Frac Sand Weekly News Digest
Nick Cook, Editor
Issue #543 | December 3, 2025
After a two-week hiatus between hosting the frac sand conference and celebrating Thanksgiving with friends and family, the Frac Sand Digest is back!
Personally, I was pleasantly surprised by the atmosphere of this year’s conference. Most OFS pricing is at or near 2020 levels. However, if you were just a casual observer, you would have never guessed that was the case. Lots of smiles, great energy, busy exhibit floor, insightful general sessions.
Here’s a few of the reasons we noticed:
- The companies who attended are well positioned financially. They have the customer base or profit margins to run their businesses with to weather storms like these.
- There were a number of new technologies excited to break into the space (both software and physical innovations).
- Certain basins/regions seem to be more stable and profitable currently (outside the Permian)
- Increased interest in international opportunities (Argentina and Canada)
There’s a lot of stories to cover over the past few weeks, so buckle up and let’s dig in.
And now, the news…
This Week's News
An Early Christmas For The Downtrodden Sand Hauling Market?
Is the worm beginning to turn in last mile logistics?
Nat-Gas Prices Soar as Forecasts for Below Normal US Temperatures
Jan nat-gas prices rallied sharply on Friday, surging to an 8.5-month nearest-futures high on expectations of colder US weather, potentially boosting heating demand for nat-gas.
Live From San Antonio… 1st Impressions From The Biggest Frac Sand Conference Of The Year
Infill Thinking gives their unbiased take on the state of the industry.
Smart Sand Posts Strong 3Q Gains as Demand Rises Across North American Shale
The company posted 3Q revenue of $92.8 million, up from $85.8 million in the second quarter and $63.2 million a year earlier, driven by higher sales volumes, stronger pricing, and a $4.4 million contractual payment tied to excess tons sold in a previous period.
Frac Sand Asset Marketplace
We're got connections for folks looking to sell or buy assets. Check out our list!
Permian Sand Prices Are Bottoming Now…
Vital frac supply chain data for buyers and sellers and capital allocators.
Oil Prices and News Oil rises as Moscow peace talks fail to reach breakthrough
Oil prices climbed more than 1% on Wednesday after Russia said talks with U.S. officials in Moscow failed to reach a compromise on a potential Ukraine peace deal that could have eased sanctions on its oil sector.
New Monster Gas Wells Are Outperforming Legacy Haynesville Deposits
For the play to be economically viable and become a major supply source, operators must reduce D&C costs to approximately $25 million, which could enable the region to reach nearly 2 Bcfd of production by the end of 2030 with an eight-rig development program.
Big Capacity Haircut In A Large Local Sand Market
An update on local sand mining activity.
The Montney Proppant-Production Connection
A growing concern for operators is sourcing proppant for fracking operations, and forecasting future requirements.
NexTier Adds More High-Density 100% Nat-Gas Frac Pumps… And These Pack A Punch
Some new equipment coming into the frac market in person recently during a frac pump roadshow.
Ageing Permian is still the last frontier for US shale growth
The prolific play has many wrinkles, but plenty of life left in it.
Thoughts On The Super Majors’ Mixed Shale Spending Appetite
What are the big boys doing in shale?
ProFrac: Debt Will Become An Issue If Demand Continues to Deteriorate
Big issue for one of the biggest diversified OFS providers in US shale.
Frac Substance Experimentation Is A Key Theme To Watch Headed Into 2026…
Something new is brewing and we discuss the who, what, and why here….
Shale Oil’s Next Revolution Should Worry OPEC – Javier Blas
The next phase of the revolution — call it shale 4.0 — is an engineering arms race to improve the so-called recovery factor.
Off-Grid Power Gen As A Service
Bigger trend continues as OFS companies diversify their offerings.
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