With E&Ps finding that more sand downhole makes increases production, demand for frac sand is expected to double previous US peak to 240 billion pounds. Editor’s Note: This is the final story in a series analyzing the 2017 outlook for oilfield services. For yesterday’s story, click here . While 2017 may not be a stellar year for oilfield services in general, the sand proppant those companies use in hydraulic fracturing may enjoy its best time yet. With crude oil prices appearing stable at more than $50 per barrel, exploration and production (E&P) companies are gaining confidence and spending more money on capital expenditures (CAPEX). Increasingly, analysts and investors are bullish on the grain’s prospects as rig counts climb and E&P companies pour ever more sand downhole to accelerate production. This phenomenon has been the single biggest driver of improved well production in the U.S., analysts at Raymond James (RayJa) […]