A Comprehensive Review of Optimization Algorithms in Oil and Gas Fields: Approaches and Applications

The oil and gas industry is encountering escalating challenges, including resource depletion, increasing extraction costs, and the growing need for more efficient utilization of resources. Addressing these challenges necessitates the optimization of critical processes across exploration, development, and production, where optimization algorithms play a pivotal role. These algorithms are fundamental for identifying optimal solutions by systematically exploring the solution space and optimizing key parameters, ultimately enhancing operational efficiency and resource management. This paper provides a comprehensive review of optimization methods and their applications within the oil and gas industry, with a focus on seismic exploration, well placement optimization, and reservoir management. The review highlights the importance of optimization algorithms in overcoming industry‐specific challenges and emphasizes key studies on their application in upstream oil and gas operations. Moreover, this paper discusses the integration of machine learning techniques with optimization methods to enhance decision‐making capabilities and outlines future research directions, particularly in improving algorithmic robustness and advancing multi‐objective optimization approaches. The objective of this paper is to offer a clear framework for advancing optimization research and its transformative potential in the oil and gas industry to promote the development of intelligent energy.