High demand for frac sand resulted in a large influx of new mines and sand suppliers—with a wide range of reliability and quality. That’s why it’s more important than ever to consider these four key factors that help you optimize your sand sourcing choices.

Product quality. First and foremost, reliable sand quality is critical for hydraulic fracturing success and well productivity. The quality of a mine’s reserves controls sizes, mineralogy, and crush values. But the mine also needs the right processing equipment and feed. Plus, the processing should be supported by a fully equipped onsite lab and robust quality assurance program to monitor manufacturing and record data in a daily certificate of analysis (CoA) for each mesh type.

Production capacity and mesh flexibility. Wet and dry inventory help to ensure the efficient production and product availability. Mines with low storage capacity rely only on equipment performance to maintain stock values, increasing the risk of delays. Efficient wet sand production and reliable screening maximize production of any mesh size—adding flexibility to change sizes when needed.

Efficient loading process. Truck or rail car load time directly impacts delivery efficiency and safety. Fully automated loadout processes eliminate wait times.

Location. In the Permian Basin, being just a few too many miles away from the wellsite or on the wrong side of an intersection can delay deliveries by hours. Ideal positioning of mines, distribution hubs, rail transloads, and loadouts is critical for efficient delivery.

Of course, there are more considerations when you're looking for a reliable and efficient source of high-quality frac sand—for example, environmental compliance. To learn about two more factors that can save you time and aggravation, visit the Wisconsin Proppants website.