Julio Griffin adjusts the water pressure on a hydro-cannon at the Superior Silica Sands sand mine on Tuesday, March 28, 2017, in Kosse, Texas. Demand for sand is surging as oil and gas production in the Permian Basin is booming again. Not only is the need for more sand on the rise with the increase in oil and gas production in west Texas, but much more sand is being pumed into each well now withi the emerging thesis that more sand equals more oil extracted. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )