Industrial Minerals


Frac sand demand shifts to coarse grades

18 January 2012

by Jack Elliott

Increased oil and wet gas production drives demand, particularly for 20/40 mesh

Keywords: frac sand, silica sand, oil, gas, Sweco, Preferred Sands

 A move from dry natural gas to oil and wet gas in North America has strengthened demand for coarser grades of frac sand, market sources told IM.

Producers have emphasised the importance of coarse supply, suggesting that the finest mesh sizes are losing their value.

“We have seen a shift in demand towards the coarser grades. 100 mesh is practically...