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New fraccing technique does away with water

The new method addresses concerns around the treatment of soiled water used in hydraulic fracturing by using a gel that evaporates under high pressure and becomes a gas to lift gases to the surface, leaving salts and chemicals underground and eliminating the need to use and treat water, according to the article published.

The technology has been pioneered and used by Canadian company GasFrac since 2008. According to GasFrac’s website, the gel acts to transport proppant to the fracture seams in order to open them and allow for gas flow, before the propane evaporates into a gas and is captured with the unconventional gas.

GasFrac’s website says “The gelled liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) used in the fracturing process has the ability to both generate the necessary fracture system, carry the proppant through the wellbore and place into the oil and gas reservoir being stimulated.

“The LPG used in the process is highly soluble in formation hydrocarbons. As a result, the LPG process results in less damage to formations than conventional hydraulic fracturing. And unlike conventional treatments where as much as 50 per cent of the carrier remains in the reservoir and hinders well performance, virtually 100 per cent of the LPG can be recovered”?.

GasFrac is currently awaiting a patent for this technology.

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