PUBLISHER: The Business Research Company | PRODUCT CODE: 1888258
PUBLISHER: The Business Research Company | PRODUCT CODE: 1888258
Frac sand and proppant refer to materials used in the hydraulic fracturing process to keep fractures in underground rock formations open, allowing oil and gas to flow more freely. Frac sand is a high purity quartz sand with strong, round grains that can withstand high pressure, while proppants include not only sand but also engineered materials such as ceramic beads or resin coated sand, designed to enhance well productivity and durability.
The key types of frac sand and proppant are frac sand, resin coated proppant, and ceramic proppant. Frac sand refers to high purity quartz sand with durable and round grains that are used to hold open fractures created during hydraulic fracturing, allowing oil and gas to flow freely from rock formations. Key applications include shale gas, tight gas, coalbed methane, and others, with primary end users being oil and gas, hydraulic fracturing, and others.
Note that the outlook for this market is being affected by rapid changes in trade relations and tariffs globally. The report will be updated prior to delivery to reflect the latest status, including revised forecasts and quantified impact analysis. The report's Recommendations and Conclusions sections will be updated to give strategies for entities dealing with the fast-moving international environment.
The rapid escalation of U.S. tariffs and the resulting trade tensions in spring 2025 are significantly affecting the oil and gas sector, particularly in exploration equipment, pipeline infrastructure, and refinery operations. Elevated duties on imported drilling rigs, steel pipes, and specialized machinery have driven up capital costs for both upstream and downstream activities. Midstream operators are burdened by price hikes on valves, compressors, and storage tanks, disrupting ongoing expansion projects. Meanwhile, refiners face rising costs for imported catalysts and control systems essential for processing efficiency. Retaliatory tariffs from key trade partners have also dampened U.S. exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and crude oil, weakening market competitiveness. To mitigate these challenges, companies are increasingly investing in domestic manufacturing partnerships, digital asset management, and energy diversification strategies to sustain operations and protect profit margins.
The frac sand and proppant market research report is one of a series of new reports from The Business Research Company that provides frac sand and proppant market statistics, including the frac sand and proppant industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with the frac sand and proppant market share, detailed frac sand and proppant market segments, market trends, and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the frac sand and proppant industry. This frac sand and proppant market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenarios of the industry.
The frac sand and proppant market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $8.10 billion in 2024 to $8.82 billion in 2025 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.9%. The growth in the historic period results from increasing shale gas exploration, growing hydraulic fracturing activities, rising demand for unconventional energy resources, expansion of oil and gas drilling operations, and increasing production of tight oil.
The frac sand and proppant market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $12.26 billion in 2029 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.6%. The growth in the forecast period results from growing investment in oilfield development, increasing adoption of enhanced recovery techniques, rising energy consumption worldwide, expansion of shale plays in emerging regions, and increasing demand for efficient proppant materials. Major trends in the forecast period include technological advancements in proppant manufacturing, innovations in coating and strength improvement, development of lightweight and high performance proppants, research and development in sustainable extraction methods, and advancements in automation and process optimization.
The increasing energy demand is expected to drive the growth of the frac sand and proppant market in the coming years. Energy demand refers to the total amount of energy required by consumers, industries, and services to perform various activities over a given period. This rising demand is largely fueled by rapid industrialization and economic growth. Frac sand and proppants are used in hydraulic fracturing to keep underground rock fractures open, allowing oil and natural gas to flow more efficiently and meet growing energy needs. For example, in March 2025, the International Energy Agency (IEA), a France-based autonomous intergovernmental organization, reported a 2.2 percent year-over-year increase in global energy demand. Therefore, increasing energy demand is driving growth in the frac sand and proppant market.
Leading companies in the frac sand and proppant market are focusing on product innovation, such as bottom discharge trailer-mounted sand delivery systems, to improve on-site sand transportation efficiency, minimize loading and unloading times, and ensure a continuous, reliable supply of proppants to hydraulic fracturing operations. A bottom discharge trailer-mounted sand delivery system is a specialized transport vehicle with bottom-mounted hoppers or gates that allow rapid, controlled unloading of frac sand directly into storage units or silos at drilling sites. For instance, in February 2025, Dragon Products, Ltd., a U.S.-based manufacturer of energy and industrial equipment, launched SandForce, a bottom discharge trailer-mounted sand delivery system specifically for frac sand operations. The SandForce system can unload a standard 25-tonne load of frac sand in approximately 11 minutes, significantly improving on-site efficiency and reducing turnaround time. Dragon's focus on advanced sand delivery solutions addresses the sharp rise in sand consumption, with over 2.5 million proppant truck trips recorded annually in the Permian Basin.
In March 2024, Atlas Energy Solutions Inc., a U.S.-based oil and gas services company specializing in proppants and logistics, acquired Hi-Crush Inc. for an undisclosed amount. Through this acquisition, Atlas Energy Solutions strengthens its position as a leading provider of frac sand and proppants while enhancing logistics capabilities and operational efficiencies in the Permian Basin. Hi-Crush Inc. is a U.S.-based company providing proppants and logistics services to the North American petroleum industry, with expertise in mining.
Major players in the frac sand and proppant market are Compagnie de Saint-Gobain S.A., EOG Resources Inc., Halliburton Company, Eagle Materials Inc., Source Energy Services Ltd., Smart Sand Inc., MS Industries Inc., Global Proppant Supply LLC, Fores Ltd., Sierra Frac Sand LLC, Black Eagle Sourcing LLC, ChangQing Proppant Corporation, Select Sands Corp., Epic Ceramic Proppants Inc., Alpine Silica LLC, Shraddha Associates Ltd., Western Proppants LLC, Peaskie Minerals Inc., Coulee Frac Sand LLC, and Parth Associates.
North America was the largest region in the frac sand and proppant market in 2024. The regions covered in frac sand and proppant report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa.
The countries covered in the frac sand and proppant market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.
The frac sand and proppant market consists of sales of resin-coated sand, silica sand, bauxite proppant, coated proppant, sintered bauxite, natural sand proppant, and intermediate strength proppant. Values in this market are 'factory gate' values, that is, the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.
The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).
The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.
Frac Sand And Proppant Global Market Report 2025 from The Business Research Company provides strategists, marketers and senior management with the critical information they need to assess the market.
This report focuses on frac sand and proppant market which is experiencing strong growth. The report gives a guide to the trends which will be shaping the market over the next ten years and beyond.
Where is the largest and fastest growing market for frac sand and proppant ? How does the market relate to the overall economy, demography and other similar markets? What forces will shape the market going forward, including technological disruption, regulatory shifts, and changing consumer preferences? The frac sand and proppant market global report from the Business Research Company answers all these questions and many more.
The report covers market characteristics, size and growth, segmentation, regional and country breakdowns, competitive landscape, market shares, trends and strategies for this market. It traces the market's historic and forecast market growth by geography.
The forecasts are made after considering the major factors currently impacting the market. These include the technological advancements such as AI and automation, Russia-Ukraine war, trade tariffs (government-imposed import/export duties), elevated inflation and interest rates.