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Advancements and Applications of Smart Water Injection in Enhanced Oil Recovery: Mechanisms, Economic Feasibility, and Synergies with Other EOR Techniques
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DOI：10.1016/j.petlm.2026.06.002.png)
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Abstract
En 中文
Smart water injection has emerged as a cost-effective and environmentally sustainable enhanced oil recovery (EOR) strategy for carbonate and sandstone reservoirs. This review presents a comprehensive and contemporary synthesis of the physicochemical mechanisms governing smart-water EOR, including wettability alteration, interfacial tension (IFT) reduction, multi-ion exchange, and electrical double-layer expansion. It further discusses emerging phenomena such as salting-in and salting-out effects, pH-dependent mineral reactions, precipitation-induced mobilization, and ion-specific interactions with surface-active organic species. The review explores the synergistic potential of hybrid systems that integrate smart water with nanoparticles, surfactants, polymers, and dissolved CO2 (carbonated smart water, CSMW), providing mechanistic insight into how these combinations enhance oil displacement efficiency under varied reservoir conditions. Economic and operational assessments demonstrate that smart water offers a technically robust and lower-cost alternative to polymer flooding and CO2 injection, while maintaining compatibility with existing surface facilities. To address the increasing complexity of reservoir chemistry and production optimization, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) is proposed for mechanism identification, brine design, and real-time injection control. Advanced techniques such as hybrid physics–AI modeling, explainable AI, and federated learning are highlighted as future tools for intelligent, adaptive EOR management. Finally, the review identifies key challenges scaling, corrosion, and brine compatibility and outlines sustainable solutions including zero-liquid-discharge (ZLD) systems and renewable-powered injection operations. By combining mechanistic understanding, digital innovation, and sustainability principles, this study provides a unified roadmap positioning smart-water injection as a next-generation, mechanism-driven, and low-carbon EOR strategy.
Keywords:
Smart water injection
Enhanced oil recovery
Wettability alteration
Interfacial tension
Economic feasibility
Field-scale projects
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