Prospectivity Modeling for Cambrian–Ordovician Hydraulic Fracturing Sand Resources Around The Llano Uplift, Central Texas

• Published in: Natural resources research (New York, N.Y.) N.Y.), 2016-12, Vol.25 (4), p.389-415
• Main Authors: Elliott, B. A., Verma, R., Kyle, J. R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cambrian; Chemistry and Earth Sciences; Compressive strength; Computer Science; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Fossil Fuels (incl. Carbon Capture); Geography; Grain size; Hydraulic fracturing; Mathematical Modeling and Industrial Mathematics; Mineral Resources; Modelling; Ordovician; Physics; Precambrian; Resource development; Sand; Sandstone; Statistics for Engineering; Sustainable Development
• ISSN: 1520-7439; 1573-8981
• DOI: 10.1007/s11053-016-9291-6

Cambrian–Ordovician strata in Central Texas are a major source of specialty sand for hydraulic fracturing and have potential to play a bigger role in proppant supply to markets in and around Texas. Sandstone in the Hickory Member of the Riley Formation is suitable in compressive strength, as well as grain size and shape to be used as proppant. The Hickory sandstone forms the basal sequence that non-conformably overlies the Precambrian basement and is a complex succession of terrestrial and transgressive marine arkosic to quartz arenitic sands and silts. The quantity and location of sand resources in the Central Texas Frac Sand district is illustrated through geospatial volumetric techniques and estimated at 5 billion tonnes of proppant material. The prospectivity modeling of favorable characteristics of existing resource locations is applied to determine new sites for resource development and locate and quantify the abundance of prospective natural sand resources in the Central Texas Frac Sand district.