McLanahan Frac Sand Plants

McLanahan Frac Sand Plants

Complete Solutions for Frac Sand Processing

McLanahan Frac Sand Plants are integrated processing systems designed to produce high-quality frac sand that meets the demanding specifications required by the oil and gas industry.

Frac sand, also known as proppant sand, is used during hydraulic fracturing operations to help keep fractures open and maintain pathways for oil and natural gas to flow from the formation.

Producing high-quality frac sand requires more than simply crushing and screening. The processing plant must be designed to control particle size distribution, remove unwanted fines and impurities, achieve the required cleanliness and maximize recovery of usable sand.

McLanahan provides equipment and processing solutions for the different stages of frac sand production, from feed preparation and crushing through washing, classification, dewatering and final product preparation.

How a Frac Sand Plant Works

The exact process flowsheet depends on the characteristics of the deposit and the required final product specifications.

A typical frac sand processing plant may include:

Feeding → Crushing → Screening → Washing → Attrition Scrubbing → Classification → Fines Removal → Dewatering → Final Product

Depending on the deposit and product requirements, additional stages may be incorporated into the process.

The objective is to produce clean, properly sized sand fractions while maximizing the recovery of usable material.

Feed Preparation

The process begins with controlled feeding of the raw sand or sandstone into the processing plant.

Feeders provide a consistent flow of material to the crushing and screening circuit.

Proper feed control is important for maintaining stable plant operation and consistent product quality.

Crushing

Where the frac sand deposit consists of consolidated sandstone, crushing is required to liberate the individual sand grains.

The crushing circuit is selected according to the hardness, size and characteristics of the feed material.

Crushing should produce the desired particle size while minimizing the generation of excessive unwanted fines.

Screening and Sizing

Screening separates the crushed material into different particle size fractions.

Accurate sizing is critical in frac sand production because the final product must meet specific particle size requirements.

Screening can be used to:

• Remove oversize material

• Separate product size fractions

• Control particle size distribution

• Prepare material for washing and classification

• Improve process efficiency

Washing

Washing removes unwanted contaminants from the sand.

Depending on the deposit, the material may contain:

• Clay

• Silt

• Dirt

• Organic matter

• Surface coatings

• Excess fines

McLanahan washing equipment can be selected according to the degree of contamination and the characteristics of the deposit.

Attrition Scrubbing

Some deposits require intensive scrubbing to remove clay and other coatings that are tightly attached to the sand grains.

Attrition scrubbing creates particle-to-particle interaction that helps break down and remove unwanted coatings.

This can improve sand cleanliness and prepare the material for subsequent classification and separation.

Classification

After washing and scrubbing, the sand is classified into controlled particle size fractions.

Hydrocyclones and Hydrosizers can be incorporated into the process depending on the required cut size and product specifications.

Accurate classification helps produce consistent frac sand products such as:

• 16/30 mesh

• 20/40 mesh

• 30/50 mesh

• 40/70 mesh

• Other customer-specific size ranges

The appropriate product sizes depend on the application and customer specification.

Fines Removal

Removing unwanted fine particles is an important part of frac sand processing.

Excessive fines can negatively affect the quality and performance of the final product.

The washing and classification circuit can separate fine material from the desired frac sand fraction.

Efficient fines removal can help improve:

• Product quality

• Product consistency

• Sand cleanliness

• Recovery

• Compliance with customer specifications

Dewatering

After washing and classification, the sand contains significant amounts of process water.

Dewatering equipment removes excess water before the sand is stockpiled, transported or sent to final drying and storage.

Dewatering screens can produce a more manageable product while recovering valuable sand from the process water.

Final Product Preparation

Depending on the customer's requirements, the final frac sand may require additional processing, drying, storage or handling.

The final product should be separated into the required size fractions and handled in a way that minimizes contamination and degradation.

Final product quality can be controlled through:

• Particle size distribution

• Cleanliness

• Moisture content

• Fines content

• Particle shape

• Product recovery

Frac Sand Quality

Frac sand specifications vary according to the intended application.

Important quality parameters can include:

• Particle size distribution

• Fines content

• Grain shape

• Grain roundness

• Crush resistance

• Mineral composition

• Acid solubility

• Turbidity

• Moisture content

• Product cleanliness

The final specifications should be established according to the customer's requirements and applicable industry standards.

Applications

McLanahan Frac Sand Plants are designed for processing sand used as hydraulic fracturing proppant.

Applications include production of frac sand for:

• Oil and gas wells

• Hydraulic fracturing

• Petroleum industry

• Natural gas production

• Proppant applications

Key Features & Benefits

• Complete frac sand processing solutions

• Controlled particle size distribution

• Efficient washing and scrubbing

• Removal of unwanted clay and fines

• Accurate wet classification

• Efficient sand recovery

• Dewatering of final products

• Flexible process configurations

• Integration of crushing, screening and washing equipment

• Suitable for multiple frac sand size fractions

• Designed around specific feed characteristics

• Helps maximize usable sand recovery

• Supports consistent final product quality

Factors Affecting Frac Sand Plant Performance

Plant performance depends on several factors, including:

• Feed material characteristics

• Sandstone hardness

• Feed particle size

• Sand mineralogy

• Clay content

• Silt content

• Fines content

• Feed capacity

• Moisture content

• Particle shape

• Required product sizes

• Required recovery

• Water availability

• Washing requirements

• Classification cut size

• Dewatering requirements

• Final product specifications

Designing the Right Frac Sand Plant

A successful frac sand plant should be designed around both the deposit characteristics and the required final product specifications.

Important information for plant design includes:

• Feed capacity (TPH)

• Feed particle size distribution

• Bulk density

• Mineral composition

• Clay content

• Fines content

• Moisture content

• Required product sizes

• Number of final products

• Maximum allowable fines

• Required product moisture

• Required recovery

• Water availability

• Water recycling requirements

• Required washing intensity

• Available plant area

• Downstream drying and storage requirements

• Customer product specifications

Laboratory and pilot testing may be recommended to determine the optimum crushing, washing, classification and recovery process.

Cube Solutions can evaluate your frac sand deposit and process requirements and assist in developing the appropriate McLanahan processing solution.

McLanahan Frac Sand Plants from Cube Solutions

As a McLanahan agent, Cube Solutions provides crushing, screening, washing, classification, dewatering and material handling solutions for frac sand producers in Egypt and the region.

Our services include application evaluation, equipment selection, process consultation, technical support and supply of McLanahan equipment.

Contact Cube Solutions to discuss your frac sand project and determine the most suitable process and equipment configuration for your operation.