Scotload Ltd. (Kazakhstan) - Scotload has been awarded a contract from MI Drilling Fluids International B.V. in Kazakhstan to supply a silo weighing monitoring system on their new mud plant based in Bautino.

The mud is stored in large silos, each of which were fitted with ultrasonic measuring heads (40 in total). These sensor heads transmit ultrasonic waves and receive the ultrasonic waves reflected back.

By measuring the length of time from the transmission to the reception of the sonic wave, it detects the height of the liquid, from which the volume of content can be determined.

The mud silos are situated in a Zone 1 hazardous area, and so Scotload has designed a safe area power supply and display panel which supplies the power to the ultrasonic heads and re-transmits a safe signal back into the hazardous area for local indication.

The liquid mud plant also stores barite, which, as they are of a different design and construction to the mud silos, required a standard load measuring system. Scotload has supplied 24 compressive load cells to accommodate the twelve barite silos, each of which are linked to a display to indicate the quantity in each tank.

Adil Jiyenbayev, facility manager, said: “Scotload carried out the on-site calibration of ultrasonic tank level indicators and bulk silo weight scales in a very short timeframe with excellent work attitude and professionalism. I would not hesitate to recommend Scotload for projects involving the supply, installation and calibration of any level and/or weight measuring equipment. We look forward to further business relationships.”