SPE Journal is seeking papers for a special issue called “Advancing Recovery in the Era of Sustainability,” which is focused on research and field applications that improve oil recovery while reducing environmental impact.
For decades, advances in improved and enhanced oil recovery (IOR/EOR) have helped the industry better understand recovery mechanisms, improve modeling and prediction, develop hybrid recovery processes, and translate new technologies into field applications. Today, the challenge extends beyond maximizing recovery. Reservoir engineers are increasingly being called upon to improve recovery efficiently while also addressing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, produced-water management, and other sustainability considerations.
The forthcoming SPE Journal special issue will bring these priorities together, highlighting scientific and practical advances in IOR/EOR that demonstrate improved environmental performance alongside increased or optimized oil recovery.
The special issue is being organized in association with the SPE R&D Technical Section’s Recovery Enhancement Symposium, to be held 17–18 November 2026 at the College of Petroleum and Geoscience, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM), in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
Submissions to the special issue may address sustainability aspects of established or emerging IOR/EOR methods, whether directly or indirectly. Of particular interest are approaches that maximize oil recovery while contributing to a reduced CO2 footprint, lower water production, improved produced-water management, or other measurable environmental benefits. Importantly, papers that only demonstrate increased oil recovery or improved recovery mechanisms without addressing sustainability or environmental performance will not be considered for the special issue.
The overall aim of the special issue is to encourage IOR/EOR research and development in which sustainability is treated as an integral component of reservoir engineering rather than an ancillary consideration.
Submission and Review
Authors who are uncertain whether their proposed topic falls within the scope of the special issue are encouraged to contact the guest editors, listed below, before preparing and submitting a manuscript.
All manuscripts will undergo the same rigorous peer-review process as regular submissions to SPE Journal, and an invitation to submit does not guarantee publication. Authors should include “Special Issue: Advancing Recovery in the Era of Sustainability” in their cover letter to ensure that their manuscript is identified for consideration.
The special issue will open for submissions on 15 October 2026 and will accept new submissions through 15 April 2028. The complete special issue is scheduled for publication on OnePetro by 15 October 2028.
Guest Editors
- Dr. Ali Al Yousef, dean, College of Petroleum and Geoscience, KFUPM, Saudi Arabia
- Dr. Madhar Sahib Azad, assistant professor, Petroleum Engineering Department, KFUPM, Saudi Arabia
- Dr. Subhash Ayirala, petroleum engineering consultant, Saudi Aramco, Saudi Arabia
- Dr. Wael Abdullah, technology advisor, Schlumberger, Houston
Questions about the special issue, including whether a prospective manuscript is within scope, should be directed to the guest editors.
Key Dates
- 15 October 2026: Special issue opens for submissions
- 17–18 November 2026: Recovery Enhancement Symposium in Dhahran
- 20 November 2026: Invitations sent to selected symposium presenters
- 15 December 2026: Invitations sent to global IOR/EOR experts
- January 2027–August 2028: Peer review of submitted papers
- 15 April 2028: Special issue closes to new submissions
- 15 October 2028: Complete special issue scheduled for publication on OnePetro