Surface characteristics and permeability enhancement of shale fractures due to water and supercritical carbon dioxide fracturing

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is an alternative working fluid to water for hydraulic fracturing in shale reservoirs. It offers advantages as a substitute for the use of large quantities of potable water and for the concurrent sequestration of CO2, however sorption and swelling effects, and their impact on permeability may be detrimental and are undefined. Hence, it is of great importance to understand the mechanism of supercritical carbon dioxide...