Oilfield minerals face falling US drilling activity
By William Clarke
Published: Tuesday, 10 March 2020
Markets for oilfield minerals like frac sand and barite are being influenced by national policies and international trade, reports William Clarke.
Oilfield minerals, the clays and proppants used in
drilling and extracting oil, are a crucial part of the
petrochemical industry, and demand for these minerals
correlates closely to drilling rates. Barite and bentonite
are used in drilling fluids, while silica sand is crucial
in the fast-growing fracking industry.
The...