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Updated: Jan 18, 2026

Dynamic Pore-scale Reservoir-condition Imaging of Reaction in Carbonates Using Synchrotron Fast Tomography
Published on: February 21, 2017
Potential Advances in the Design of Sealants for Geologic Conformance Control toward CO2 Storage Security
Funsho Afolabi1, Iskandar Dzulkarnain2,3, Syed M Mahmood3,4
1Department of Chemical Engineering, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia.
Global warming necessitates carbon capture. This review explores advanced gelants and viscoelastic fluids for effective CO2 entrapment in geologic formations, enhancing subsurface storage safety and efficiency.
Area of Science:
- Geological Engineering
- Environmental Science
- Materials Science
Background:
- Global warming is driven by greenhouse gas emissions, requiring effective carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS).
- CCUS technologies leverage existing infrastructure from CO2 injection and enhanced oil recovery.
- Subsurface CO2 storage necessitates robust conformance control to prevent leakage.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review novel sealant materials for CO2 entrapment in subsurface geologic formations.
- To evaluate multicomponent polymer systems and viscoelastic fluids as potential CO2 sealants.
- To identify materials suitable for reservoir conformance control in CCUS applications.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of chemical materials for CO2 conformance control.
- Evaluation of gelants, specifically multicomponent polymer systems and viscoelastic fluids.
- Analysis of material properties, behavior, and response to CO2.
Main Results:
- Existing sealants have limitations for subsurface CO2 storage.
- Multicomponent polymer systems and viscoelastic fluids show promise for CO2 entrapment.
- These materials exhibit suitable properties for reservoir conformance control.
Conclusions:
- Novel gelants and fluids offer potential solutions for CO2 entrapment challenges.
- Further research is recommended to optimize these materials for subsurface storage.
- Effective conformance control is critical for the success of carbon capture and storage.
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