Precision Polymer Engineering (PPE), a manufacturer of molded elastomer seals, has announced that SECC Oil and Gas, a supplier of couplings and connectors to the oil and gas industry, has installed its Perlast G75LT and G90LT O-rings in a patented pressure-balanced disconnect system for subsea operations.
Seals made from PPE’s Perlast ICE G75LT and G90LT materials have been developed to maintain a bubbletight seal even under the low temperature, high pressure environments associated with deep water drilling and production. They have undergone testing and been proven to perform at pressures of up to 15,000psi and at temperatures ranging from -18⁰C to 121⁰C. The elastomer’s low glass transition temperature ensures that the seals maintain their elasticity despite high working pressures, forming an effective seal even in the presence of aggressive and corrosive substances often encountered in oil and gas exploration.
“SECC approached us with a unique challenge, a high performance elastomer material which could continue to operate upon exposure to low temperatures and high pressures,” said Steve Jagels, PPE’s global market manager for oil and gas. “The Perlast G75LT and G90LT O-rings were specially designed to operate at the low temperatures associated with deep water production, while also exhibiting high resistance to chemicals such as aromatic hydrocarbons, water and sour gas.”
Due to the increasing demand for SECC’s disconnect failsafe system it was important to deliver the elastomer seals in the shortest possible time. Engineering, manufacturing and testing of the seals from the initial concept to full production met SECC’s ambitious product launch date.
SECC Oil and Gas, located in the UK, specializes in connection and disconnection solutions across the sector with special emphasis on subsea applications. Its emergency breakaway system has been developed as a failsafe measure to ensure that oceanic pipelines do not rupture when extraction vessels drift from their location above the well. Many active service vessels involved in deep water oil and gas extraction are equipped with dynamic positioning (DP) to maintain a fixed location when connected to the pipeline. The system monitors GPS, wind and motion sensors and adjusts the angle and output for each of the ship’s thrusters ensuring that the pipeline connection is not put under strain. If however, this system fails, the ship is likely to drift endangering the integrity of the pipeline and increasing the possibility of a leak. The emergency disconnect ensures that, in the event of DP failure, the environment is protected and the raw materials being extracted are not contaminated by seawater.
Image: O-rings/Precision Polymer Engineering
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