Not often highlighted in Oil & Gas and with OEMs are the needs for weigh solutions for a variety of applications, including gas desanding, proppant weighing, pipe laying, hoisting, and wireline tension monitoring among others.
With the extreme conditions often associated with these application locations, durability and accuracy are absolutely critical to the success of any such solution. OEMs need to be very selective in choosing a weigh solution partner.
Recently, Massload Technologies, a global leader in the design of weigh solutions for oil and gas applications, was chosen by a prominent OEM for just such a challenging project and the results speak for themselves.
THE CHALLENGE:
A well-known OEM who is a prominent player in the Oil & Gas sector needed to measure the weight of the desander vessel during operation. As accuracy and reliability were paramount, the OEM sought a trusted partner with global expertise in precision weighing systems to integrate into their desander.
However, there were several key challenges that required specialized weighing solutions:
- Harsh Environment: The desander operates in a harsh environment with varying temperatures, high pressures, and corrosive elements. The weighing system had to be rugged and capable of withstanding these challenging conditions.
- Accuracy: To ensure efficient operation, the weighing system needed to provide precise and accurate measurements of the solid particles separated from the gas stream.
- Integration: The weighing solution had to seamlessly integrate with the desander’s existing infrastructure and control systems.
- Compliance: The system needed to adhere to industry standards and safety regulations prevalent in the Oil & Gas sector.
THE SOLUTION:
Massload Technologies’ team of engineers worked closely with the OEM to understand the specific requirements and challenges of the project. They proposed a unique custom weighing
solution that addressed all the key challenges and provided optimal accuracy and reliability. The solution included the following components:
- Custom Load Cells: Massload designed and manufactured rugged and durable stainless steel load cells and load cell mounts which, together with custom cabling, could withstand the harsh operating conditions of the natural gas desander. These load cells were equipped with advanced strain gauge technology to ensure precise measurements.
- Environmental Protection: As the desander was directly exposed to the environment both the load cell and the load cell mount were manufactured from stainless steel with environmental sealing to address the extreme temperatures and corrosive agents. This custom design ensured the integrity of the weighing system was maintained, extending its lifespan.
- Calibration and Accuracy: Massload helped to ensure that the weighing system underwent calibration procedures to achieve high levels of accuracy.
- Integration and Communication: The custom weighing system was designed to seamlessly integrate with the desander’s control systems, allowing real-time data transfer and monitoring. This integration enabled the OEM to gain insights into the separation process and ultimately optimize the desander’s performance .
- Compliance: Massload’s weighing solution met all relevant industry standards and safety regulations, ensuring the OEM’s compliance with legal requirements.
The collaboration between Massload Technologies and the Oil & Gas OEM resulted in a seamless and successful implementation of a custom weighing solution for the natural gas desander.
The project resulted in enhanced efficiency from the weighing system which enabled the OEM to optimize the desander’s performance and increase overall operational efficiency. Additionally, the precise measurements of solid particles facilitated better separation, resulting in higher-quality natural gas output with reduced impurities while helping to extend the lifespan of the equipment due to the rugged design of Massload’s load cells.

The success of this custom weighing solution for the natural gas desander demonstrated Massload Technologies’ proven expertise in providing tailored weighing solutions for OEMs in the Oil & Gas industry. Through close collaboration and innovative engineering, Massload delivered a robust and accurate weighing system that significantly improved the efficiency and performance of the desander.
Massload Technologies designs and manufactures robust industrial weigh solutions for a variety of oil and gas applications including gas desanding, proppant weighing, pipe laying, hoisting and
wireline tension monitoring.
Learn more about how Massload Technologies displays proven durability under even the toughest conditions at: https://www.massload.com/applications/oil-gas-2/