Oil and natural gas are typically contained in the pores of sedimentary rock reservoirs thousands of feet underground. To access these reserves, wells are drilled into the rock formations, and a well is typically connected to the reservoir through a process called hydraulic fracturing.

The hydraulic fracturing process consists of pumping fluids down a well at pressures sufficient to create fractures in the hydrocarbon-bearing rock formation. A granular material, called proppant, is transported in the fluid to fill the fracture, thus “propping” it open once high-pressure pumping stops. The proppant-filled fracture creates a permeable channel through which the hydrocarbons can flow more freely, thereby increasing both production rates and the amount of oil or gas actually recovered from the well.

Sand and sand-based materials became the most popular type of proppant due to availability and low cost. However, a study of production rates published by the Society of Petroleum Engineers has shown that the additional strength and uniform size and shape of ceramic proppant provide higher performance than other types of proppant