Automated fluid monitoring

A viscosified fluid monitoring unit comprising:

• a fluid intake line for receiving a portion of a viscosified fluid from a mixer forming the fluid from a base fluid and a viscosifying agent;
• a fluid outlet line for returning the portion of the viscosified fluid to a circulating flow of viscosified fluid;
• and
• an in-line Coriolis flowmeter to circulate the portion of the viscosified fluid from the fluid intake line to the fluid outlet line and provide ongoing, substantially continuous monitoring of a characteristic of the viscosified fluid.

A system at an oilfield accommodating a well, the system comprising:

• a tank for holding a base fluid;
• a mixer for combining the base fluid with a viscosifying agent to form a viscosified fluid;
• a blender for combining the viscosified fluid with a constituent to form an application slurry directed at the well;
• and
• a viscosified fluid monitoring unit with an in-line Coriolis flowmeter to monitor a characteristic of a portion of the viscosified fluid on a substantially continuous basis as the viscosified fluid is transported to the blender.