Waterless and Low-Water Fracturing Technologies for Coalbed Methane Extraction: A Review

Coalbed methane is a critical global unconventional natural gas resource, but traditional water-based fracturing faces challenges such as water scarcity and reservoir damage. This paper reviews 10 waterless/low-water fracturing technologies, including foam fracturing and supercritical CO2 fracturing, analyzing their mechanisms, advantages, limitations, and field applications. Results indicate that technology selection adheres to the “performance-technology matching” principle, adapting to coal rank, reservoir properties, and in situ stress. Waterless technologies conserve water and generate no wastewater, while low-water technologies reduce water consumption. Future development should focus on material innovation, numerical simulation optimization, and large-scale field trials to promote sustainable applications.