What You Need To Know About the Transportation of Sand

Companies need to move large amounts of frac material for their operations quickly, making the transportation of sand an integral part of the oil and gas industry. This process can be complicated and time consuming, but with the right resources and partners, it doesn’t need to be.

In this article, we’ll discuss the basics of frac sand, material transportation components, and how companies like Pontotoc have created innovative processes.

Here’s everything you need to know:

What Is Frac Sand?

Frac sand, also known as hydraulic fracturing sand or proppant, is a type of sand with unique physical properties that make it ideal for use in hydraulic fracturing, a technique used to extract natural gas and oil from underground shale rock formations. Frac sand consists of high-purity silica that is rounded and well-sorted with a specific size range and a high degree of hardness.

Why Is Frac Sand Important?

Frac sand is crucial for hydraulic fracturing because it is a propping agent to keep fractures open in the rock formation, allowing the oil or gas to flow more freely to the surface. Without frac sand, hydraulic fracturing would not be possible on the scale it is today, and extracting natural gas and oil from shale formations would be much more complex and expensive. Frac sand is also an abundant and relatively low-cost resource, which has helped to drive the growth of the hydraulic fracturing industry over the past decade.

Frac Sand Transportation

Timely delivery of frac sand is essential for oil and gas operations because delays can lead to production problems and lost revenue. For this reason, it’s essential that companies rely on experienced carriers who understand the importance of quick transportation. By using a frac sand load board, companies can easily find qualified carriers familiar with transporting large amounts of frac sand promptly.

What Is Frac Sand Hauling?

Frac sand hauling is specialized trucking that quickly delivers large amounts of frac sand to its destination. This type of trucking requires drivers who have experience with oversized loads, as the trucks can be up to 70 feet long and weigh up to 80,000 pounds when fully loaded. Drivers must also ensure the frac sand is delivered within a specified time frame.

Frac Sand Load Board

The transportation of frac sand can be difficult for companies that don’t have the necessary resources or partners. Fortunately, there are online load boards where companies can find qualified carriers for their needs. These load boards provide companies with a list of qualified carriers who can transport their frac sand safely and quickly. They can also offer competitive rates that allow companies to save money on their transportation costs.

Do you need a quick process for the transportation of sand? Pontotoc transports sediments and sand in Arkansas, Missouri, Texas, and Oklahoma to all our clients in oil and gas applications. We’ve even engineered an innovative loading process that takes less than seven minutes. Learn more about frac sand transportation today.

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Innovative Frac Sand Transportation Process

Due to the rising demand of frac sand, sand providers, like Pontotoc, have stepped up their delivery game. By leveraging sophisticated computerized systems and optimizing logistics, they can deliver high-quality frac sand from the mine to the wellsite efficiently and cost effectively. These advanced processes consider every detail in the supply chain and transportation parameters like routes, expenses, and time. Here’s an overview of what it takes for a successful frac sand shipment from start to finish.

Excavation

It all starts with a bang: explosives and heavy equipment are used to blast frac sand out of the ground. Then, it’s off to get cleaned up in special facilities. Through rigorous washing, filtering, breaking, drying, purifying, and other processing steps, you’re left with the best possible Tier 1 frac sand. Finally, it’s sorted into silos or piles ready for use.

Loading

Once employees have determined the frac sand is of a high enough quality and purity, it can be rapidly moved by conveyors into trucks and railcars. Through the use of in-plant or mobile conveyors, the process can be completed within minutes.

Commercial Trucking Transportation

Trucks are one of the primary means for frac sand transportation. They may not be able to hold as much sand as other transport options, but their convenience and speed make them desirable. Specialized loading trucks equipped with in-built conveyors can efficiently offload the sand upon arrival at its destination.

Railway and Train Car Transportation

Frac sand can be moved in bulk and at a low cost via railroads and railway cars. Many mines are conveniently located near tracks, enabling swift shipment from the source to its destination.

Barge and Waterway Transportation and Delivery

When transporting frac sand, the last leg of the journey is typically accomplished by barge or other river-based vessels. In regions like the Midwest, which have numerous bodies of water, barges and cargo boats can pick up trucks and railcars at a port before setting off downstream. Eventually, they dock at another harbor, where they unload their payloads so that they can be delivered to their final destination.

Pontotoc Sand & Stone: Your Source for the Efficient and Reliable Transportation of Sand

Whether you’re located in Arkansas, Southern Missouri, Oklahoma, or West Texas, Pontotoc Sand & Stone can get you the highest quality frac sand with speedy delivery.

If you’re looking for an efficient and reliable way to order, dispatch, haul, track, report, and acquire data on materials such as Tier 1 sand, look no further. With our automated process and quality crushed limestone solutions, you can trust us to do the job right. Contact us today for the quickest transportation of sand.

What You Need To Know About the Transportation of Sand

What Is Frac Sand?

Why Is Frac Sand Important?

Frac Sand Transportation

What Is Frac Sand Hauling?

Frac Sand Load Board

Innovative Frac Sand Transportation Process

Excavation

Loading

Commercial Trucking Transportation

Railway and Train Car Transportation

Barge and Waterway Transportation and Delivery

Pontotoc Sand & Stone: Your Source for the Efficient and Reliable Transportation of Sand

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