energies Review An Alternative to Conventional Rock Fragmentation Methods Using SCDA: A Review Radhika Vidanage De Silva 1, Ranjith Pathegama Gamage 1,* and Mandadige Samintha Anne Perera 1,2 1 Deep Earth Energy Laboratory, Department of Civil Engineering, Monash University, Building 60, Melbourne 3800, Victoria, Australia;
[email protected] (R.V.D.S.);
[email protected] (M.S.A.P.) 2 Department of Infrastructure Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, the University of Melbourne, Building 176, Block D, Grattan Street, Parkville 3010, Victoria, Australia * Correspondence:
[email protected]; Tel.: +61-3-9905-4982 Academic Editor: Moran Wang Received: 9 October 2016; Accepted: 10 November 2016; Published: 17 November 2016 Abstract: Global energy and material consumption are expected to rise in exponential proportions during the next few decades, generating huge demands for deep earth energy (oil/gas) recovery and mineral processing. Under such circumstances, the continuation of existing methods in rock fragmentation in such applications is questionable due to the proven adverse environmental impacts associated with them. In this regard; the possibility of using more environmentally friendly options as Soundless Chemical Demolition Agents (SCDAs) play a vital role in replacing harmful conventional rock fragmentation techniques for gas; oil and mineral recovery. This study reviews up to date research on soundless cracking demolition agent (SCDA) application on rock fracturing including its limitations and strengths, possible applications in the petroleum industry and the possibility of using existing rock fragmentation models for SCDA-based rock fragmentation; also known as fracking. Though the expansive properties of SCDAs are currently used in some demolition works, the poor usage guidelines available reflect the insufficient research carried out on its material’s behavior.