CO2 fracturing simulation and reservoir simulation case study in the Liard Basin of Canada

Hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling technology had contributed to the commercial shale gas production. However, hydraulic fracturing requires a water for the drilling fluids. Many countries have shale gas fields and are water stress country such as China. CO2 fracturing have many advantages than water fracturing. One is that CO2 gas is a greenhouse gas. The other is that SRV of the CO2 fracturing is much larger than that of the  water fracturing due to the low viscosity of CO2 gas. Devonian age Besa River shale gas play in the Liard Basin of northeastern BC with net estimated sales gas of 48 TCF over an area of 430,000 acres. We have conducted many case studies about CO2 fracturing simulation and reservoir simulation in the shale gas of Liard basin. In order to study, mechanical earth model was constructed. From this case study, we designed optimum fracturing pattern and development plan.