High temperature geothermal elastomer compound development
Reliable casing packer seal elastomers for the unusually severe geothermal environment at 260/sup 0/C (500/sup 0/F) did not exist in 1976. L'Garde, Inc., was awarded a contract to fulfill this need by the United States Department of Energy. Successful development was completed in 1979. Compounds based on four different polymer systems were developed, all of which exceed the contract requirements. Successful laboratory tests above 300/sup 0/C (575/sup 0/F) have been performed with packer seals. Field tests to temperatures as high as 317/sup 0/C (603/sup 0/F) have been performed on static 0-rings in a cablehead. Successful, dynamic, drill bit seal tests were run with a presoak temperature of 288/sup 0/C (550/sup 0/F). The successful compounds are based on the following polymer systems: EPDM (Nordel), FKM (Viton), EPDM/FKM (Nordel/Viton) blend, and propylene-TFE (AFLAS). Evaluation was performed on full-scale packer seals as well as on 0-rings by L'Garde. L'Garde ran comparison tests against commercially available elastomers including Kalrez. Case experience with one or more of the developed compounds are presented. The applications cited include blowout preventors, dynamic drill bit seals, packers, and cableheads. Finally, an effort to actively transfer this technology to the industry is described.
- Research Organization:
- L'Garde, Inc., Newport Beech, CA
- OSTI ID:
- 7369347
- Report Number(s):
- SAND-81-0036C; CONF-810105-
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: International geothermal drilling and completions technology conference, Albuquerque, NM, USA, 21 Jan 1981; Related Information: In: Proceedings of the international conference on geothermal drilling and completion technology, by
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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