Not Just Oil. Not Just Gas. So Much More…

Whether it’s injecting CO₂ to boost oil recovery or to store it deep underground for good, whether it’s modeling fracture growth in tight reservoirs or injecting steam and chemicals in heavy oil fields, the value of simulation goes far beyond what many expect. Often, it’s only when you step into real-world use cases that you realize how powerful these simulation models really are.

At Computer Modelling Group, I’ve seen our solutions quietly unlock hidden opportunities, sometimes transforming byproducts into entirely new revenue streams. One of the most exciting? Critical minerals like lithium, helium, and iodine are being produced from the same wells operators already manage.

What if your next barrel of oil also brought in lithium, helium, or iodine?

Most oil and gas operators today are focused on optimizing hydrocarbon recovery, lowering emissions, and maximizing return on infrastructure. But many of those same assets could also be producing something else of value: critical minerals.

Lithium, helium, and iodine are all increasingly being recovered from the same gas, water, and brine streams that operators are already managing. With the right simulation tools, it’s possible to forecast, optimize, and accelerate recovery of these resources from existing fields.

These aren’t science experiments. They’re fully modeled operations, powered by simulation, optimized through design, and monetized with minimal surface disruption.

At CMG, we’re seeing a growing interest from operators who want to model and optimize the production of lithium, helium, and iodine, whose demand has skyrocketed across tech, energy, and healthcare sectors.

Here’s how our technology is helping them do just that:

Lithium Recovery from Brine and Geothermal Systems

Lithium-rich brines are often found in Geothermal aquifers (e.g., Salton Sea, Cerro Prieto), produced water (e.g., Leduc Formation in Alberta, Shale in the US), and exclusive brine reservoirs (e.g., Clayton Valley, Atacama)

Using our GEM and STARS simulators, companies can model the full production lifecycle: from extraction to ion exchange recovery methods like those used in Argentina’s Kachi project. In one modeled scenario, we simulated a lithium recovery of approximately 150 tons from a single field.

Helium Recovery from Gas Fields

Reservoirs with helium concentrations above 0.1 percent are considered commercially viable, but many operators overlook them due to their inert nature and low solubility. Our clients use our GEM simulator to simulate helium flow, adsorption, diffusion, relative permeability, and recovery while modeling challenges like water coning, zonal variations, and low solubility.

With CMOST, we help operators forecast recovery and optimize perforation strategies, maximizing helium output without disrupting the base gas.

Iodine from Co-Produced Brine in Gas Fields

Iodine is another example of a resource often recovered alongside natural gas. In countries like Japan, iodine extracted from gas-associated brines contributes a significant share of site revenue. In some cases, up to one third.

Our GEM simulator is currently in use by major Japanese operators for simulating gas and iodine co-production and geochemical modeling for improved recovery efficiency.

Why Simulation Matters

What connects all three of these mineral recovery stories is the role of advanced compositional simulation. With the right models, operators can:

• Identify untapped mineral recovery potential
• Quantify economically viable production volumes
• Forecast recovery performance under different constraints
• Integrate critical mineral extraction with oil, gas, or geothermal workflows
• Optimize completions, flow rates, and infrastructure design

Looking Ahead

Produced water. Associated gas. Brines are already flowing to the surface. These streams are no longer just waste to manage. They can be monetized.

If you're sitting on brine or gas fields, you might also be sitting on a mine of untapped revenue. Let’s simulate it.