Choosing a Hydraulic Fluid Truck for the Oilfield

A hydraulic fluid truck — also called a lube truck or a service truck — is a specialized oilfield service vehicle that carries hydraulic fluid, engine oil, grease, and other lubricants. It's used to service and maintain drilling rigs, workover rigs, and other oilfield equipment. Every oilfield operation needs hydraulic fluid trucks to keep the equipment running. If you're choosing one for your operation, here's what you need to know.

What Does a Hydraulic Fluid Truck Do?

A hydraulic fluid truck has several jobs:

- Carrying fluids: It carries hydraulic fluid, engine oil, gear oil, transmission fluid, grease, and other lubricants. It has separate tanks for each type of fluid.
- Dispensing fluids: It has pumps and hoses to dispense the fluids. You can pump hydraulic fluid into a rig's hydraulic system, or pump oil into an engine's crankcase.
- Greasing equipment: It has a grease pump and hose, for greasing bearings, hinges, and other moving parts.
- Waste oil recovery: Some hydraulic fluid trucks also have a tank for collecting waste oil, so you can drain old oil from equipment and carry it away for disposal.

What to Look For When Choosing a Hydraulic Fluid Truck

Number and Size of Tanks. How many different fluids do you need to carry? Most hydraulic fluid trucks have 3-6 separate tanks, for different types of oil and hydraulic fluid. Think about what fluids you need, and how much of each. Choose a truck with enough tank capacity for your needs.

Pumping System. What kind of pumping system do you need? You need pumps to move the fluids from the tanks to the equipment. Different fluids need different pumps — hydraulic fluid needs a high-pressure pump, oil needs a medium-pressure pump, grease needs a high-pressure grease pump. Make sure the truck has the right pumps for the fluids you'll be carrying.

Metering System. Good hydraulic fluid trucks have metering systems, so you know exactly how much fluid you're dispensing. That's important for accounting — you need to know how much oil and hydraulic fluid you're using, and how much you're charging to the customer. A good metering system saves you money and reduces waste.

Truck Chassis. What kind of truck chassis do you need? If you're driving on paved roads, a 4x2 truck is enough. If you're driving on rough oilfield roads, you need a 4x4 or 6x6 truck, with good off-road capability. Think about where you'll be driving, and choose the right chassis.

Workspace and Accessories. Does the truck have a good workspace? A crane for lifting heavy oil drums? A hose reel? A workbench? Storage for tools? Think about what accessories you need to do your job efficiently.

FAQ

Q: How much does a hydraulic fluid truck cost?
A: A new hydraulic fluid truck costs $100,000 to $300,000, depending on the size and features. A small service truck starts around $100,000. A big, fully equipped truck can cost $300,000 or more. Used trucks are 40-60% cheaper.