4 Answers

Read about it here;

http://geology.com/articles/frac-sand/

Some subsurface rock units such as organic shale contain large amounts of oil, natural gas or natural gas liquids that will not flow freely to a well. They will not flow to a well because the rock unit either lacks permeability (interconnected pore spaces) or the pore spaces in the rock are so small that these fluids cannot flow through them.

The hydraulic fracturing process solves this problem by generating fractures in the rock. This is done by drilling a well into the rock, sealing the portion of the well in the petroleum-bearing zone, and pumping water under high pressure into that portion of the well. This water has been treated with a chemical that creates a viscous gel. This gel facilitates the water's abillity to carry grains of frac sand in suspension.

Large pumps at Earth's surface increase the water pressure in the sealed portion of the well until it is high enough to exceed the breaking point of the surrounding rocks. When their breaking point is reached they fracture suddenly and water rushes rapidly into the fractures, inflating them and extending them deeper into the rock. Billions of sand grains are carried deep into the fractures by this sudden rush of water. Over one million pounds of frac sand can be used to stimulate a single well.

1. Frac sand is a special sand is one of the keys to producing oil and natural gas from tight shale formations

Crush-Resistant Sand for Oil and Gas Wells. "Frac sand" is a high-purity sand with very durable and very round grains of a specific size. It is a highly specialized, crush-resistant material produced for use by the petroleum industry. It is used in thehydraulic fracturing process (known as "fracking") to produce petroleum fluids, such as oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids from rock units that lack adequate pore space for these fluids to flow to a well. Frac sand can be a natural material made from high purity sandstone. An alternative product is ceramic beads made from sintered bauxite.

Frac sand is very dangerous that it destroys countless communities and poisoning water, consequently, water creatures will be poisoned too and when human consume a poisoned fish it can kill. I heard some protests have been going on regarding the issues of the frac sand and I truly wish that they will win against hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking.”

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