Malfunctions of small components can cause large problems in an oil and gas production environments. These small components can also hold the key to improved productivity, when installed and used correctly.
Electronic Pressure Instrumentation: Tiny but Tough Where it Counts
Though electronic pressure sensors and transmitters are positively Lilliputian compared with the scope of an oil and gas operation, they can play an enormous role in keeping problems in check. WIKA’s sensors and transmitters can help ensure oil and gas operations run smoothly and meet or exceed delivery requirements. Taken a step further, electronic pressure instruments function as remote sentries, giving production crews insights on places they cannot access or view directly. Ssensors and transmitters from WIKA can significantly enhance these operations:
- Monitoring pressure in pipes and tubing to achieve consistent output.
- Monitoring wellhead pressures during drilling to help prevent the migration of oil and gas into water tables.
- Monitoring the casing and tubing pressures of oil and gas wells.
- Measuring levels and internal pressures inside storage tanks to prevent tank damage.
- Monitoring the performance of artificial lift systems, which augment productivity when drilling shale gas wells.
- Enabling vapor-recovery systems that allow “recycling” of hydrocarbons that might otherwise be emitted into the air.
Pressure sensors and transmitters from WIKA are a key element in predictive maintenance (PdM) systems, which expand on the idea of preventive maintenance, a concept that’s familiar to prudent automobile owners who change their oil regularly to avoid engine wear and, ultimately, failure. With PdM, users get alerts revealing the exact condition of internal components of a system and estimating how much useful life they still have. PdM, also known in technical circles as condition-based monitoring, can be likened to getting regular cholesterol screenings or EKGs from a physician. Pressure sensors and transmitters help detect equipment problems in advance of any downtime. The stakes are high because small issues can quickly add up: An oil well idled for a mere two days a month can reduce yearly production by about 6.5%. Moreover, a network of reliable electronic pressure instruments means fewer visits by technicians to the field, another cost that quickly adds up. Finally, oil and gas wells tend to be in inhospitable climates. WIKA ‘s pressure sensors and transmitters are made from all-welded steel and are rated to handle extremes of heat, cold, and “the elements” (rain, snow, ice, dust, and dirt). We call that quality “oil field tough.” You can count on it to enhance the reliability—and productivity—of your operation.