Waterless fracturing is an alternative to hydraulic fracturing in which liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) which uses propane liquefied into gel. Propane is pumped into shale rock formation instead of water. Using propane can be considered more beneficial than water, because it does not block all pathways and therefore more natural gas is released. In addition, it does not carry poisonous chemicals and underground radioactivity back to the surface, and when it does comes back to the surface it can have another usage or be used again for LPG. The only drawback is the cost as propane is more expensive than water. Another drawback is that the possible leak of propane may lead to flash fire, so fracturing with propane requires more safety instructions and monitoring equipments in order to reduce possible risks.
According to Nathan Janiczek, the new era of waterless fracturing is growing and it is called Liquefied Petroleum Gas, or LPG fracturing. LPG is always pumped in a well and because of that pumping, rocks are destroyed and gas is released. Besides that, LPG is fully converted into gas when it is pumped up to the surface and that guarantees a one hundred percent retrieval rate. If we compare conventional fracking and fracking using propane gel, LPG fracking does not produce waste, nearly 100% of propane gas is pumped back while 50% of hydraulic frack fluid remains underground. It has lower viscosity, less surface tension and lower specific gravity, which makes the fluid more effective in transport and less dependent on pressure. LPG has many advantages; however, it is a new technique, which needs further research. Liquefied petroleum gas fracturing was developed by a GasFrac energy company, based in Calgary, Alberta. The Chief Technology Officer of the GasFrac company said that it is being used since 2008 in gas wells of Canada in Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Texas, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Oklahoma and New Mexico.