Hydraulic fracturing proppants Hydraulic fracturing proppants A proppant is a solid material, typically sand, treated sand or man-made ceramic materials, designed to keep an induced hydraulic fracture open, during or following a fracturing treatment. It is added to a "fracking fluid" which may vary in composition depending on the type of fracturing used, and can be gel, foam or slickwater–based. In addition, there may be unconventional fracking fluids. Fluids make tradeoffs in such material properties as viscosity, where more viscous fluids can carry more concentrated proppant; the energy or pressure demands to maintain a certain flux pump rate (flow velocity) that will conduct
Guar Guar The Guar or cluster bean, with the botanical name Cyamopsis tetragonoloba, is an annual legume and the source of guar gum. It is also known as Gavar, Guwar, or Guvar bean. The origin of "Cyamopsis tetragonoloba" is unknown, since it has never been found in the wild. It is assumed to have developed from the African species "Cyamopsis senegalensis". It was further domesticated in India and Pakistan, where it has been cultivated for many centuries. Guar grows well in semiarid areas, but frequent rainfall is necessary. This legume is a very valuable plant within a crop rotation cycle, as