Researchers from the Faculty of Geosciences Engineering (FICT) at the Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL) participated in the development of an experimental study that proposes an innovative solution for controlling the mobility of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in enhanced oil recovery processes, simultaneously contributing to increased oil production and geological storage of CO₂.
The scientific article, entitled “HPAM polymer enhanced foam for CO₂ mobility control: A coreflooding experimental study,” analyzes the use of polymer-enhanced CO₂ foams (HPAM) as an efficient alternative to overcome one of the main limitations of CO₂ injection into reservoirs, related to its rapid migration and low sweep efficiency.
The experimental results, obtained under reservoir-representative conditions, show that polymer-enhanced foam significantly reduces CO₂ mobility, achieving better flow control and greater process efficiency compared to conventional foams.
The study was conducted by researchers from the FICT–ESPOL CCUS project: Jorge Rodrigo Lliguizaca Dávila, Priscila Valverde Armas, and Jorge Segundo Mendoza Sanz, in collaboration with researchers from the University of Bergen (UiB), Norway: Hilde Halsøy, Arne Graue, Jacquelin E. Cobos, Bergit Brattekås, and Zachary Paul Alcorn, strengthening international scientific cooperation.
This work was published in a special edition of the international journal Geoenergy Science and Engineering (Q1–D1), entitled “Innovations, Practices, and Insights in Reservoir Sweep Efficiency: Research and Applications,” highlighting its scientific impact and relevance.
Access the full article: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoen.2025.214352
This research aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically SDGs 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), SDGs 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), SDGs 13 (Climate Action) and SDGs 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), reaffirming ESPOL's commitment to developing innovative technological solutions for a sustainable and responsible energy transition.
