Unimin to build West Texas frac sand plant

Unimin Corp., a mining company based in Connecticut, plans to build a sand processing plant in West Texas in a bid to supply drillers with local frac sand, according to the Houston Chronicle.

The sand plant will mark the third major facility of its kind in the Permian Basin, says the report. The plant is expected to open in early 2018 and produce about 5 million tpy.

Additionally, U.S. Silica and Hi-Crush Partners are planning to construct sand production facilities in the region by early 2018. U.S. Silica is investing $225 million in a West Texas sand plant that will produce about 4 million tpy. According to the Houston Chronicle, analysts expect half of next year’s U.S. sand demand to come from West Texas, where U.S. oil companies have seen sand costs rise owing to limited local supplies.