Frac sand - 961 Words

Frac sand mining has become a booming business. Frac sand is also known as silica sand has many uses and has recently had a major spike in demand. The silica sand industry recent increase from demand has come from the new oil/natural gas extraction process hydraulic fracturing commonly known as â€Å"fracking†. This new demand for more silica sand, and more silica sand mines has many benefits economically but is also facing strong resistance. As the more and more mines continue to develop among our region in the Midwest more questions are being asked. Silica sand is made up of very pure quartz. Silica sand can be found in granite, gneiss, and sandstone. The grains of silica sand can range in sizes from 2.38 millimeters to 105 microns. The†¦show more content†¦(Dolley, 2011) According to Wisconsin’s center for investigative journalism, there are currently 131 mining sites that have been permitted or proposed in Wisconsin. All of this mining has caused some co ncern from many people in the area. Concerns about health risks, traffic, and property value are at the top of the list. With 65% of the sand being transported to its destination by truck, there is much concern of the noise from the trucks near homes and businesses, as well as the impact that all of the traffic could have on the roads. (Dolley, 2011) Silica sand mining has its ups and its downs, but one that looks to be clear is that this booming business is not going anywhere any time soon. With a nation that would like to become energy independent frac sand may be the key to open that door. The industry may have some people concerned about what some of the effects of all this frac sand mining may be, but as long as the demand continues to rise there will still be frac sand mining. The frac sand business has had the biggest impact in the Midwest, as the large amount of sandstone brings mining companies to the area. References MPR News. (2013, May 1). Retrieved September 17, 2013, from Frac Sand Minnesota: http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/frac_sand/frac_map/ Development, W. D. (2011). Workforce Connections. Frac SandShow MoreRelatedDriftless Area1298 Words   |  6 Pagessurface making it popular for sand mining. About 95 present of the frac sand mining in the United State is done here. Driftless Area When the sandstone layer in the bedrock is broken down and crushed into individual granules it is called silica sand. This type of sand is very uniform, non-porous and strong; it can maintain its shape when exposed to high pressure. When silica sand is cleaned and processed the impurities are removed and then it is called frac sand because it can be used for HydraulicRead MoreHydrofracking1070 Words   |  5 PagesEconomics Blog, 2014) Disadvantages of Hydrofracking Techniques used in hydrofracking  process use materials such as silica sand, these sand particles are known to cause lung cancer, if lung cancer is not the result some people have developed a condition called silicosis, which causes a swelling in the lungs due to structures in the lung being destroyed. Not just water and sand is being used on the fracking process, most companies are adding chemicals to help separate particles and allowing for a easierRead MoreThe Business Of Mining And Selling Sand And Related Products Essay1243 Words   |  5 Pagesthe business of mining and selling sand and related products. Primarily, the Company sells a product referred to as â€Å"dry silica† which is largely used in oil gas operations, particularly in dry casing the wells created through horizontal fracturing (â€Å"Fracking†) operations. Secondarily, the Company also sells â€Å"washed silica sand† and â€Å"fill dirt.† Washed silica sand is generally used as top dressing for sports facilities; particle board; foundry and masonry sand; and mortar productions. Fill dirtRead MoreThe Problem Of Bottled Water2377 Words   |  10 Pageslooking up: a new frac sand mine moved in nearby, providing jobs for a large portion of the community. Although there is more traffic because of the mine, it seems relatively harmless. As time goes on, however, you start to feel as if something is off. You haven’t been feeling well, and you suspect it has something to do with your tap water. You switch to bottled water and try to avoid using the public water as much as possible. A couple of years later, the news comes out that the frac sand mine had beenRead MoreAnalysis : Eagle Ford Shale2774 Words   |  12 Pagesproduction techniques have to be incorporated for each zone to overcome technical difficulties for each of these hydrocarbon phases. In the northern zone or up dip areas the shale is for ductile due to the moist presence of liquid oil making it difficult to frac as it is less brittle than in the southwest. Also this northern area can produce solution gas and operates similar to a depletion drive reservoir where pressure drops below bubble point very quickly in the production cycle leaving a large amount ofRead MoreMicrobial Communities Associated with Hydraulic Fracturing Background Information Microbial600 Words   |  3 Pagesprocess, which results in additional bacterial contamination. Once the fracturing process begins, the water is pumped from the pond to tanks where biocide is added to control bacterial growth. The water is then pumped from the tank into a blender where sand and additional chemicals including polyacrylamide and sugar-based polymers, which could be utilized by bacteria that survive biocide treatments, are added. The fluids are then injected into the shale and exposed to anoxic conditions and high temperaturesRead MoreFracking : An Effective Energy Resource1144 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction Hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking, is the process of drilling wells thousands of feet below the Earth’s surface to extract natural gas deposits that are trapped in shale layers. Large amounts of a solution containing water, sand, and chemicals are shot down the well to fracture the shale layers, thus releasing the desired product. Natural gas is seen as a potential solution to the energy dilemma that faces the world today. However, the process of fracking and the advantagesRead MoreFracking : A Source Of Obtaining Oil And Gas2132 Words   |  9 PagesThese fractures increases the amount of oil and gas that can be obtained. The fluids that are being injected include chemical additives, water and proppant. Proppant usually consists of sand or ceramic beads. The proppants are used to prop the fractures open and allow for oil or gas to flow easier (What Is Frac Sand?, n.d.). The fluids help to open and enlarge the fractures within the formation. (Natural Gas Extraction - Hydraulic Fracturing, 2014). According to (Hydraulic Fracturing 101, 2015)Read MoreHydraulic Fracking Essay15746 Words   |  63 Pagesconsumption of our current resources such as clean water and sand. In this paper we will â€Å"drill† deeper into the process of hydro fracturing. We will give a description of the process. We will discuss the political, sociological and environmental effects of fracking along with the benefits and drawbacks associated with the process. We will discuss the history of fracking, along with different items used in the fracking process including sand, water, proppants and chemicals. We will also discuss newRead MoreFracking And Its Effects On The Environment1443 Words   |  6 Pageswater† or â€Å"frac fluid†. The exact makeup of this fluid varies from company to company, and is kept closely guarded as the chemicals are trade secrets and not obligated to be reported. This is because the fluids are mostly not subject to the EPCRA (Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act) passed in 1986. (Chemicals Public Disclosure) This act states that any hazardous chemicals above a â€Å"threshold amount† must be reported to federal, state, and local authorities. All frac fluids have