Link provided by Kent.
Prairie Magazine reported back in November, 2012:
The North Dakota State Geological Survey recently completed a mapping
project to investigate the potential for clay deposits located in the
southwestern part of the state to be mined for the production of ceramic
beads used as a proppant in hydraulic fracturing activities. Ceramic
proppant is one of two types of proppants currently used in hydraulic
fracturing activities in the Bakken region.
State geologist Ed
Murphy collected approximately 200 rock samples from 61 sites in two
kaolinite-rich geologic formations stretching across an area that
includes the cities of Dickinson and Bowman. Collected samples were then
analyzed for aluminum oxide content, which is a desired component for
proppant material. According to Murphy, clay containing at least 20
percent alumina has the potential for use as a proppant. A small number
of initial samples displayed an aluminum oxide content ranging from 26
to 38 percent. The larger sample pool showed to contain lower
percentages of aluminum oxide, but Murphy believes the content could
still be high enough to be useful. The state’s mapping project will
serve to assist interested parties in further exploring the potential
resource. “We’ve laid the groundwork for a company to come in and do a
more detailed investigation,” he says. “Ultimately, they will need to do
some small-scale mining and run that clay back into their plants” to
see if it works.
It's possible this has been posted before (I don't remember) but it's relevant, again, in light of
Minnesota's plan to consider a moratorium on mining fracking sand.
North Dakota would be wise to develop its own source of proppant from their clay sources. This would reduce cost since a lot of it comes from over seas. China being a big source. There are several advantages like reduced transportation cost plus keeping the dollars in-state creating more jobs.
ReplyDeleteMinnesota's possibility of a moratorium on any new silica sand mining is a very real possibility. Those pushing the moratorium have little respect for the principals of private property and land owners rights. Especially if the land owners uses the land for their own advancement. The moratorium will be passed and the only way to dislodge will be by filing a class action law suit on constitutional grounds that it denies private land owners their rights.
Look out farmers these extreme environmentalist soon will be telling you on an increasing restrictive based what you can and can not do and it won't stop with common sense but will get increasingly outrageous.
It looks like Wisconsin still has respect for private land owners. Some of their counties are perusing silica sand mining development and it is a real boost for their economically depressed dairy farming. Other counties on the other hand are fearful of opening themselves up to silica mining.
There is a real difference between the two states. Silica sand mining has been a part of Minnesota for a good 80 years and it wasn't a concern until it started being used for hydraulic fracturing by the oil and gas industry and then the extremist environmentalist started going crazy.
Karl Marx has to be smiling from wherever he is spending his afterlife. Minnesota is having a love affair with his ideology and it has been going for a long time.
As you said earlier: California and Minnesota are joined at the hips on these ridiculous issues. Unfortunately, "it" got into the Minnesota gene pool thirty or forty years ago and is now pretty well embedded in the culture; it would take a lot to get their attitude changes. I assume if Minnesota farmers can't afford diesel due to pricing, that might be a start.
DeleteThanks Bruce. The glaring differences between North Dakota and Minnesota is remarkable.
DeleteThe Dickinson Press: From the Oil Patch to the White House. About North Dakota's Medal of Honor recipient Clint Romesha.
http://www.thedickinsonpress.com/event/article/id/65854/
I linked an earlier story re: medal of honor winner. This is another story. Thank you.
DeleteI'm sure it irritated the president to acknowledge the North Dakota oil fields.
http://www.milliondollarwayblog.com/2013/02/it-took-medal-of-honor-recipient-to-get.html
The person that I got this article said that it isn't the right make up for fracking said in SW ND, but the oil companies were working to adapt their process so they could use it. Why? Location cuts costs and two its not from Minnesota or China. Agree the Bakken is a laboratory in which American thought is alive and well.
ReplyDeleteNo different that the fracking fluid now used can be drank from what I hear.
If they find sand in North Dakota for fracking ... it will be another huge chapter.
Delete