Toward better hydraulic fracturing fluids and their application in energy production: A review of sustainable technologies and reduction of potential environmental impacts

Recent advances in hydraulic fracturing, in conjunction with horizontal drilling, have enabled large-scale extraction of natural gas and oil from shale formations. Despite its advances and enormous economic benefits, opportunities remain to increase hydraulic fracturing efficiency and minimize potential environmental impacts. This review specifically examines three key themes associated with development and utilization of hydraulic fracturing fluids: 1) characteristics and behavior of fracturing fluids, 2) understanding and predicting migration and fate of fracturing fluids, 3) technologies to reduce environmental impact of fracturing fluids. The paper discusses key and new techniques and findings on rheology of hydrogel-based fluids, high fidelity simulation of propagation transport, potential environmental impacts, geosynthetics in mitigating contamination, and greener fracturing fluids. It is indicated that future development relies on advances in understanding of physical processes, modeling capabilities, and monitoring techniques.