The energy transition demands innovative solutions for efficient and sustainable oil and gas production, particularly for heavy and extra-heavy crude. A significant challenge in these operations is the excessive production of water, which increases operational costs and environmental impact. This paper reviews the application of mechanical water control devices to optimize water management in heavy oil fields. By analyzing over 3140 documents, only a final total of 42 previous peer-reviewed articles were considered, where 58% sought to understand and optimize water flow from the reservoir to the well mainly by well simulation; 19% studied the implementation cases in the fields, highlighting the success cases; 16% mentioned CFD and other simulations tools; and 7% are related to these devices. While simulation studies have been widely employed, there is a need for more comprehensive field implementations and data-driven insights. This paper aims to contribute to the advancement of water management techniques, ultimately enhancing the sustainability and profitability of heavy oil production, emphasizing the most significant findings.

Carbocyclic nicotinamide cofactors are synthesized via chemical and enzymatic routes, with strategies compared to improve access to costly biomimetics. These artificial cofactors exhibit high thermostability and broad oxidoreductase compatibility.

Outer membrane vesicles are spherical structures that contain a small fraction of the periplasm of Gram-negative bacteria, surrounded by its outer membrane. They are naturally produced and detached from the bacterium’s surface, participate in diverse biological processes, and are approximately 10-300 nm in diameter. Some genetically modified Gram-negative bacteria’s ability to