Fracture control of the hydrology of the North American mid-continental Cretaceous shales

The Cretaceous shale section of mid North America, is of particular interest to understand the architecture of the shale's permeability and the role of fractures in controlling its hydrology. Several independent studies conducted within the last 15 years have supplied pieces of the puzzle. Groundwater flow systems were analyzed in some regions. Synthesis of the results of these studies suggests that fractures play an important role in the hydraulic behavior of the confining layer and control how it interacts with aquifers. (author)