Europe Proppants Market

The market is expected to see a healthy rise due to emergence of hydraulic fracking, predominantly in Russia. The outlook for unconventional oil and gas development is the primary determinant of proppant sales in the region. The amount of hydraulic fracturing jobs performed will increase significantly in Russia over the next ten years, as the country is aiming to exploit tight/shale oil reserves.

Proppants are sand or other granular substances injected into the fractures to hold or open formation fractures created by hydraulic fracturing. Although proppants have been used in oil and gas production for 70 years, the recent emergence of horizontal drilling technology and multistage hydraulic fracturing along with the advent of shale gas extraction have created new opportunities for growth in the early and mid-2000s.

The Western Europe, with its high population density, may have a higher environmental concern with regard to hydraulic fracking. The environmental and legal constraints, such as the ‘Frack Off’ movement in the UK, and the ban on fracking by the constitutional council in France may impede various potential projects in the region.

Market Dynamics of the European Proppants Market

Drivers:

• New drilling techniques that employ proppants
• Improvements in the fracturing industry

Restraints:

• Cost factor in the case of ceramic proppants applications
• Various environmental norms on the use of the proppants

Europe Proppants Market Segmentation

Proppants can be categorized into three types, namely, frac sand, resin coated and ceramic. Frac sand is the most inexpensive and accounts for 80% share of the demand and its demand will continue to account for the largest chunk of the market due to cost advantages. The frac sand segment’s market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 14% during the forecast period. Due to their higher cost, ceramic proppants will be limited to areas requiring high performance products.  Their market will grow at a CAGR of 15% mainly because of their reliability in extreme conditions. Resin coated proppants are also expected to grow at a CAGR of 12% due to the relative cost advantages over ceramic proppants and performance advantage over frac sand. The market can also be segmented based on geography into Russia, Poland, Ukraine, France, Sweden, Norway and other countries.

The report studies the leading players in the region and offers insights into their recent developments, financials and products & services offered by them. Some of the key players in this market are:

• Badger mining
• Superior Silica Sands
• Texas Silica
• U.S. Silica Holdings

Key Deliverables in the Study:

• Analysis for the European proppants market, with region specific assessments and competition analysis.
• Market definition along with the identification of key drivers and restraints.
• Identification of factors instrumental in changing the market scenario, rising prospective opportunities, and identification of key companies that can influence this market on a regional scale.
• Extensively researched competitive landscape section with profiles of major companies along with their market share.
• Identification and analysis of the macro and micro factors that affect the European proppants market on a regional scale.
• A comprehensive list of key market players along with the analysis of their current strategic interests and key financial information.
• A wide-ranging knowledge and insights about the major players in this industry and the key strategies adopted by them to sustain and grow in the studied market.
• Insights on the major countries where this industry is growing and to also identify the regions that are still untapped.