Application of Alternative Fluids for Fracturing in Hot Dry Rocks
A special issue of Inventions (ISSN 2411-5134). This special issue belongs to the section "Inventions and Innovation in Energy and Thermal/Fluidic Science".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 December 2025 | Viewed by 34
Special Issue Editor
2. School of Civil Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
Interests: rock mechanics; brittle failure; digital image correlation; computational geomechanics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The application of alternative fluids for fracturing in hot dry rocks (HDRs) holds promise in advancing enhanced geothermal systems (EGSs), where conventional hydraulic fracturing methods face significant limitations due to high temperatures and low water availability. Traditional water-based fluids can lead to thermal degradation, chemical reactions with rock minerals, and high water consumption, rendering them less ideal for HDR environments. Alternative fluids such as supercritical CO2, nitrogen, and liquid propane offer several advantages, including the following:
- Thermal Stability: Alternative fluids such as supercritical CO2 and nitrogen maintain their effectiveness at high temperatures found in HDR environments, whereas water can degrade or induce unwanted chemical reactions at such temperatures.
- Reduced Water Dependency: Alternative fluids eliminate or significantly reduce the need for water, which is often scarce in arid regions where HDR resources are located. This makes the process more sustainable and environmentally friendly.
- Improved Rock Penetration: Fluids such as supercritical CO2 have lower viscosity than water, allowing them to penetrate smaller fractures more effectively and create more complex fracture networks, enhancing reservoir permeability.
- Minimized Mineral Scaling and Clogging: Water can react with rock minerals, leading to the scaling and clogging of fractures. Inert gases, including nitrogen and CO2, reduce these reactions, maintaining fracture conductivity.
- Enhanced Heat Extraction Efficiency: Certain alternative fluids (e.g., supercritical CO2) can directly absorb and transport heat more efficiently than water, potentially increasing the overall energy output of the geothermal system.
- Carbon Sequestration Potential: Using CO2 as a fracturing fluid offers the dual benefit of energy extraction and long-term carbon storage, contributing to climate change mitigation efforts.
- Reduced Induced Seismicity: Some alternative fluids may create more gradual and controlled pressure changes during injection, possibly reducing the risk of induced seismic events compared to high-pressure water injections.
Supercritical CO2 is particularly garnering interest due to its low viscosity, ability to penetrate fine fractures, and potential for carbon sequestration. These fluids not only improve fracture propagation but also contribute to the sustainability and economic viability of geothermal energy extraction from HDR resources. These advantages make alternative fluids a promising option for enhancing the effectiveness, safety, and environmental sustainability of geothermal energy production in HDR systems.
Dr. Mansour Sharafisafa
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- hot dry rocks (HDRs)
- alternative fluids
- supercritical CO2
- enhanced geothermal systems (EGSs)
- fracturing
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