Frac Sand
Frac Sand
Frac sand is used to improve production from oil and gas wells, and sometimes pressure is used to fracture the rock formations to allow better flow of the hydrocarbons to the wellbore. When the pressure is removed, however, the fracture that was created closes back up which dramatically diminishes the effectiveness of the fracture.
Frac sand is pumped into the well during the fracturing operation. Since the sand is carried along with the fluid into the fracture, it will remain in the fracture when the pressure is removed, keeping the fracture propped open and allowing a good means by which the hydrocarbons can flow to the wellbore.
Grade Sizes:
- 20/40
- 30/50
- 40/70
- 100 mesh
Loss From Washing
| Sample ID | Dry Prewash Wt (g) | Dry Postwash Wt(g) | Grams Lost | % Loss |
| WWS-20/40 | 4813.48 | 4801.27 | 12.21 | 0.25 |
| WWS-100M | 1564.80 | 1551.70 | 13.10 | 0.84 |
Sieve Analysis of Submitted Proppant Samples
| ISO 13503-2:2006/API RP19C:2008, Section 6, “Sieve Analysis” | |||||||||||
| Sample I.D. | WWS-20/40 | WWS-30/50 | WWS-40/70 | WWS-100M | |||||||
| US Standard | Weight % | Weight % | Weight % | Weight % | |||||||
| Sieve No. | Retained | Cumulative | Retained | Cumulative | Retained | Cumulative | Retained | Cumulative | |||
| 6 | – | 0.0 | – | 0.0 | – | 0.0 | – | 0.0 | |||
| 8 | – | 0.0 | – | 0.0 | – | 0.0 | – | 0.0 | |||
| 10 | – | 0.0 | – | 0.0 | – | 0.0 | – | 0.0 | |||
| 12 | – | 0.0 | – | 0.0 | – | 0.0 | – | 0.0 | |||
| 14 | – | 0.0 | – | 0.0 | – | 0.0 | – | 0.0 | |||
| 16 | 0.0 | 0.0 | – | 0.0 | – | 0.0 | – | 0.0 | |||
| 18 | 0.0 | 0.0 | – | 0.0 | – | 0.0 | – | 0.0 | |||
| 20 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | – | 0.0 | – | 0.0 | |||
| 25 | 7.1 | 7.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | – | 0.0 | – | 0.0 | |||
| 30 | 17.9 | 25.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | – | 0.0 | |||
| 35 | 29.4 | 54.5 | 13.6 | 13.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | – | 0.0 | |||
| 40 | 41.0 | 95.5 | 23.4 | 37.0 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | |||
| 45 | 4.4 | 100.0 | 26.6 | 63.6 | 25.6 | 25.9 | 1.1 | 1.1 | |||
| 50 | 0.0 | 100.0 | 35.6 | 99.2 | 28.9 | 54.8 | 2.0 | 3.2 | |||
| 60 | – | 100.0 | 0.8 | 100.0 | 25.9 | 80.7 | 6.7 | 9.9 | |||
| 70 | – | 100.0 | 0.0 | 100.0 | 18.1 | 98.8 | 16.0 | 25.9 | |||
| 80 | – | 100.0 | – | 100.0 | 1.2 | 100.0 | 24.3 | 50.2 | |||
| 100 | – | 100.0 | – | 100.0 | 0.0 | 100.0 | 24.7 | 74.9 | |||
| 120 | – | 100.0 | – | 100.0 | – | 100.0 | 15.6 | 90.5 | |||
| 140 | – | 100.0 | – | 100.0 | – | 100.0 | 6.4 | 96.8 | |||
| 170 | – | 100.0 | – | 100.0 | – | 100.0 | 2.2 | 99.1 | |||
| 200 | – | 100.0 | – | 100.0 | – | 100.0 | 0.7 | 99.8 | |||
| 230 | – | 100.0 | – | 100.0 | – | 100.0 | – | 99.8 | |||
| pan | 0.0 | 100.0 | 0.0 | 100.0 | 0.0 | 100.0 | 0.2 | 100.0 | |||
| total | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | |||||||
| in-size | 95.5 | = | as 20/40 | 99.1 | = | as 30/50 | 98.5 | = | as 40/70 | 93.7 | = as 50/140 |
| ISO Mean Dia. (mm) | 0.542 | 0.406 | 0.311 | 0.187 | |||||||
| Median Dia. (mm) | 0.532 | 0.397 | 0.305 | 0.178 | |||||||
Used In Hydraulic Fracturing and Gravel-Packing Operations
| ISO 13503-2:2006/API RP19C:2008, Section 7, “Proppant Sphericity and Roundness” | |||
| * mean of a 20 count | |||
| Sphericity = | 0.7 | ||
| Roundness | = | 0.7 | |
| Clusters = | None Observed in Field of Count | ||
| Recommended Sphericity and Roundness for proppants = 0.6 or greater (ISO/DIS 13503-2/Amd.1:2009) | |||
| ISO 13503-2:2006/API RP19C:2008, Section 8, “Acid Solubility” | |||
| * mean of 3 analyses Acid Sol. Percent = 0.7% Recommended Maximum Acid Solubility for proppants 6/12 thru 30/50 = 2.0% (ISO/DIS 13503-2/Amd.1:2009) Tested as per ISO 13503-2:2006/API RP19C:2008, 100ml of 12:3 HCl:HF* with 5 grams of sand or proppant at 150oF for 30 minutes, *Other acids may be specified, depending on desired application |
|||
| ISO 13503-2:2006/API RP19C:2008, Section 9, “Turbidity Test” | |||
| Turbidity = 15 Method 1: Turbidity, suggested maximum proppant turbidity = equal or less than 250 NTU (ISO/DIS 13503-2/Amd.1:2009) |
NTU | ||
| ISO 13503-2:2006/API RP19C:2008, Section 10, “Procedures for Determining Proppant Bulk Density, Apparent Density” |
|||
| Bulk Density = Bulk Density = Apparent Density = (Oil) |
1.57 98.0 2.62 |
g/cm3 lb/ft 3 g/cm3 |
|
| ISO 13503-2:2006/API RP19C:2008, Section 11, “Proppant Crush-Resistance Test” | |||
| % Fines | |||
| Stresses Tested (psi) | -20+40 crush prep | ||
| 4000 | 6.8% | ||
| 6000 | 9.2% | ||
| 7000 | 11.8% | ||
| K-Value = | 6K | ||
| The highest stress level which proppant generates no more than 10% crushed material, rounded down to the nearest 1000psi = K-Value | |||
Measurement of Properties of Proppants
| Used In Hydraulic Fracturing and Gravel-Packing Operations | ||
| ISO 13503-2:2006/API RP19C:2008, Section 7, “Proppant Sphericity and Roundness” | ||
| * mean of a 20 count | ||
| Sphericity = | 0.7 | |
| Roundness | = | 0.7 |
| Clusters = | None Observed in Field of Count | |
| Recommended Sphericity and Roundness for proppants = 0.6 or greater (ISO/DIS 13503-2/Amd.1:2009) | ||
| ISO 13503-2:2006/API RP19C:2008, Section 8, “Acid Solubility” | ||
| * mean of 3 analyses Acid Sol. Percent = 0.7% Recommended Maximum Acid Solubility for proppants 6/12 thru 30/50 = 2.0% (ISO/DIS 13503-2/Amd.1:2009) Tested as per ISO 13503-2:2006/API RP19C:2008, 100ml of 12:3 HCl:HF* with 5 grams of sand or proppant at 150oF for 30 minutes, *Other acids may be specified, depending on desired application |
||
| ISO 13503-2:2006/API RP19C:2008, Section 9, “Turbidity Test” | ||
| Turbidity = 8 Method 1: Turbidity, suggested maximum proppant turbidity = equal or less than 250 NTU (ISO/DIS 13503-2/Amd.1:2009) |
NTU | |
| ISO 13503-2:2006/API RP19C:2008, Section 10, “Procedures for Determining Proppant Bulk Density, Apparent Density” |
||
| Bulk Density = Bulk Density = Apparent Density = (Oil) |
1.54 96.1 2.63 |
g/cm3 lb/ft 3 g/cm3 |
| ISO 13503-2:2006/API RP19C:2008, Section 11, “Proppant Crush-Resistance Test” | ||
| % Fines | ||
| Stresses Tested (psi) | -30+50 crush prep | |
| 4000 | 1.8% | |
| 8000 | 8.2% | |
| 9000 | 11.7% | |
| K-Value = | 8K | |
| The highest stress level which proppant generates no more than 10% crushed material, rounded down to the nearest 1000psi = K-Value | ||