The Unseen Impact of Frac Sand: A Perspective on Scale and Sustainability

TL;DR: The article discusses the environmental impact of frac sand mining, which is used in hydraulic fracturing (fracking) for oil and gas extraction. It contrasts this with the sustainable use of sand in iAVs (integrated Aqua-Vegeculture System), an eco-friendly farming method that combines fish and plant cultivation.

Did you know that the amount of frac sand used in the US from 2014 to 2016 could theoretically support the growth of 1.5 trillion kilograms of fruit and 160 billion kilograms of tilapia each year? That’s about 200 kilograms of fruit and 22 kilograms of tilapia for every single person on the planet.

The extraction and use of frac sand in the oil and gas industry is a topic that garners significant attention due to its environmental and economic implications.  However, the sheer scale of frac sand production and its potential uses beyond the fossil fuel industry are often overlooked.

Frac sand, a high-purity quartz sand, is essential in the hydraulic fracturing process, where it is used to prop open fractures in the rock, allowing oil and gas to flow. Its unique properties, such as uniform particle size and high compressive strength, make it indispensable in the fracking industry.

This article delves into the magnitude of frac sand production in the United States and explores its potential applications in sustainable agriculture, particularly in integrated aquaculture and horticulture systems like iAVs.

The Scale of Frac Sand Production

Between 2014 and 2016, the United States produced approximately 5 million fracked oil and natural gas wells, each averaging 1,250 cubic yards of frac sand per well.  This translates to 6.25 billion cubic yards (1.15 cubic miles or 4.78 km³) of frac sand used over just three years.

To put this into perspective, if spread at a depth of 1 foot, this amount of sand would cover approximately 6,062 square miles, an area roughly the size of Connecticut and Rhode Island combined, or about 1/6 of the area of Florida.

Frac sand’s high silica content and uniform grain size not only make it effective in fracking but also potentially beneficial for use in agricultural systems like iAVs, where these properties can aid in filtration and nutrient distribution.

Beyond Fracking: The Potential of Frac Sand in Sustainable Agriculture

The volume of frac sand used in the oil and gas industry is staggering, but what if this resource could be repurposed for sustainable agriculture? The sand used in fracking is primarily high-quality silica sand, which is also ideal for use in iAVs.

iAVs combines aquaculture and horticulture in a symbiotic relationship, efficiently using resources to produce nutrient-rich food while addressing environmental challenges such as soil infertility, pollution, and water scarcity.

The potential of frac sand in sustainable agriculture is immense.  For example, the amount of frac sand used in the US between 2014 and 2016 could theoretically support the growth of 1.5 trillion kilograms of fruits and 160 billion kilograms of tilapia per year.  This equates to approximately 200 kilograms of fruit and 22 kilograms of tilapia (providing over 50,000 calories) for every person on Earth, year after year.

1. Fruits: The global average fruit consumption is around 100 kg per person per year, though this can vary significantly by region. Using this average, 1.5 trillion kg of fruits could feed approximately 15 billion people annually.
2. Tilapia: The average fish consumption worldwide is about 20 kg per person per year. With 160 billion kg of tilapia, this amount could feed about 8 billion people annually.

Combining these figures, the total amount of fruits and tilapia could theoretically provide enough to meet the annual fruit and fish consumption needs of approximately 8 billion people, assuming average consumption rates. This aligns closely with the current global population, which is around 8 billion people.

The Misconception of Sand Availability

It is often suggested that the fossil fuel extraction industries are responsible for the constrained availability and inflated price of sand.  However, the reality is more complex.

Pure quartz silica can be expensive depending on the location, but what is commonly available is dominantly silicon dioxide with inclusions of iron, aluminum, potassium oxides, and other minerals in the crystalline matrix.  The naming conventions used by vendors do not always reflect the actual chemical and crystalline composition of the sand.

Conclusion

The environmental impact of frac sand mining includes land degradation, water pollution, and air quality issues. By repurposing frac sand for sustainable agriculture, we can mitigate some of these negative effects, reducing the ecological footprint of sand mining operations.

The scale of frac sand production and its potential uses beyond the fossil fuel industry are significant.  While the environmental and economic impacts of frac sand extraction are important considerations, the potential of this resource in sustainable agriculture should not be overlooked.

By repurposing frac sand for use in integrated aquaculture and horticulture systems like iAVs, we can leverage this resource to produce nutrient-rich food while addressing environmental challenges.