Frac Sand Proppants

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What Is A Proppant?

When it comes to hydraulic fracturing, having a strong, quality proppant is key. What is a proppant? As the name implies, a proppant is implemented to “prop” open fractures and cracks made deep within the earth’s shale layers. These shale layers run anywhere from 5,000 to 9,000 feet underneath the earth’s surface. The pressure at this depth is immense. Therefore, when fractures are made within these layers, they do not stay open on their own.

In hydraulic fracturing, a high pressured liquid of various chemicals, water, and a proppant is pumped through a well and into these shale layers. The pressure from the water forces cracks and fracturing to occur within the shale rock, releasing the valuable natural gases within. However, once the water ebbs, the fractures close unless a proppant is supplied. Frac sand is one such proppant to maintain these fractures remain open so that the natural gases can be released.

Frac Sand

Not just any type of sand is used, but high quality, round sand granules with a high “crush factor” are mined from locations such as the northeast United States. Once the sand is mined, it goes through a series of filters, screens, and tests in order to collect the strongest, highest quality frac sand granules. Most of the mined, frac sand are coated with a resin to add strength, maximize the fracture width, and the outer resin coating allows better redistribution of force, minimizing particles that are crushed.

From strength and shape to coatings and crush factor, there are many areas to consider when it comes to choosing frac sand proppants. There are different grades of frac sand, some of which can be seen here on the Del Sol Industrial Services website. Del Sol Industrial Services is a frac and foundry consulting and product representation company located in Central Texas.

Frac Sand Silos

When it comes to storage and transport of frac sand, there are a few available options. It is all about spending more money today so that you save time, money, and hassle in the long run. Choosing to build a frac sand silo is an incredible undertaking that requires a significant investment. However, the end result is a much more efficient mode of transportation and loading. Let’s check out the other storage and transport options to see why cheaper is not always better.

Railcar → Truck

Many companies choose to load from a railcar directly to a transfer truck via mobile conveyor units because of the minimal cost. The only structures that are required include a truck scale, conveyor belts, and rails. You can also implement the rails in close proximity to the mining area.

However, a frac sand business will require additional railcars to transport the frac sand, especially since some of these cars will be used for temporary storage. Also, the amount of transport trucks will need to be increased when transferring the frac sand to the well. The time it takes to load a truck, unload, then return for another load is a fair amount. Therefore, you may require more transport trucks to stay on top of your game. This can increase costs dramatically over the long run.

Railcar → Storage / Sacks

Another method of frac sand transport involves storing the sand in a warehouse. When it is stored on the floor of the warehouse, it is called flat storage. It can also be stored in durable sacks. This form of transport and storage eliminates the need for extra railcars in which to store additional frac sand.

You still run into some of the same issues as seen in the “Railcar → Truck” method. Truck lines can become long and loading times are not fast. You would still need more trucks to keep up to speed with transport and drop off. There is also the risk of contamination and incorrect inventory count from the frac sand lying in the same area for a period of time, especially when one is trying to count piled sacks.

Railcar → Silos

The storage of frac sand in nearby silos is considered the most efficient way of transporting and storing sand. However, the initial costs to construct a silo are high. Also, if the mining moves to another, distant location, the silo cannot be moved, and the investment is lost.

However, the longer a frac sand silo is used, the cheaper it becomes to move one ton of sand. The silo eventually begins to pay for itself because of the sheer amount of volume that can be transported and stored. You also do not have the issue of double counting inventory. Trucks can be loaded extremely fast (3-5 minutes compared to 30-45 minutes), so you are saving money by not having to purchase additional railcars and transport trucks.

No matter which solution you choose, it is important to consider the ramifications of each. Do you have the manpower and money for the job? If a job is shut down because of a broken down truck or inefficient loading time, then the extra money spent on incorporating a frac sand silo will be more than worth the initial cost.

For more information on frac sand silos and other aspects of the industry, including consulting, visit Del Sol Industrial Services.