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Load Cells for Onshore Oil and Gas
Precision Load Monitoring for Demanding Onshore Applications
Onshore oil and gas operations place significant demands on force measurement equipment. From drilling rigs and pipeline installation projects to refineries, petrochemical plants and LNG terminals, accurate load monitoring is essential for maintaining safety, protecting assets and optimising operational performance.
While offshore rigs are often associated with harsh environmental conditions, many onshore facilities face equally challenging operational environments. Equipment may be exposed to hazardous atmospheres, shock loading, vibration, dust, mud, chemicals, extreme temperatures and continuous duty cycles, so the consequences of inaccurate load measurement can be just as severe as those encountered offshore.
LCM Systems designs and manufactures high-performance load cells, load pins, load shackles and instrumentation engineered specifically for oil and gas applications. Our solutions are trusted worldwide for lifting, weighing, tension monitoring and force measurement where reliability and safety are critical.
Onshore expertise
Force Measurement for Onshore Oil and Gas
Explore the applications, products, environmental requirements and engineering options available for demanding onshore oil and gas operations.
Why Onshore Oil and Gas Requires Specialised Load Cells
A common misconception is that specialised load monitoring equipment is required primarily for offshore work. In reality, most onshore oil and gas operations require the same levels of accuracy, reliability and certification.
Drilling relies on accurate hook load measurement to optimise performance and prevent equipment damage. Pipeline installation projects require precise tension monitoring to avoid overstressing valuable assets. Refineries and petrochemical facilities often operate within hazardous areas where ATEX and IECEx certified equipment is essential. LNG terminals and coastal facilities may experience corrosive marine environments similar to those found offshore.
For these reasons, force measurement equipment used onshore must often deliver robust environmental protection, hazardous-area certification, long-term reliability and proven measurement accuracy.
Environmental protection
Hazardous-area certification
Long-term reliability
Proven measurement accuracy
Typical Onshore Oil and Gas Applications
LCM Systems’ force measurement solutions are used throughout the onshore oil and gas sector. They can be found in drilling rig hook load monitoring, mast and derrick raising systems, coiled tubing operations, wireline tension monitoring, hydraulic fracturing equipment and workover rigs. Pipeline construction projects frequently utilise load cells, load pins and load shackles for pipeline pulling, horizontal directional drilling and tensioning operations.
Within refineries and petrochemical plants, force measurement equipment is used for vessel weighing, storage tank weighing, crane load monitoring and heavy lifting projects. LNG terminals utilise load monitoring systems for mooring, loading arm protection and maintenance lifting operations.
These call for equipment capable of delivering dependable performance in safety-critical environments where equipment failure can result in costly downtime or operational risk.
Drilling operations
Hook load monitoring, mast and derrick raising, coiled tubing, wireline tension monitoring, hydraulic fracturing and workover rigs.
Pipeline construction
Pipeline pulling, horizontal directional drilling and tensioning operations.
Refineries and petrochemical plants
Vessel weighing, storage tank weighing, crane load monitoring and heavy lifting.
LNG terminals
Mooring, loading arm protection and maintenance lifting operations.
Load Cells, Load Pins and Load Shackles for Onshore Oil and Gas
LCM Systems manufactures a comprehensive range of force measurement products for the onshore oil and gas sector.
Load pins
Our load pins are widely used in sheaves, pivots, pipe handling equipment, drilling and lifting. Designed to replace existing load-bearing pins with minimal modification, they provide an efficient method of measuring force without affecting system operation.
Load pins are ideal where force measurement needs to be integrated directly into existing machinery or lifting equipment. Their ability to replace standard load-bearing pins makes them particularly attractive for OEM equipment and retrofit projects.
Load shackles
Load shackles offer a simple and effective solution for lifting, rigging, winching and pipeline installation in which real-time load monitoring is required. They are widely used for lifting, rigging, crane monitoring and pipeline installation projects where portable and reliable load measurement is required.
Compression and tension load cells
Compression and tension load cells enable precise force measurement in drilling, refining, storage and processing. Products are available in a wide range of capacities and configurations to suit virtually any oil and gas operation.
Compression load cells
Compression load cells are commonly used for storage tank weighing, vessel weighing, structural load monitoring and process control.
Tension load cells
Tension load cells are frequently specified for drilling operations, wireline systems, coiled tubing units and pipeline tensioning projects.
Wireless telemetry options
Wireless telemetry options are available across many products, providing flexible load monitoring where conventional cabling is impractical.
The choice of technology depends on the application, installation constraints, required accuracy, environmental conditions and load range.
When Should Offshore-Rated Equipment Be Specified Onshore?
There are many situations in which offshore-rated load cells, load pins or load shackles may be the preferred choice for onshore duties.
Coastal LNG terminals, marine loading facilities, tanker berths, jetties and exposed pipeline installations often experience environmental conditions similar to those found offshore. Salt-laden air, corrosion, washdown procedures and severe weather can all reduce the service life of standard industrial equipment.
In these environments, offshore-rated products can provide enhanced corrosion resistance, improved ingress protection, marine-grade materials and longer operational life. While offshore-rated equipment may involve a higher initial investment, it can often deliver lower lifecycle costs through improved reliability and reduced maintenance requirements.
Enhanced corrosion resistance
Improved ingress protection
Marine-grade materials
Longer operational life
ATEX and IECEx Force Measurement Solutions
Many onshore oil and gas facilities contain potentially explosive atmospheres. As a result, hazardous-area certification is frequently a key requirement when specifying force measurement equipment.
LCM Systems offers a comprehensive range of ATEX and IECEx certified load cells, load pins, load shackles and instrumentation suitable for Zone 0, Zone 1 and Zone 2 environments. Both Ex d (Flameproof) and Ex i (Intrinsically Safe) protection concepts are available, allowing the most appropriate solution to be selected.
Zone 0
Zone 1
Zone 2
Ex d
Flameproof
Flameproof
Ex i
Intrinsically Safe
Intrinsically Safe
Our hazardous-area solutions are used throughout drilling operations, refineries, petrochemical plants, LNG facilities, tank farms and pipeline infrastructure projects.
Custom Force Measurement for Onshore Oil and Gas
A large proportion of LCM Systems’ oil and gas business involves the design and manufacture of bespoke force measurement systems tailored to specific customer requirements.
Our engineering team works closely with customers throughout the project lifecycle, from initial consultation and concept development through to manufacture, calibration and testing. Whether the requirement is for a custom load pin, a high-capacity load shackle, a specialised mounting arrangement or a complete load monitoring system, we can provide a tailored solution.
Consult
Initial consultation and concept development
Design
Engineering and system design
Manufacture
In-house manufacturing
Verify
Calibration and testing
This capability enables customers to obtain accurate force measurement without compromising equipment design, operational performance or safety.
See below for examples of applications supplied in the oil, gas and onshore sector since 1984.
- Bolt Tensioning Systems
- Centre of Gravity Weighing Systems
- Crane Load Monitoring & Control
- Crane Proof Testing
- Crane Safe Load Monitoring
- Crane Weighing & Overload Protection
- Floating Production Storage & Offloading Monitoring (FPSO)
- Hydraulic Jacking Systems
- Mooring Line Load Monitoring (MLM)
- Mooring Tension Measurement
- Multipoint Structure Weighing
- Offshore Module Weighing
- Quick Release Hooks (QRH)
- Single Point Mooring Systems (SPM)
- Towing & Mooring Tension Load Monitoring
- Vacuum Pipe Lifters
- Vessel Towing Tension Monitoring
- Winch Load Monitoring
- Winch Tension Monitoring & Control
- Wireline Measurement
Onshore Expertise
Why Choose LCM Systems?
LCM Systems combines more than four decades of force measurement expertise with in-house design, manufacturing and calibration capabilities.
More than four decades of expertise
Designed and manufactured in the UK
In-house manufacturing capabilities
In-house calibration capabilities
Extensive hazardous-area expertise
Standard and bespoke solutions
Wireless and cabled technologies
Proven global oil and gas experience
Trusted across demanding onshore applications
Our products are trusted in applications ranging from drilling rigs and pipeline construction projects to refineries, petrochemical plants and LNG terminals. Whatever is required, our goal is to deliver reliable, accurate and durable force measurement solutions that help customers to improve safety, productivity and operational efficiency.
Contact Our Onshore Oil and Gas Specialists
Whether you require a standard load cell, a custom-engineered load pin or a fully integrated force measurement solution, LCM Systems can provide reliable technology tailored to your exact specifications.
Contact our engineering team to discuss your requirements and discover how our expertise can improve safety, reliability and operational performance.