Location
Havener Center, Miner Lounge / Wiese Atrium, 9:30am-11:30am
Start Date
4-2-2026 9:30 AM
End Date
4-2-2026 11:30 AM
Presentation Date
April 2, 2026; 9:30am-11:30am
Description
This presentation introduces a CO₂-resistant hydrogel developed to control fluid movement and improve CO₂ injection performance in subsurface reservoirs for Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) and Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS). Conventional polymer gels often lose strength in CO₂-rich environments, resulting in weak plugging, early breakdown, and ineffective flow control. To address this limitation, a sulfonated HPAM-based gel system crosslinked with chromium was developed. The effects of polymer concentration, molecular weight, crosslinker ratio, ionic strength, and pH were investigated to better understand gelation behavior and performance. The formulation exhibited controlled gelation, strong resistance to temperature and CO₂, and minimal shrinkage over time. The results establish a clear relationship between formulation design and gel performance, providing a more reliable basis for designing gels for subsurface applications. Overall, the developed hydrogel demonstrates strong potential to mobilize trapped oil, enhance oil recovery, and support more effective subsurface CO₂ storage.
Biography
Maryam Sharifi Paroushi is a Ph.D. candidate in Chemical and Biochemical Engineering at Missouri University of Science and Technology and a Kummer Innovation & Entrepreneurship Doctoral Fellow. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemical engineering from the University of Tehran. Prior to her Ph.D., she served as a Laboratory Manager at the Iranian Catalyst Development Center, where she gained extensive experience in materials characterization and laboratory operations. Her research focuses on designing advanced polymer-based materials for subsurface energy and environmental applications, particularly in carbon capture, storage, and enhanced oil recovery (EOR). She develops smart gel systems that improve fluid control in reservoirs, leading to enhanced oil recovery.
Maryam has strong expertise in polymer formulation, rheology, and performance evaluation of advanced materials. She has published in leading journals and presented her work at major conferences, including AIChE, TechConnect, and SPE.
Meeting Name
2026 - Miners Solving for Tomorrow Research Conference
Department(s)
Chemical and Biochemical Engineering
Second Department
Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering
Document Type
Poster
Document Version
Final Version
File Type
event
Language(s)
English
Rights
© 2026 The Authors, All rights reserved
Included in
Biochemical and Biomolecular Engineering Commons, Geology Commons, Petroleum Engineering Commons
Controlled Gelation of CO₂-Resistant Polymer Systems for Improved Conformance in CO₂-EOR
Havener Center, Miner Lounge / Wiese Atrium, 9:30am-11:30am
This presentation introduces a CO₂-resistant hydrogel developed to control fluid movement and improve CO₂ injection performance in subsurface reservoirs for Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) and Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS). Conventional polymer gels often lose strength in CO₂-rich environments, resulting in weak plugging, early breakdown, and ineffective flow control. To address this limitation, a sulfonated HPAM-based gel system crosslinked with chromium was developed. The effects of polymer concentration, molecular weight, crosslinker ratio, ionic strength, and pH were investigated to better understand gelation behavior and performance. The formulation exhibited controlled gelation, strong resistance to temperature and CO₂, and minimal shrinkage over time. The results establish a clear relationship between formulation design and gel performance, providing a more reliable basis for designing gels for subsurface applications. Overall, the developed hydrogel demonstrates strong potential to mobilize trapped oil, enhance oil recovery, and support more effective subsurface CO₂ storage.
Comments
Advisor: Baojun Bai, baib@mst.edu