Shifting sands

• Autores: William Clarke
• Localización: Industrial Minerals, ISSN 0019-8544, Nº. 603, 2018 (Ejemplar dedicado a: Julio-Agosto)
• Idioma: inglés
• Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
• Resumen

  • According to estimates from Credit Suisse last year, frac sand demand reached a high of 56 million short tons in 2014 before sliding to just 34 million short tons in 2016. [...]the fact remains that planned 100 mesh sand capacity outweighs even the most generous demand forecasts. “Because of the mismatch of fine grained sand supply with demand requirements, expect the overhang of extra 100 mesh to drive prices down,” Schneyer said. “The threats from uncontrolled oil and gas development are significant, but pale in comparison to the potential habitat destruction and modification from uncontrolled frac sand mining in the Permian Basin,” the petition said.The status of the lizard is of particular interest to frac sand miners and oil and gas companies operating in the Permian Basin, because the restrictions that could be imposed by US federal law if the lizard were categorized as endangered would put strict limits on road-building and land use in many key fracking areas.Petroleum industry participants have suggested that the move to protect the lizard was intended to stymie Permian Basin fracking and petrochemical activity overall. “Unfortunately, the tactics of environmental groups remain the same, attempting to use the Endangered Species Act to advance an anti-hydrocarbon agenda,” he said.