Frack sand mine to serve Eagle Ford planned for area south of San Antonio

Fuel Fix:

There's been a race to build new sand mines in West Texas' Permian Basin to satisfy all of the hydraulic fracturing needs for oil wells. But now there are signs of growth in South Texas' long-stagnant Eagle Ford shale.

Fort Worth-based Black Mountain Sand said it plans to construct a new sand mine south of San Antonio near the Eagle Ford to serve the growing oil and gas production in the region as crude oil prices continue to rebound.

After building two mines in the Permian, Black Mountain said it is turning its attention to the Eagle Ford. The company acquired 2,300 acres in Atascosa County with the aim of completing a mine by the end of this year that would churn out 2.2 million metric tons of sand annually. The mine would employ about 75 people.

Ever-increasing large volumes of sand and water are required to frack the shale oil and gas wells to shatter the tough shale rock and release the petroleum.

"With the (Eagle Ford) region currently producing approximately 12 percent of the U.S. total oil production and growing, the need for local sand has become paramount for our customers," said Rhett Bennett, founder and chief executive of Black Mountain Sand.
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The mine already has long-term contracts for almost all of its capacity.  It should be less costly than bringing fracking sand from teh upper Midwest by rail.  The Eagle Ford region is in South Texas and has access to teh Port of Corpus Christi.