The United States has taken the lead to achieve the shale gas industrial production and created a shale gas revolution throughout the world. According to the exploitation experience of the United States, the key of shale gas business development realization is to adopt horizontal well combined with fracturing technology. At present fracturing technology used commonly include multi-stage fracturing, water fracturing, refracturing, etc. China has great potential in shale gas resource, recoverable resources has 25.08×1012m3, but they are mainly located in the drought and water lack area, and the clay mineral content for shale gas reservoir is higher, the traditional water-based fracturing fluid used for shale gas development caused a lot of water consumption and serious reservoir damage, therefore, it is not suitable for shale gas reservoir conditions in China. In the process of domestic shale gas development, exploring novel fracturing and development technology is irreversible.
Defining the natural fracture network in a shale gas play and its cover succession: The case of the Utica Shale in eastern Canada
