H₂O Taking the Hydro out of Hydraulic Fracturing Available to Purchase

This paper demonstrates the increasing use of waterless methods in oil and gas industry. Waterless methods aim to make unconventional oil and gas well more environmental friendly. While waterless fracturing is still relatively rare in the United States, it is more common in operations north of the border. Gas-energized fracturing has a significant advantage over traditional water-based methods: it requires less proppant, which saves money, and it can double oil and gas recovery from a well. Praxair, a supplier of industrial gases based in Danbury, Conn., has developed a system that relies on a different liquefied gas. Its DryFrac technology relies on liquid carbon dioxide that is mixed with sand and sent down the hole under high pressure. The experts point out that in places where hydraulic fracturing’s water use is becoming a real constraint to exploiting shale formations, it is likely that petroleum companies will find that it is worth it to make the commitment to waterless fracturing.