An experimental and numerical study of wellbore leakage mitigation using pH-triggered polymer gelant

•We introduced a wellbore leakage mitigation method using the pH-triggered polymer gelant.•The polymer gelant rheology was sufficiently captured using the Herschel-Bulkley equation.•Simulation models were developed for polymer reactive flow with non-Newtonian fluid behavior.•Our results show that the pH-triggered polymer gelant can hold up to 70 psi/ft pressure gradient.•The application can be used as a remedy for either hydrocarbon fluid or CO2 leakage.