Breakdown pressure and fracture surface morphology of hydraulic fracturing in shale with H 2 O, CO 2 and N 2

Slick-water fracturing is the most routine form of well stimulation in shales; however N 2 , LPG and CO 2 have all been used as “exotic” stimulants in various hydrocarbon reservoirs. We explore the use of these gases as stimulants on Green River shale to compare the form and behavior of fractures in shale driven by different gas compositions and states and indexed by breakdown pressure and the resulting morphology of the fracture networks....