ABSTRACT
The environmental impact of shale gas production has become increasingly prominent, particularly the intensive water consumption of hydraulic fracturing technology, which might threaten the security of water resources in shale gas field. Thus, this study employed the water resources supply-demand balance method to calculate the maximum scale of shale gas production. An evaluation framework (comprising nine indexes) for the water resources carrying capacity (WRCC) of shale gas development in China was established using the fuzzy-analytic hierarchy process (FAHP) approach, and the Weiyuan shale gas filed in Sichuan province, China, was selected for case study. Results show that the value of WRCC index of Weiyuan is 0.76, indicating that the area's water resources system can sustain shale gas production. Besides, Weiyuan's maximum WRCC for shale gas production is 4174 to 6678 wells. The developed WRCC evaluation model enables policy makers comprehensively understand the water impacts associated with tapping shale gas in China, contributing to the sustainable development of the country's shale gas sector.
