Dive Brief:
- Aurora Innovation has landed a commercial agreement with Detmar Logistics to autonomously haul frac sand on public roads in West Texas’ Permian Basin, according to a Dec. 8 press release.
- The tractors equipped with the AV company’s technology will be used to transport proppants, materials used in hydraulic fracturing to keep wells open. Trucks will operate around the clock for a multinational oil and gas company beginning early next year, per the release.
- “With the Aurora Driver, Detmar can achieve nearly 24/7 asset utilization and effectively double its capacity to move sand for a leading energy producer,” Aurora co-founder and CEO Chris Urmson said in a statement.
Dive Insight:
The energy industry has been an effective proving ground for trucking companies to test autonomous technology. Kodiak AI has similarly partnered with Atlas Energy Solutions to transport frac sand in West Texas.
Aurora’s deployment marks the first time frac sand will be hauled on public roads and highways, according to the release. It also establishes one of Aurora’s initial routes between customer sites, a key milestone as the AV firm expands its network beyond terminal-to-terminal operations next year.
As part of the contract, Detmar will use 30 tractors with the Aurora Driver technology stack in 2026, with each unit hauling sand over 20 hours daily. Aurora projects the technology will enable Detmar to unlock a level of asset utilization to grow its business with key customers.
Detmar also plans to own and operate an expanded fleet of Aurora Driver-powered trucks in the future as the technology is more broadly adapted, Aurora said.
Initial runs between Detmar’s facility in Midland, Texas, and Capital Sand’s mining site in Monahans, Texas, will start early next year, Aurora said. These trips will be supervised by a driver, but Aurora expects to transition to driverless operations by Q2 2026.
According to Aurora, the route includes high-speed driving on Interstate-20 and travel on local and private roads around Detmar’s facility and mining site.
Matt Detmar, CEO of Detmar Logistics, said as demand for sand grows and operators move to 24/7 schedules, autonomous trucks will contribute to maintaining a safe and reliable flow of proppants.
“It will enable us to safely improve efficiency and support our customers’ continuous operations,” Detmar said. “We expect autonomous trucks to become a competitive advantage to strengthen and grow our business in the years to come.”
