, HATA, was synthesized via free-radical copolymerization using acrylamide (AM), 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid (AMPS), sodium styrene sulfonate (SSS), and stearyl methacrylate (SMA) as monomers, and its structure was systematically characterized, while its performance and action mechanism in a 4 wt% bentonite base slurry were evaluated. The results show that the base slurry modified with 3 wt% HATA maintains an apparent viscosity retention ratio of 69.20% following 16 h of hot rolling at 180 °C, with an API filtration loss of only 7.2 mL, and its HTHP filtration loss is 73.72% lower than that of the blank bentonite slurry system; this viscosifier sustains effective viscosity and yield point of the drilling fluid system at 200 °C and in 36 wt% NaCl brine. HATA achieves viscosity enhancement and filtration control by regulating surface charges of bentonite particles, constructing stable three-dimensional networks, and stabilizing clay hydration layers, thus presenting a high-performance viscosifier formulation for high-temperature and high-salinity water-based drilling fluids with important theoretical and engineering application values. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Science in Petroleum Engineering: Latest Trends and Developments)
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28 pages, 2322 KB  
Article
Shear-Responsive Supramolecular Preformed Particle Gel: Tailoring Network Architectures for Selective Water Blocking
by Simon López-Ramírez, Víctor Matías-Pérez, José F. Barragán-Aroche, Luis E. Díaz-Paulino, Raúl Oviedo-Roa, Oscar González-Antonio and Elba Xochitiotzi-Flores
Polymers 2026, 18(7), 850; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym18070850 - 31 Mar 2026
Viewed by 572
Abstract
Managing excessive water production in oil fields during primary, secondary, or enhanced recovery remains challenging. It increases costs and reduces hydrocarbon recovery, particularly in reservoirs with high-conductivity pathways such as high-permeability zones and fractures. Hydrogels are commonly used for water blocking and retention; [...] Read more.
Managing excessive water production in oil fields during primary, secondary, or enhanced recovery remains challenging. It increases costs and reduces hydrocarbon recovery, particularly in reservoirs with high-conductivity pathways such as high-permeability zones and fractures. Hydrogels are commonly used for water blocking and retention; however, their effectiveness diminishes at higher flow rates due to mechanical weaknesses and structural limitations. These problems are intensified under harsh environmental conditions, including high temperatures, salinity, and hardness. In this study, we investigate how altering the molecular suprastructure of preformed particle gel (PPG) can improve its effectiveness in shear-responsive water-blockage treatments, particularly when traditional PPGs cannot control rising flow rates. We enhance the shear-responsive mechanical properties of a composite PPG by increasing the density and diversity of intermolecular interactions. We use two different strategies: first, incorporating cationic groups into the polymer backbone to form a polyampholyte network with stronger electrostatic interactions; second, adding a linear anionic polymer to generate a secondary interpenetrating network that can undergo a coil–stretch transition under thermal and shear stimuli, thereby enhancing its own solvation and whole-network expansion. Molecular simulations provide an interpretation of the experimentally observed shear-thickening response and enhanced disproportionate permeability reduction at high flow rates. The water residual resistance factor of the improved PPGs deviates from the typical shear-thinning power-law behavior (n < 1) observed in conventional PPG, showing shear-thickening (n > 1). Tests reveal a strong ability to preferentially reduce water flow over oil, with Disproportionate Permeability Reduction increasing from 8 to 117 in the high-flow-rate zone. The enhanced strength and thermal stability also improve resistance to washout under high-pressure gradients. This research provides a novel approach to tailoring the microscopic architecture of PPGs to achieve selective, robust water blockage, offering a high-efficiency solution for complex reservoir environments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Science in Petroleum Engineering: Latest Trends and Developments)
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22 pages, 6324 KB  
Article
A Novel Approach for the Estimation of the Efficiency of Demulsification of Water-In-Crude Oil Emulsions
by Slavko Nešić, Olga Govedarica, Mirjana Jovičić, Julijana Žeravica, Sonja Stojanov, Cvijan Antić and Dragan Govedarica
Polymers 2025, 17(21), 2957; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17212957 - 6 Nov 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1516
Abstract
Undesirable water-in-crude oil emulsions in the oil and gas industry can lead to several issues, including equipment corrosion, high-pressure drops in pipelines, high pumping costs, and increased total production costs. These emulsions are commonly treated with surface-active chemicals called demulsifiers, which can break [...] Read more.
Undesirable water-in-crude oil emulsions in the oil and gas industry can lead to several issues, including equipment corrosion, high-pressure drops in pipelines, high pumping costs, and increased total production costs. These emulsions are commonly treated with surface-active chemicals called demulsifiers, which can break an oil–water interface and enhance phase separation. This study introduces a novel approach based on neural networks to estimate demulsification efficiency and to aid in the selection of demulsifiers under field conditions. The influence of various types of demulsifiers, demulsifier concentration, time required for demulsification, temperature and asphaltene content on the demulsification efficiency is analyzed. To improve model accuracy, a modified full-scale factorial design of experiments and the comparison of response surface method with multilayer perception neural networks were conducted. The results demonstrated the advantages of using neural networks over the response surface methodology such as a reduced settling time in separators, an improved crude oil dehydration and processing capacity, and a lower consumption of energy and utilities. The findings may enhance processing conditions and identify regions of higher demulsification efficiency. The neural network approach provided a more accurate prediction of maximum of demulsification efficiency compared to the response surface methodology. The automated multilayer perceptron neural network, with an architecture consisting of 3 input layers, 14 hidden layers, and 1 output layer, demonstrated the highest validation performance R2 of 0.991932 by utilizing a logistic output activation function and a hyperbolic tangent activation function for the hidden layers. The identification of shifted optimal values of time required from demulsification, demulsifier concentration, and asphaltene content along with sensitivity analysis confirmed advantages of automated neural networks over conventional methods. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Science in Petroleum Engineering: Latest Trends and Developments)
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21 pages, 3238 KB  
Article
Development and Characterization of a Novel Erucyl Ultra-Long-Chain Gemini Surfactant
by Guiqiang Fei and Banghua Liu
Polymers 2025, 17(16), 2257; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17162257 - 21 Aug 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1060
Abstract
To stimulate the progress of clean fracturing fluid systems, an innovative erucyl ultra-long-chain gemini surfactant (EUCGS) was devised and manufactured during the course of this study. The target product was successfully prepared via a two-step reaction involving erucyl primary amine, 3-bromopropionyl chloride, and [...] Read more.
To stimulate the progress of clean fracturing fluid systems, an innovative erucyl ultra-long-chain gemini surfactant (EUCGS) was devised and manufactured during the course of this study. The target product was successfully prepared via a two-step reaction involving erucyl primary amine, 3-bromopropionyl chloride, and 1,3-bis(dimethylamino)propanediol, with an overall yield of 78.6%. FT-IR and 1H NMR characterization confirmed the presence of C22 ultra-long chains, cis double bonds, amide bonds, and quaternary ammonium headgroups in the product structure. Performance tests showed that EUCGS exhibited an extremely low critical micelle concentration (CMC = 0.018 mmol/L) and excellent ability to reduce surface tension (γCMC = 30.0 mN/m). Rheological property studies indicated that EUCGS solutions gradually exhibited significant non-Newtonian fluid characteristics with increasing concentration, and wormlike micelles with a network structure could self-assemble at a concentration of 1.0 mmol/L. Dynamic rheological tests revealed that the solutions showed typical Maxwell fluid behavior and significant shear-thinning properties, which originated from the orientation and disruption of the wormlike micelle network structure under shear stress. In the presence of 225 mmol/L NaCl, the apparent viscosity of a 20 mmol/L EUCGS solution increased from 86 mPa·s to 256 mPa·s. A temperature resistance evaluation showed that EUCGS solutions had a good temperature resistance at high shear rates and 100 °C. The performance evaluation of fracturing fluids indicates that the proppant settling rate (0.25 cm/min) of the EUCGS-FFS system at 90 °C is significantly superior to that of the conventional system. It features the low dosage and high efficiency of the breaker, with the final core damage rate being only 0.9%. The results demonstrate that the EUCGS achieves a synergistic optimization of high-efficiency interfacial activity, controllable rheological properties, and excellent thermal–salt stability through precise molecular structure design, providing a new material choice for the development of intelligent responsive clean fracturing fluids. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Science in Petroleum Engineering: Latest Trends and Developments)
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18 pages, 2981 KB  
Article
Development and Evaluation of Mesoporous SiO2 Nanoparticle-Based Sustained-Release Gel Breaker for Clean Fracturing Fluids
by Guiqiang Fei, Banghua Liu, Liyuan Guo, Yuan Chang and Boliang Xue
Polymers 2025, 17(15), 2078; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17152078 - 30 Jul 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1167
Abstract
To address critical technical challenges in coalbed methane fracturing, including the uncontrollable release rate of conventional breaker agents and incomplete gel breaking, this study designs and fabricates an intelligent controlled-release breaker system based on paraffin-coated mesoporous silica nanoparticle carriers. Three types of mesoporous [...] Read more.
To address critical technical challenges in coalbed methane fracturing, including the uncontrollable release rate of conventional breaker agents and incomplete gel breaking, this study designs and fabricates an intelligent controlled-release breaker system based on paraffin-coated mesoporous silica nanoparticle carriers. Three types of mesoporous silica (MSN) carriers with distinct pore sizes are synthesized via the sol-gel method using CTAB, P123, and F127 as structure-directing agents, respectively. Following hydrophobic modification with octyltriethoxysilane, n-butanol breaker agents are loaded into the carriers, and a temperature-responsive controlled-release system is constructed via paraffin coating technology. The pore size distribution was analyzed by the BJH model, confirming that the average pore diameters of CTAB-MSNs, P123-MSNs, and F127-MSNs were 5.18 nm, 6.36 nm, and 6.40 nm, respectively. The BET specific surface areas were 686.08, 853.17, and 946.89 m2/g, exhibiting an increasing trend with the increase in pore size. Drug-loading performance studies reveal that at the optimal loading concentration of 30 mg/mL, the loading efficiencies of n-butanol on the three carriers reach 28.6%, 35.2%, and 38.9%, respectively. The release behavior study under simulated reservoir temperature conditions (85 °C) reveals that the paraffin-coated system exhibits a distinct three-stage release pattern: a lag phase (0–1 h) caused by paraffin encapsulation, a rapid release phase (1–8 h) induced by high-temperature concentration diffusion, and a sustained release phase (8–30 h) attributed to nano-mesoporous characteristics. This intelligent controlled-release breaker demonstrates excellent temporal compatibility with coalbed methane fracturing processes, providing a novel technical solution for the efficient and clean development of coalbed methane. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Science in Petroleum Engineering: Latest Trends and Developments)
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25 pages, 4710 KB  
Article
Optimization and Characterization of Acetic Acid-Hydrolyzed Cassava Starch Nanoparticles for Enhanced Oil Recovery Applications
by Mohammed E. Ali Mohsin, A. F. A. Rahman, Zakiah Harun, Agus Arsad, Suleiman Mousa, Muhammad Abbas Ahmad Zaini, Mohammad Yousef Younes and Mohammad Faseeulla Khan
Polymers 2025, 17(8), 1071; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17081071 - 16 Apr 2025
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1930
Abstract
This study presents an optimized and sustainable route for synthesizing cassava starch nanoparticles (CSNPs) tailored for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) applications. Conventional inorganic acid hydrolysis methods often produce low nanoparticle yields and large particle sizes due to extensive degradation of both amorphous and [...] Read more.
This study presents an optimized and sustainable route for synthesizing cassava starch nanoparticles (CSNPs) tailored for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) applications. Conventional inorganic acid hydrolysis methods often produce low nanoparticle yields and large particle sizes due to extensive degradation of both amorphous and crystalline starch regions. To overcome these challenges, ultrasonic-assisted acetic acid hydrolysis coupled with response surface methodology (RSM) was applied. Under optimal conditions, two distinct CSNPs were produced: CSNP A (206.77 nm, 96.23% yield in 3 days) and CSNP B (99.4 nm, 96.07% yield in 7 days). Characterization via Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed enhanced crystallinity, while rheological analyses revealed shear-thickening behavior and improved viscosity, key factors for effective polymer flooding in EOR. DSC and TGA measurements highlighted robust thermal stability, essential for high-temperature reservoir conditions. A preliminary assessment suggests CSNP B’s small size (99.4 nm), high viscosity, and thermal stability make it particularly promising for EOR in low-permeability reservoirs, with future core flooding studies needed for validation. These attributes position CSNPs as sustainable alternatives for polymer flooding in challenging reservoir environments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Science in Petroleum Engineering: Latest Trends and Developments)
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28 pages, 7308 KB  
Article
Steady Shear Rheology and Surface Activity of Polymer-Surfactant Mixtures
by Qiran Lu and Rajinder Pal
Polymers 2025, 17(3), 364; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17030364 - 29 Jan 2025
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3461
Abstract
Understanding the interactions between polymers and surfactants is critical for designing advanced fluid systems used in applications such as enhanced oil recovery, drilling, and chemical processing. This study examines the effects of five surfactants: two anionic (Stepanol WA-100 and Stepwet DF-95), one cationic [...] Read more.
Understanding the interactions between polymers and surfactants is critical for designing advanced fluid systems used in applications such as enhanced oil recovery, drilling, and chemical processing. This study examines the effects of five surfactants: two anionic (Stepanol WA-100 and Stepwet DF-95), one cationic (HTAB), one zwitterionic (Amphosol CG), and one non-ionic (Alfonic 1412-3 Ethoxylate), on the steady shear rheology and surface activity of two polymers, namely cationic hydroxyethyl cellulose based polymer (LR-400) and anionic polyacrylamide based polymer (Praestol 2540TR). The polymer-surfactant solutions behave as shear-thinning fluids and follow the power-law model. Anionic surfactants exhibit a strong effect on the rheology of cationic polymer LR-400 solution. The consistency index rises sharply with the increase in surfactant concentration. Also, the solutions become highly shear-thinning with the increase in surfactant concentration. The effects of other surfactants on the rheology of cationic polymer solution are small to modest. None of the surfactants investigated exhibit a strong influence on the rheology of anionic polymer Praestol 2540TR. Only weak to modest effects of surfactants are observed on the rheology of anionic polymers. The surface tension of the polymer-surfactant solution decreases with the increase in surfactant concentration. Zwitterionic surfactant Amphosol CG is found to be most effective in reducing the surface tension at a given concentration in ppm. This surfactant also raises the electrical conductivity of the solution to the largest extent. From the changes in slope of surface tension versus surfactant concentration plots, the approximate values of critical aggregation concentration (CAC) and polymer saturation point (PSP) are estimated. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Science in Petroleum Engineering: Latest Trends and Developments)
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