Did you know that today’s largest fracking operations in Texas will consume up to 50 million pounds of frac sand per well? This alone might not sound significant, but consider this: only three years earlier, in 2014, that same operation would have consumed only three million pounds per well according to the Houston Chronicle. This alone illustrates how frac sand demand in Texas has seen an increase since the rebound of the two-year low in oil prices.
Although the industry has seen some stability, especially in the Permian Basin, it’s important to keep in mind that oil and gas companies are still looking for cheaper methods for breaking through shale rock and allowing the oil and gas in those areas to escape. Frac sand is a much cheaper alternative than using chemically-coated or ceramics proppant. In addition, frac sand suppliers, like Vista Sand, have developed new techniques to remove impurities and increase overall production.
As one of the largest frac sand suppliers in the U.S., Vista Sand is prepared to meet the increased demand for frac sand from energy companies looking for flexible, efficient solutions that allow them to get more bang for their buck when drilling. In addition, the oil and gas industries recently starting increased the consumption of finer sand types (100 mesh and 40/70 mesh), which are the only two sand sizes Vista produces. It was once thought that coarse sands were needed to keep the fissures open;owever, we now know that finer grains will create smaller fissures, but those fissures will still remain open.
Vista Sand’s owner and investors are very optimistic about the future of the industry.