Frac Sand and Proppant Market Report 2026

The frac sand and proppant market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $8.82 billion in 2025 to $9.6 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.7%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to growth in shale gas exploration, expansion of hydraulic fracturing operations, rising oil and gas production, development of unconventional reservoirs, improvement in drilling techniques.

The frac sand and proppant market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $13.28 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.5%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to increase in horizontal drilling activity, demand for higher recovery rates, expansion of tight gas projects, technological improvements in proppant materials, investment in unconventional energy resources. Major trends in the forecast period include rising demand for high strength proppants, increasing use of resin coated proppants, growth in ceramic proppant adoption, expansion of unconventional shale development, focus on enhanced well productivity.

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 companies operating in the frac sand and proppant market are Compagnie de Saint Gobain S.A., Halliburton Company, Eagle Materials Inc., Source Energy Services Ltd., Smart Sand Inc., MS Industries Inc., Global Proppant Supply LLC, Sierra Frac Sand LLC, Black Eagle Sourcing LLC, ChangQing Proppant Corporation, Select Sands Corp., Epic Ceramic Proppants Inc., Alpine Silica LLC, Western Proppants LLC, Peaskie Minerals Inc., Coulee Frac Sand LLC, U.S. Silica Holdings Inc., Hi Crush Inc., Covia Holdings Corporation, CARBO Ceramics Inc., Fairmount Santrol LLC, Badger Mining Corporation, Preferred Sands LLC, Atlas Sand Company LLC.

North America was the largest region in the frac sand and proppant market in 2025. The regions covered in the frac sand and proppant market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa. The countries covered in the frac sand and proppant market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, 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.

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