A critical review of water uptake by shales

The shale boom in North America started more than a decade ago, however, the issue of substantial fracturing fluid loss inside shale did not draw much attention for a decade. In the past few years, many researchers conducted laboratory experiments to 1) observe various processes by which water imbibes into shale rocks, and 2) understand the mechanisms behind each process that contributes to fluid uptake in shale. Although there is consistency in...