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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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 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 are commonly used for storage tank weighing, vessel weighing, structural load monitoring and process control.

Tension load cells are frequently specified for drilling operations, wireline systems, coiled tubing units and pipeline tensioning projects.

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.

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.

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.

This capability enables customers to obtain accurate force measurement without compromising equipment design, operational performance or safety.

Why Choose LCM Systems?

LCM Systems combines more than four decades of force measurement expertise with in-house design, manufacturing and calibration capabilities.

Customers benefit from UK-designed and manufactured products, extensive hazardous-area expertise, standard and bespoke solutions, wireless and cabled technologies and proven experience across global oil and gas projects.

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 today to discuss your onshore oil and gas load monitoring requirements and discover how our expertise can help you to improve safety, reliability and operational performance.