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Sand Drying: An Essential Part of the Fracturing Process Adapted from Information by Vulcan ® Systems Horizontal drilling, also known as directional drilling, has several uses in the oil and gas drilling industry. In the 1970s, new technologies enabled drilling professionals to turn the well bore to reach targets horizontal from the wellhead. This method of drilling allows operators to access more oil and gas resources with precision to maximize economic returns from each well. When horizontal drilling is combined with hydraulic frac- turing, many formations which yielded little to no resources when drilled vertically can become excellent producers of oil or natural gas. Proppants, such as frac sand, are used in hydraulic fracturing to prevent the fracture from closing and allow gas to flow through the well. Primarily made up of silica quartz, frac sand consists of round grains that make ideal proppants. The material is also very dense, allowing it to endure the intense pressures within the well. When preparing frac sand for use in drilling operations, drying is an essential part of the process. Rotary dryers are the most proven method for drying frac sand. Vulcan ® Systems offers dryers in direct and indirect fired models, as well as in parallel flow configurations. Dryers have uses at both the beginning and end of the hydraulic fracturing process. Frac sand must be dried prior to use at a drilling site. In addition, waste fluids from the drilling process can be dried and converted back into a solid for disposal. Vulcan ® Systems can supply a full range of equipment to dry, sort, and transport frac sand, aiding in economical and effi- cient drilling operations. The company offers systems specifically designed to dry frac sand, making the material easier to move, separate, and handle. Each Vulcan ® drying system consists of a correctly sized drum and burner mounted to a combustion chamber. After passing through the dryer, the dried material is discharged to a transfer conveyor for additional sorting and separation. All ductwork, cyclone, and other high-wear areas in the system have abrasive-resistant plates to reduce lifetime wear and maintenance costs. 4!4)/.!29 /2 (9$2!5,)# 37).' !2/5.$ *)" 7)4( (9$2!5,)# %84%.3)/. < 5"% 49,% !34 = = 42/+% ),4 /54 /2 34!4)/.!29 4/0(%!$ 7/ 7!9 #2/33 4/0(%!$ 3,)$% %!69 $549 34%%, /2 !,5-).5- /0%2!4/2 34!.$3 534/-):).' /4(%2 /04)/.3 !6!),!",% (/)#% /& -5$ 05-03 534/- "5),4 /0%2!4/2 34!4)/. ."/!2$ !)2 #/-02%33/2 9$2!5,)# $2)6%. )' 0!).4%$ 4/ #534/-%2 30%#3 2!4 /4!29 5'%2 (% 53 %#( 2!4 2)' )3 4(% "%34 !,, !2/5.$ 2)' &/2 9/5 % #!. #534/-):% 9/52 2)' 7)4( /04)/.3 35#( !3 ! "/44/- 4!",% $2)6% !.',% $2),,).' -5$ 0)4 3934%- #!3).' (!--%2 !44!#(-%.4 2/$ 30)..%2 #!2/53%, /2 2/$ "/8 )4( /52 $5!, 30).$,% (%!$ 9/5 #!. 37)4#( &2/- 2/4!29 4/ #/2).' 7)4( 4(% 4/5#( /& ! "544/. /. 4(% #/.3/,% (% 2!4 3%2)%3 )3 )$%!, &/2 !5'%2 $2),,).' 7)4( )43 ()'( 4/215% #!0!"),)49 % !4 53 %#( 7),, #53 4/-):% 4(% 2)' 4/ 9/52 30%#)&)#!4)/.3 /.4!#4 53 4/$!9 4/ '%4 9/52 .%7 2)' 2%!$9 ).#/,. 42%%4 /8 ; % !23 /7! ; !8 777 '530%#( #/- 14 NOVEMBER 2015 WorldWide Drilling Resource ®