<p>Excess production of water from oil and gas reservoirs is one of the major concerns in the hydrocarbon industry because of the handling of unwanted produced water uneconomically. Polymer gel treatment can be considered as one of the remedies to control excess water production. This review presents a detailed discussion on advancements in research for crosslinked polymer gel systems, covering their mechanisms, types, and field applications. Mainly in situ crosslinked gels, preformed particle gels, foamed gels, and nanoparticle-enhanced gels were examined with a focus on their stability and efficiency. The importance of these systems in profile modification and water shutoff was highlighted. Different factors affecting polymer gel systems like high temperature and high-salinity environments, types of accelerators, pH, polymer concentration, gel degradation, injectivity control, and types of nanoparticles were discussed in detail. New technologies, such as resin-based gels and hybrid crosslinked systems, were introduced. The kinetics of the polymer gel formation and its gelation time control mechanisms were also deliberated. The main focus of the review is on how feasible the modification of polymer gels can be in water shutoff over field application, permeability modification, and conformance control. A comparative analysis of various global projects utilizing polymer gel systems was conducted to assess their real-world applications.</p>