40/70 Mesh
Specialized Proppant for Hydraulic Fracturing Operations
Our 40/70 mesh frac sand is designed to withstand extreme underground pressure while maximizing gas and oil flow.
40/70 Mesh Frac Sand Proppant That Meets Specific Requirements
With Pontotoc Sand and Stone’s St. Pete reserves and our Oil Creek reserves, we’re able to produce high-quality 40/70 proppant sand. 40/70 is a coarse proppant that is highly spherical and crush resistant with roundness and sphericity values at or greater than 0.7. Other advantages include:
- Low acid solubility and turbidity reduce dust and fines generation.
- High silica content provides elite crush performance.
- Inherent strength withstands closure pressure up to 10,000 psi.
The main difference between 100 mesh sand vs. 40/70 mesh sand is size. Larger grains in 40/70 mixtures change how the entire sand mixture performs under high stress and extreme environments.
Learn more about us! Explore our partnerships, or learn about our sustainability initiatives to get a feel for Pontotoc and how we produce exceptional 40/70 proppants.
What Does 40/70 Sand Mean?
40/70 frac sand features a high silica content with roundness and sphericity values that are typically greater than or equal to 0.7. This creates a highly permeable proppant structure that’s capable of withstanding high pressure and closure stresses. 40/70 frac sand is commonly included with 100 mesh products, and we can deliver highly specialized products through computerized analysis methods.
How Is Proppant “In Spec?”
Proppant sand is never ready when it comes straight out of the ground. At Pontotoc, part of our value lies in the rigorous testing and sorting procedures we apply to each frac sand product. When we say a product is “in spec,” we mean that it meets or exceeds measurements in key physical and chemical attributes.
Sieve analysis – Sieve testing determines how much sand falls within typical frac sand size designations. This is often the first evaluation the material goes through. When it comes to determining if an actual frac sand product meets accepted frac sand specs, at least 90% of the frac sand must fall within the marketed mesh size.
Sphericity and roundness – Each grain of sand has a shape, and it needs to be round and uniform for frac sand to do its job of combining structure with filtration. The API RP 19C frac sand manual recommends a sphericity of 0.6 or above and a roundness of 0.6 or above for frac sand. The Permian sandstone we mine typically has these unique characteristics, but Pontotoc carefully assesses each product before delivery to ensure it meets our standards.
Computerized Particle Analysis (CPA) – Millions of particles are run through computerized analysis to determine size and shape properties for an entire sample. This is how we determine the quality of our products through a non-biased, quantitative assessment.
Acid solubility – Acid tests are an indication of how much non-silica contaminants are in a sample. High percentages of contaminants over 3% in 40/70 frac sand are not within spec.
Turbidity – The turbidity frac sand spec is essentially an indication of how dirty the frac sand is. It’s possible that a more thorough washing process could reduce turbidity.
Crush resistance – The frac sand is crushed at a predetermined stress level and then sent back through the sieve analysis to determine the percentage of fines that were produced from the original sample that was crushed.
We Always Prioritize Safety
At Pontotoc, safety is vital. Our crushed limestone quarrying procedures are controlled by industry best practices and mine safety regulations that protect our employees and the surrounding area.
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