Using smart water in tight oil reservoirs could improve recovery , a study showed . University of Calgary researchers said smart waterflooding could improve recovery by up to 50 % , while reducing oil production in tight reservoirs . Smart waterflooding also yields more water than high - salinity reservoirs , but needs less cumulative water injection , they said . However , the researchers concluded that this would not be the case with high levels of dissolved water and that it was important to maintain pressure .
Using smart water in tight oil reservoirs could improve recovery, a study showed. University of Calgary researchers said smart waterflooding could improve recovery by up to 3%, while reducing water production in tight reservoirs. Smart waterflooding also yields more oil than high-salinity waterflooding, but needs less cumulative water injection, they said. However, the researchers warned that this may not be the case with high levels of dissolved minerals and that it was important to maintain pressure.