Autonomous trucks take aim at frac sand hauling jobs
Detmar Logistics, a San Antonio-based company known for dry bulk and frac sand last-mile work, has reached a commercial agreement with Aurora Innovation to haul frac sand (proppant) using autonomous trucks in the Permian Basin.
Aurora said the trucks will move proppant around the clock for a major oil and gas company. Proppant is the sand used in hydraulic fracturing to keep underground fractures open, and it has to be delivered in large volumes on tight schedules.
Under the initial contract, Detmar has committed to using 30 trucks powered by the Aurora Driver in 2026, with each unit expected to haul sand for more than 20 hours per day. Aurora said the trucks will begin operating with human supervision in early 2026 and transition to driverless operation by Q2 2026.
Aurora described the program as the first time frac sand will be hauled autonomously on public roads and highways in the Permian Basin. The route will include interstate miles on I-20 along with local and private roads. Aurora also said the system will autonomously navigate the overhead filling silos at the mining site.
For drivers, frac sand work is heavy, repetitive, and time-sensitive. Aurora pointed to utilization as a key reason for automation in this lane: autonomous trucks are expected to run up to 20 hours per day, which is far beyond typical human-driven duty cycles.
Frac sand volumes are a major reason this part of the supply chain draws attention. Aurora noted that a single hydraulic fracturing job can require roughly 10,000 tons of sand. That sand often has to move from a mine to a well site 50 to 100 miles away, adding up to hundreds of truck trips in a condensed window.
Detmar said the autonomous trucks will be used alongside its human-operated fleet and network of independent contractors. CEO Matt Detmar said higher-demand completion styles and 24/7 operating schedules are pushing the need to keep proppant flowing safely and reliably.
Aurora said the goal of the deployment is to improve utilization and support continuous operations for oil and gas customers, while aiming to improve safety and efficiency in the hauling cycle.