Sudden run on West Texas sand

[Royalblood + 14]

Read recently that a bunch of companies have all piled into West Texas for the frac sand, and all combined they are planning to mine 22 million tons this year to sell to shale drillers in the Permian Basin. I have long thought this was the overlooked back door, but have never quite been sold on the numbers. 

[TraderTate + 186]

Why hasn't anyone run on this before? Why is West Texas sand only just now on the radar? 

[Sefko Trafikant + 35]

because it was worthless just two years ago

[Joanna + 68]

and local economy is blooming

 

[Cokiga Damke + 53]

For many U.S. drillers, the construction of these West Texas sand mines would eliminate the need for expensive rail transportation from white sand mines in Wisconsin, shedding up to 40 percent of the cost of getting sand to fracking sites scattered across the Permian

[Meanwhile + 49]

Just now, Cokiga Damke said:

For many U.S. drillers, the construction of these West Texas sand mines would eliminate the need for expensive rail transportation from white sand mines in Wisconsin, shedding up to 40 percent of the cost of getting sand to fracking sites scattered across the Permian

40 percent is a lot

[Ajan Bosnjacki + 27]

West Texas sand is a finer grade than traditional Midwestern sand and, even though questions remain about how the finer sand will affect wells in the long term, findings by oil companies show the more fine-grade sand is pumped down a well, the more oil it produces.