You have probably heard of frac sand, but do you really know what it is? Vista Sand produces “Texas Premium White”, the frac sand that possesses the highest crush strength in Texas. But why does this matter? MAALT, LP, a sister company of Vista Sand, does a good job in explaining what frac sand is used for and why it’s so important for oil and gas production in Texas and elsewhere in the United States.  Here were a few points made in the article:

What Is Frac Sand?

In a nutshell, frac sand is crush-resistant quartz sand. It is usually made from natural, high-purity sandstones. The quartz grains of frac sand have gone through cycles of weathering and erosion, which have increased the sand’s durability and crush resistance. Frac sand is silica sand that has the durability needed to withstand crushing forces during hydraulic fracturing.

How Is Frac Sand Used?

Frac sand is an important part of hydraulic fracturing to produce petroleum fluids, like oil and natural gas, in rock units that do not have the pore space needed for the fluids to flow to a well. Hydraulic fracturing, using frac sand, creates fractures in these rock units.  Frac sand is used in a wide variety of capacities in the oil and gas industry, and it has been a key part of the recovery in the Texas oil and gas industry.

As the owner of Vista Sand will tell you, frac sand suppliers appear to be in good standing in 2017 and beyond as the U.S. rig count continues to rise, and oil and gas companies become more efficient with their excavation techniques to produce petroleum fluids.

The quarterly Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas Energy Survey was recently released, and it showed a positive outlook for the oil and gas sector – much to the delight of energy executives. According to the survey, Eleventh Federal Reserve District energy firms expanded their activity in the first quarter of 2017. The business activity index was positive, which is a general indication of expansion.

Executives who responded to the survey were happy with all of the survey measures as they indicated further expansion beyond the first quarter. They noted that increased activity was probably due to the fact that breakeven prices to drill a new well have fallen and are now about six percent less than last year.  According to those who were surveyed, it is now possible to drill new wells in the Permian Basin or Eagle Ford and be profitable with prices as low as $50 per barrel and in some cases, lower.

E&P firms indicated that the oil production index rose to 13.1 and the natural gas production index rose to 17.6. This was the second quarter in a row of growth.  Outlook overall among oilfield service firm executives and E&P firm executives was positive, and many expected to increase spending in 2018. They also expected to see West Texas Intermediate (WTI) oil price to climb to $53.49 by the end of 2017, negating recent oil price declines.

As oil and natural gas companies look to expand operations and increase spending, Vista Sand and its owner and leadership team expect to see big things in the frac sand industry now and into the future. Frac sand is increasingly being used in proppants as it’s a more cost-effective solution.  Learn more about Vista Sand’s frac sand products, operations,  safety record, and latest projects today.