Pressure Transmitters Usage in Hydraulic Fracturing
An earthquake is basically a sudden release of energy in the earth’s crust that causes
seismic waves. Research has shown that oil and gas exploration activities can cause
earthquakes.
Injection wells are widely used to increase oil recovery and to safely dispose of the salt
and fresh water produced with oil and natural gas. In Lincoln County, Oklahoma, where the
2011 earthquakes hit, there are approximately 1,982 active oil and gas wells and 181 injection
wells. These wells often pump wastewater deeper underground, all day and all night, for years.
The weight and pressure from all of this fluid has caused relatively large earthquakes, including
recently in Arkansas, home to another large shale gas field. Oil and gas production can lead to
tremors another way. When drillers suck all the oil from underground and leave nothing to fill the
gap, the emptying reservoir can collapse.
Hydraulic fracturing, commonly referred to as fracking, is a proven technological
advancement that allows producers to safely recover natural gas and oil from deep shale
formations. Hydraulic fracturing has become more sophisticated and drillers are now using new
techniques such as horizontal drilling to obtain more oil and gas, while minimizing the risk to the
earth’s crust. Hydraulic fracturing equipment used in the oil field usually consists of a series of
fracturing pumps and a monitoring unit including electronic measuring instruments. A typical oil
well involves almost 5 million gallons of fluid to fracture, which is a small enough not to displace
any rock (or cause an earthquake). The typical energy released in tremors triggered by fracking,
"is the equivalent to a gallon of milk falling off the kitchen counter," said Stanford University
geophysicist Mark Zoback.
Pressure transmitter application in Hydraulic fracturing Process
Hydrauclic fracturing equipment mainly involves:
-Fracturing pumps
-Chemical storage tanks
-Fracturing tanks
Pressure at different stages of hydraulic fracturing
process is monitored by a data monitoring van. Pressure
transmitters are a critical part of the whole system. WIKA
S-10 and S-11 pressure transmitters are precision
engineered to fit most hydraulic fracturing pressure
measurement applications. The compact and rugged
design pressure transmitter can be used in the hydraulic
fracturing process for the purpose of pump protection and
numerous other processing and control operations. The
WIKA S-11 transmitter features a flush diaphragm process
connection. The S-11 is specifically designed for the
measurement of viscous fluids and can be used to
measure the pressure when fluid is pumped down the well
bore.
Pressure Transmitters selection consideration
Protected against mechanical shock, vibration and moisture
Wide pressure range
Special external and internal material
An accuracy of < 0.25% full scale