Ceramic proppants used to frack Utica shale
Thursday, February 25, 2016
In the Utica shale, fracking sand isn’t always enough to handle the heat and pressure within the play.
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports that ceramic proppants are being used by some companies — like Consol Energy — exploring the Utica shale. Consol is drilling as deep as 13,000 feet into the Utica.
Fracking sand coated in resin is commonly used as a proppant that holds open fractures through which oil and gas escape. Compared to sand, the ceramic proppants are stronger and more round, allowing gas to move better, according to the source. However, ceramic proppants currently cost about four times more than sand.
Read more: Pittsburgh Tribune-Review > Ceramic particles challenge sand in fracking Utica shale wells
More about fracking sand:
- Frack sand is in high demand April 5, 2015
- Frack sand volume increases Feb. 27, 2015
- Fracking sand could cause health problems Oct. 9, 2014
- Investors turn to fracking sand for profit Sept. 21, 2014
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Shale FAQ
What is fracking?
Fracking is a slang term for hydraulic fracturing. Fracturing is a process by which highly pressurized fluid is pumped thousands of feet into the ground to fracture rock formations. The goal is to release the natural gas that’s locked inside the rock.
Is it safe?
What most concerns people about fracturing is ground water contamination. The worry is that fractures underground, caused by the process, will extending upwards and into aquifers, releasing gas and chemicals into the ground water supply. There’s been no confirmed reports of such a thing happening. Though surface spills and drill site blowouts can lead to localized environmental concerns.
Will my water catch on fire?
Flammable water is caused by the release of methane gas into a drinking water supply. Methane gas occurs naturally and can be released by any kind of drilling, including water wells. In Pennsylvania officials fined Chesapeake Energy $1 million for contaminating ground water with methane. It was determined that the company had not properly cemented it’s boreholes and gas migrated up the well, between rock and into aquifers.