Oil & Gas Completions

Monitoring for Oil & Gas Completions

Another popular use for Monico Gateways in oil and gas monitoring systems is in frac truck operations. We can provide interface Gateways used for control and monitoring. The engines on these trucks pump fluid and proppants down-hole into the shale formations of natural gas wells to produce factures in the shale rock formations, allowing the natural gas to be extracted.

Monico Gateways in an Oil & Gas Monitoring System

Monico provides control inputs via our J1939 Gateway for torque converter lockup, engine start/stop in both normal and emergency mode and speed control. Our unique ability to provide multiple pre-configured solutions for simultaneous operations involving Modbus, Allen Bradley, GE Fanuc, Siemens, and Omron PLC control systems makes us an easy choice for frac truck projects. Our capability and experience with implementing proprietary PGNs is an important factor. In the world of J1939 communications, these manufacturers’ proprietary PGNs allow the OEM to provide control and monitoring inputs that are specific and proprietary. Monico’s ability to easily and efficiently work with these PGNs is a significant factor in the success of these applications.

One example of using Proprietary PGN’s is for implementing custom or unique features such as what Caterpillar® calls Kickout to Neutral. Transmission service on a frac truc is a touchy application not only on the engine, but also – especially – on the transmission. This feature allows for safety settings for each transmission gear and if certain outlet pressures are achieved, the transmission will automatically shift into neutral and protect the engine and pump components. The pressure achieved in these applications are huge and can cause significant damage (thus significant downtime) if safeties are not built in.