Frac sand plays a key role in the development of the petroleum industry. A vital ingredient in hydraulic fracturing, frac sand is a proppant that opens further the fissures made in oil-bearing impermeable rocks while creating a porous area for oil or natural gas to seep out. In addition, using more good-quality sand during the hydraulic fracturing process can help petroleum companies lower the overhead costs of production.
 |
| Image source: geology.com |
However, not just any sand will do in the production of frac sand. The production process for frac sand demands that sand be the right consistency (i.e. largely rounded quartz particles). The ideal frac sand has near-uniformly shaped grains that are largely spherical and is largely made of Quartzes. It must also have the ability to withstand crushing forces involved in keeping underground rock fissures open.
Sand extracted from beaches, dredged from lake and ocean beds, or taken from dunes will not have the right blend of properties for frac sand due to the complex blend of mineral grains present. Thus, frac sand is instead derived from crushing carefully selected sandstone.
 |
| Image source: geology.com |
Frac sand cannot be used on site as is and must be adequately processed before being used in production. It is first washed to remove all non-quartz minerals from the mixture, then allowed to drain off, which can only happen at certain times of the year in warm weather. The sand is then air dried to remove any remaining moisture, then screened to be graded according to grain size.
Certain frac sands are also sometimes coated in a resin to improve its performance during hydraulic fracturing. This is marketed as a premium product.
The owners of the frac sand manufacturing and distribution company Foster Frac LLC now own and operate Champion Truck Lines, a successful transport and freight company. Learn more about the frac sand and hydraulic fracturing or fracking from this page.
