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Frac Sand Mining

Frac Sand Mining. By: Alyssa Schmid. Contents. Introduction Significance Frac Sand Characteristics Frac Sand used in the Fracking Industry Location Environmental Impact Future of Frac Sand. Introduction. Frac sand mining:

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Frac Sand Mining

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  1. Frac Sand Mining By: Alyssa Schmid

  2. Contents • Introduction • Significance • Frac Sand Characteristics • Frac Sand used in the Fracking Industry • Location • Environmental Impact • Future of Frac Sand

  3. Introduction • Frac sand mining: • Mining sands that contribute to hydraulic fracturing or “fracking.” • Procedure for extracting oil and natural gas from shale rock deep within the earth. • Revolutionary new form of obtaining petroleum fluids, cheaply.

  4. Image is an aerial view of a fracsand mining operation in Wisconsin. Source: What is Frac Sand Mining? [Article], Retrieved February 3, 2013, from: http://geology.com/articles/frac-sand/

  5. Frac Sand Significance • Our available deposits of frac sand give the U.S. an advantage when it comes to fracking technology and all its benefits. • A shale well can require as much as 10,000 metric tons of frac sand to complete.

  6. Frac Sand Significance • Fracking technology helps us obtain petroleum liquids that were thought to be impossible to reach. • New technologies have made fracking a popular choice for cheaper and “cleaner” energy. • With more production of natural gas there will be less need for coal plants.

  7. Frac Sand Significance • Hydraulic Fracturing has increased the United States’ energy supplies while lowering energy costs. • Fracking may lead to: • Higher standard of livingin the US. • Over 1 million jobs created. • An overall increase in manufacturing production.

  8. Frac Sand Characteristics • General description of frac sand: • High-purity sandstone • Durable sand grains • Crush-resistant • Produced for the petroleum industry. • Frac sand began as a quartz-rich crystalline rock dating back to the Precambrian era, undergoing a continuous cycle of weathering, re-working, and rounding.

  9. Frac Sand Characteristics • The American Petroleum Institute (API) sets frac sand specifications in the U.S. • Standard frac sand has to be >99% quartz or silica. • Granules should conform to one of 4 “mesh” sizes. • Sphericity and roundness should be 0.6 or larger. • More rounded grains means higher permeability. • Durability to resist crushing forces of closing fractures. • Frac sand has a crush resistance of 4,000 - 6,000 pounds per square inch (psi).

  10. Image of common sand found in a lake bed (left) and the sand sold to hydraulic fracturing companies. Source: Emily Eggleston (Contributor). (2013). This Sand is Your Sand, This Sand is My Sand[Article], Retrieved February 3, 2013, from: http://www.wisconsinacademy.org/magazine/sand-your-sand-sand-my-sand-0

  11. Frac Sand Characteristics • The size of frac sand grains range from 0.1 mm to over 2 mm in diameter. • Most common diameter range is 0.4 mm – 0.8 mm. Source: Minnesota Department of Environmental Quality. (March 2013). Report on Silica Sand, Retrieved February 3, 2013, from: http://www.ogfj.com/articles/2013/08/mr-sandman-getting-proppant-to-the-wellhead.html

  12. How is Frac Sand used in Fracking? • Since petroleum fluids are trapped within rock, “fracking” is used to fracture that rock, creating pore space that allows the fluid to flow out. • Raw frac sand must be processed at the mine or at a secondary facility before it can be used in the process. • Raw sand is washed, dried and sorted to remove unwanted material. • Size sorting for job specifications. • Some specialized processing plants also apply a resin coating to the sand to improve its flow qualities and crush.

  13. How is Frac Sand used in Fracking? • First, a well is drilled into the rock; • Water is pumped beneath the well at high pressure. • This water is usually treated with chemicals used to fragment the shale. • Toluene, benzene & other known carcinogens • The water becomes a viscous gel, able to suspend the sand particles.

  14. Image visualizing horizontal drilling, putting into perspective the distance between the fractured shale formation and freshwater aquifers. Source: Seamus McGraw (Author). Is Fracking Safe? The Top Ten Controversial Claims About Natural Gas Drilling [Article], Retrieved February 3, 2013, from: http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/energy/coal-oil-gas/top-10-myths-about-natural-gas-drilling-6386593#slide-6

  15. How is Frac Sand used in Fracking? • Once the water-sand mixture has created fractures and small fissures within the rock, the frac sand keeps them open for the fluids to flow near the well. • Due to this, fracsand is known as a “proppant.” • There are three types of proppants used in fracking: • Frac sand •  Resin-coated silica sand • Ceramic proppants made from kaolin or bauxite

  16. Image showing the differences in sands used for fracking: naturally occuringfrac sand (top left), resin coated sand (top right), high-strength ceramic materials (bottom left), and resin coated ceramic materials (bottom right). Source: Frac Sand and Proppant Applications [Article], Retrieved February 3, 2013, from: http://www.horiba.com/scientific/products/particle-characterization/applications/frac-sand/

  17. Where is Frac Sand Found? • Most of the sand for fracking comes from the Midwest. • Primarily mined in Wisconsin and Minnesota, followed by Illinois and Texas. • Wisconsin supplies 75% of the industry’s frac sand. • An estimated 30-40 million metric tons of fracsand was mined in 2013.

  18. Source: (2013). Silica Sand Mining [Article], Retrieved February 3, 2013, from: http://mn.audubon.org/silica-sand-mining

  19. Source: (2013). Frac sand mining and processing operations double from 2011 to 2012 [Article], Retrieved February 3, 2013, from: http://www.wisconsinwatch.org/viz/fracmap/

  20. Environmental Impact • Little is known about the health concerns surrounding silica sand dust, including: • Air emissions • Pollution runoff into waterways • Release of radioactive substances. • Silica sand processing includes washing, processing and transportation. • This releases clouds of crystalline dust into the air that vary in size. • The smallest pieces are 2.5 micrometers (PM 2.5) • These airborne particles are the greatest health concern.

  21. Environmental Impact • When people breathe in this particulate matter there is cause for concern. • Particles can irritate the lung causing bronchitis, silicosis (incurable lung disease), or even lung cancer. • The particles can also find their way into the blood stream and affect the heart. • An estimated 7,300 new cases of silicosis are diagnosed in sand industries each year and roughly 200 people die (OSHA). • There are no official statistics on the number of non-worker deaths from silica sand exposure.

  22. Environmental Impact • Other environmental impacts from open-pit frac sand mining include: • Endangers productive soils needed for agriculture. • Damage to surface waters. • Draws down groundwater reserves. • Water use ranges from 420,500 gallons to 2 million gallons per day. • Removal of topsoil may lead to groundwater pollution.

  23. Environmental Impact • Other environmental impacts from open-pit frac sand mining include: • Exposes families to toxic chemicals. • Hydrochloric acid and polyacrylamides (acrylamide – neurotoxin/carcinogen) are commonly used in sand mining. • Noise pollution • Disruption of wild habitat

  24. Image of US areas where hydrocarbon source rocks are located (brown) and where companies are actively exploring (green). Source: Seamus McGraw (Author). Is Fracking Safe? The Top Ten Controversial Claims About Natural Gas Drilling [Article], Retrieved February 3, 2013, from: http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/energy/coal-oil-gas/top-10-myths-about-natural-gas-drilling-6386593#slide-6

  25. Resources "Hydraulic fracturing." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 2 Apr. 2014. Web. 4 Feb. 2014. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydraulic_fracturing>. "Mr. Sandman – Getting proppant to the wellhead." - Oil & Gas Financial Journal. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Feb. 2014. <http://www.ogfj.com/articles/2013/08/ mr-sandman-getting-proppant-to-the-wellhead.html>. "Stop the Frac Sand Free-For-All." Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Feb. 2014. <http://conservationvoters.org/wordpress/ wp-content/uploads/2014/01/FracSandCitizenOnePagerWeb.pdf?c5398b>. "Study: Fracking cuts energy costs, raises living standards." Human Events. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Feb. 2014. <http://www.humanevents.com/2013/11/13/ study-fracking-cuts-energy-costs-raises-living-standards/>. "This sand is your sand, this sand is my sand.." Welcome to wisconsinacademy.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Feb. 2014. <http://www.wisconsinacademy.org/magazine/sand-your-sand-sand-my-sand-0>. "Visit Our News Center for Expert Coverage of the Exxon Oil Spill in Arkansas." 'Frac Sand' Mining Boom: Health Hazard Feared, but Lawmakers Aim to Ease Regulation. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Feb. 2014. <http://insideclimatenews.org/news/20131105/ frac-sand-mining-boom-health-hazard-feared-lawmakers-aim-ease-regulation>. "What is Frac Sand?." A Durable Sand for Hydraulic Fracturing. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Feb. 2014. <http://geology.com/articles/frac-sand/>.

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