Frac Sand Weekly News Digest

Nick Cook, Editor

Issue #271 | May 13, 2020

Maybe journalists got sick of writing bad news.  Maybe state economies opening up have gotten people looking ahead.  I don’t know exactly why, but in the past week we have had several positive articles about the future of North American shale.  We also have some very interesting industry articles this week.  The 2-part Infill Thinking story about Sand Revolution v. Covia is interesting.  Nomad Proppants participated in a investment pitch program.  Westwood Energy hosted an excellent webinar on frac sand (I believe you can watch the recorded version if you register), in which there are also some positive notes.  On top of the news, we had several inquiries about our July 1 event, our September conference, and even our 2021 events.  It seems like we’re emerging from the rubble and realizing we’re still alive…and that we should probably get back to work. I hope that is the case and that we’re on the road to recovery.  Enjoy the read…

This Week's News

Part 1: Last Mile Logistics Contractor Challenges A Public Frac Sand Producer’s Solvency In Court After Non-Payment

A last mile logistics firm has asked the court system to declare a leading frac sand producer insolvent, which would nullify a big service contract. In the legal process, some interesting market data is coming to light…

Part 2: A Fiery Response To Frac Sand Insolvency Lawsuit (Read The Letter)

Yesterday we summarized the plaintiff’s arguments, which have market implications in the last mile. Today we cover the defendant’s response…

Nomad Proppant Services Pitches at Rice Alliance’s Energy Tech Venture Day

Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship's annual Energy Tech Venture Day is usually hosted as a part of the Offshore Technology Conference that takes over NRG Center each May...

Westwood Webinars – Frac Sand and Horsepower Update

Who is still fracing and completing wells? Learn where frac sand demand and horsepower demand are moving as the market changes.. This webinar was presented during a Westwood webinar session on Friday...

SPE Webinar: Can Proppants Do More Than Keep The Fracture Open?

This looked interesting, but I am not sure if a recorded version of it will be made available.

Heard Around The Field: Sand & Pumping Pricing Trends, Crew Releases, Write-offs & Lay-offs, Shut-ins & Storage, Etc.

It’s Tuesday May 12, 2020 and from our desk to yours, here is a roundup of noteworthy downturn datapoints that advance the oilfield business narrative as the bottom approaches...

Technological improvements drive sand demand recover in Argentina

As the global Oil & Gas Industry faces unprecedented market conditions, challenges pile up in Argentina. Besides the plunge in crude oil price, dragged by the nose-dive in demand, local industry faces...

Solaris Oilfield Infrastructure: Placed On A Tough Ground With A Robust Balance Sheet

The steep fall in hydraulic fracturing and completions activities will set Solaris Oilfield Infrastructure's proppant and chemical systems performance tumbling in Q2. Its proppant management system...

U.S. Silica Announces Suspension of Quarterly Dividend

U.S. Silica Holdings, Inc. today announced that its Board of Directors has elected to suspend the Company's quarterly cash dividend of $0.02 per common share until further notice...

The Six Factors That Drive Efficiency And Effectiveness In Frac Sand Sourcing

Our IndustryVoice article gave you some insights about the top four factors to consider when you’re selecting a frac sand supplier, but there are two more factors we think you’ll want to consider...

The U.S. Needs China For Rare Earth Minerals? Not For Long, Thanks To This Mountain Located on the Edge of the Permian

A whole slate of new bad behaviors by China’s repressive regime have been laid bare by the COVID-19 crisis. There were already plenty of complaints before the pandemic began, but the coronavirus seems to be...

Mining companies tap alternative credit sources as lockdowns, low prices hit cashflow

Peru, Mexico, Bolivia, Ecuador, the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Africa are among major mining nations to order mine closures as part of countrywide lockdowns designed to protect...

In U.S. shale bust, frack-sand miners are the new coal companies

Three years ago, companies selling frack sand to oil producers were booming, opening multi-million dollar mines, buying rivals and selling shares in what was the hottest niche in oilfield services...

Timpte

Shale drillers are already reopening wells, pipe giant says

Some drillers in the biggest North American oil field are reopening wells shut in response to the pandemic-driven price collapse, according to pipeline giant Energy Transfer LP. In the Permian Basin’s...

Continental sees imminent oil recovery while slashing output

Shale driller Continental Resources Inc. expects an imminent recovery in crude prices even as it undertakes some of the most aggressive production cuts in an industry crippled by tumbling oil prices...

Weatherford back in the red months after emerging from bankruptcy

Oil-field service company Weatherford International is back in the red just a few months after emerging from bankruptcy. Weatherford lost $966 million in the first three months of 2020, doubling the...

Liberty Oilfield Services: Surviving The Short-Term Woes Will Yield Results Later

The sharp fall in the U.S. rig count and loss of demand for fracking activities in the U.S. unconventional shales has forced Liberty Oilfield Services to reduce staffed frac fleet considerably...

This Could be the Beginning of a Tremendous Oil Rally

If you’re a fan of oil, and I expect you are seeing as how you’re reading articles on OilPrice, get ready for a positive forecast about oil prices moving higher. You’re going to like the direction this article takes...

Preparing For The Next DUC Hunting Season By Dissecting The 50% Drilling Decline Across The Permian

The Permian Basin rig count is down 50% from March, with little variance in the percentage decline between the Midland and Delaware Basins. But the downtrend does vary county by county…

Advertiser Space Available

Oil stockpiles have stopped growing in world’s biggest buyer

The great oil glut of 2020 may have already peaked in the world’s biggest crude importer. Crude inventories in China have shrunk in recent weeks after rising to record levels, according...

Oil Holds Gains Despite Massive Unemployment

Oil prices are poised for a second weekly gain in a row despite the harrowing jobs report released on Friday morning...

How U.S. Shale Can Survive The Oil Crash

The question regarding whether we have reached peak oil demand is a pressing concern for U.S. upstream activity. U.S. tight oil’s current cost structure, which generally requires...

Oil & Gas To Lead A 20% Drop In Union Pacific’s Energy Freight In 2020?

Union Pacific’s Energy Freight segment, which consists of the transportation of coal, crude oil, sand, and petroleum products, has seen revenues shrink from $4.5 billion in 2017 to $3.8 billion in 2019...

Norfolk Southern’s Intermodal Segment Growth 21x Faster Than Peers

Norfolk Southern’s Intermodal Freight segment, which refers to the shipment of containers that can be moved from one form of transport to another, has seen revenues grow from $2.5 billion in...

Trinity: “Our 1Q Results Reflect Solid Progress”

Trinity Industries announced first-quarter 2020 total company revenues of $615.2 million; quarterly earnings from continuing operations per common diluted share of $1.33, an increase...

Oil Bust Forces College Grads to Rethink a Well-Paid Career Path

Kleeman, a 20-year-old mechanical-engineering major, had an internship lined up in the drilling group of a publicly traded crude producer. She was hoping it would translate into a full-time...

Frac Sand Weekly News Digest logo

Get relevant announcements and news from major outlets, industry leaders, and local media so you always know what’s happening and changing in the frac sand industry.

Subscribe to get our carefully curated summary of relevant frac sand related news and analysis delivered to your inbox each Wednesday morning.

We keep your data private and share your data only with third parties that make this service possible.

Share Your News

Send us your press releases and any other news articles which you believe would be of interest to our readers. Email submissions to [email protected]

Advertising

Do you offer goods or services focused on the frac sand supply chain? Advertise in the Frac Sand Weekly News Digest.

AGENDA - NOV 18

  • Frac Sand Equipment Expo Begins 9:00 am
  • Exhibitor Setup for Frac Sand Conference 1:00 pm
  • Frac Sand Equipment Expo Ends 4:00 pm
  • Speaker/Sponsor Reception at Frac Sand Equipment Expo 4:00 pm

AGENDA - NOV 19

AGENDA - NOV 20

  • Networking Breakfast in Exhibit Hall 8:00 am
  • General Sessions with Breaks in the Exhibit Hall 8:30 am
  • Conference Closes 12:00 pm
  • Exhibit Hall Beak Down & Move-Out 12:00 pm
  • Conference Golf Outing 1:00 pm

SPONSOR ADD-ONS

  • Frac Sand Equipment Expo 20'x40' Space $3,500
  • VIP Dinner on November 19th $7,500
  • Coffee Mugs $4,500
  • Notebook SOLD
  • Speaker/Sponsor Reception on November 18th SOLD
  • Conference Mobile App $3,000
  • Day 1 Kick-Off SOLD
  • Day 2 Kick-Off $3,000
  • Lanyard SOLD
  • Networking Lunch on November 19th SOLD
  • Networking Reception Glasses $3,000
  • Day 1 Morning Break (Video ad) $2,500
  • Day 1 Afternoon Break (Video ad) $2,500
  • Day 2 Morning Break (Video ad) $2,500
  • Day 2 Afternoon Break (Video ad) $2,500
  • Case Study 1 $2,500
  • Case Study 2 $2,500
  • Charging Station $2,500
  • Printed Program $2,500
  • Conference Wifi $2,000
  • Golf: Water Bottles SOLD
  • Golf: Hosted Hole (Beverage Station & Contest) $3,700
  • Golf: Hats $3,500
  • Golf: Cigars $3,200
  • Golf: Divot Tools $3,200
  • Golf: Balls $3,200
  • Golf: Towels $3,200

The Frac Sand
Summer Happy Hour

Event Registration – $25