Liquid nitrogen (LN2) fracturing has the potential to induce complex fracture networks, avoid formation damage, and eliminate water consumption. However, the flow and heat transfer of nitrogen in fractures and its effect on the fracture generation during LN2 fracturing have not been studied, and the fracturing mechanism remains unclear. In this paper, the nitrogen flow during LN2 fracturing in a straight fracture was simulated. First, a 3D unsteady-state fluid flow and heat transfer model for LN2 fracturing in coalbed methane (CBM) reservoir was developed, which considered the phase transition of nitrogen, thermophysical properties variation of coal and the heat transfer between nitrogen and formation. This model was then validated against published analytical solutions. Subsequently, the model was applied to elucidate the phase distribution of nitrogen and its influence on fracture generation. Finally, the factors that affect the flow and heat transfer of nitrogen were analyzed. The results showed that the nitrogen at the fracture tip was in a supercritical state. Thermal stress had minor effects on the propagation of the main fracture. In addition, fracture aperture, injection velocity, reservoir temperature, injection fluid temperature, fracture propagation pressure and coal cleat porosity could affect the effectiveness of LN2 fracturing in a coal seam. The main findings of this study are the keys to the research of liquid nitrogen fracturing mechanisms in CBM reservoirs.

Global warming induced by excessive carbon dioxide emission generated from fossil fuels consumption is becoming increasingly severe. Development and utilization of clean and renewable energy is a significant measure to contribute for the carbon neutrality. Geothermal resource is an important clean and renewable energy, because of its advantages of abundant reserves, exploitation without restrictions from the climate and season. Extracting heat from the high temperature geothermal reservoir requires well drilling, completion and fracturing. However, due to some particular conditions in geothermal development, such as high temperature, erosion, leakage, and hard rocks, traditional petroleum well drilling and completion technologies are not well applicable in the geothermal industry. In this paper, the state-of-the-art geothermal drilling, and completion technologies as well as several fracturing methods, such as foam drilling, air hammer drilling, hydrothermal jet drilling, expansion casing technology, high temperature resistant drilling fluid and cement, chemical stimulation and thermal stimulation are comprehensively reviewed. Besides, heat extraction performances of water and CO₂ as working fluids in the geothermal system are discussed. A few novel heat extraction methods including closed loop, open loop, enhanced geothermal systems are compared and analyzed. This review is expected to provide suggestions for research fields worthy of study for geothermal drilling and exploitation.