In the remote town of Kermit, Texas, a remarkable feat of engineering has emerged, stretching across the terrain longer than the width of Rhode Island. This innovation snakes through the southwestern U.S. oil fields at a leisurely pace of 10 mph, presenting a transport solution too slow for trucks and far longer than any train. What once might have been a cause for heads to turn is now a new landmark: America’s longest conveyor belt.
Installed by Atlas Energy Solutions, a Texan company specializing in oil field operations, this 42-mile (67-kilometer) conveyor belt, affectionately branded “The Dune Express,” serves a singular purpose. It ferries millions of tons of sand crucial for the process of hydraulic fracturing or fracking, trekking from Kermit, Texas, into Lea County, New Mexico. Resembling a steel roller coaster covered with lids akin to solar modules, this colossal structure provides an unusual sight amidst the sparse population of Kermit, a city with fewer than 6,000 residents.
During the fracking process, pressurized liquid is injected into the earth to create fractures that release oil. Sand, in turn, is pivotal as it ensures these breaks remain open, facilitating the flow of oil, water, and gas. Previously, transporting this vital material was accomplished via large trucks—a method fraught with risks and inefficiencies, as noted by CEO John Turner. He emphasized the perils posed by immense trucks congesting the already bustling Permian Basin, notorious for its oil bounty.
“Early on, using trucks for sand delivery was not just inefficient, it was unsafe,” Turner elaborated. Hence, the conception of the conveyor belt, a system capable of moving 13 tons (11.79 metric tonnes) at a time, came to fruition, skillfully maneuvering alongside and circumventing vehicular traffic. While using conveyor systems isn’t entirely new in the oil and gas sectors, deploying such an extensive belt is quite novel, mirroring an existing 61-mile (98.17-kilometer) long belt in Africa that carries phosphorous from a mine.
Confronted by the impracticality of truck-based sand transport, Atlas Energy Solutions seized a bold opportunity, pouring $400 million into a groundbreaking machine to refine hydraulic fracturing operations. By March 2023, the company transitioned to the stock market to finance this grand vision, successfully fulfilling its first delivery come January.
Sand journeys along pan-like trays with removable lids on The Dune Express, mainly deposited in silos near the Texas-New Mexico line. From these silos, the sand continues its trek via trucks to various fracking enterprises, each poised to utilize this critical resource.
However, maintaining this mechanical giant isn’t without challenges. The belt requires precise alignment and smooth operation, with rollers embedded with chips to anticipate failures and avert mechanical strain. Such meticulous upkeep ensures uninterrupted operations, Turner assured.
Carving through a vast oil-rich region, the belt has not escaped environmental scrutiny. Concerns have been voiced over its potential to disrupt native wildlife habitats, including those of the newly endangered sagebrush lizard. Environmental advocates, like Luke Metzger from Environment Texas, express apprehension that the conveyor might accelerate drilling activities, leading to increased pollution and environmental degradation.
At present, The Dune Express functions for around 12 to 14 hours daily, but anticipations are high for its eventual round-the-clock operation later this year. In neighboring New Mexico, Lea County Commissioner Brad Weber remains optimistic, seeing the conveyor belt as a remedy for frequent traffic incidents on adjacent highways.
“I believe it’s going to make a very positive impact here,” Weber remarked, encapsulating the local sentiment surrounding this monumental engineering effort.
