Swelling Elastomer Applications in Petroleum Drilling and Development

Abstract

Oil and gas drilling and development is witnessing new and inventive techniques targeted at increased production from difficult and aging wells. As depth of an oil or gas well increases, higher temperatures and harsher environments are encountered. Suitable elastomers can provide good sealing as they possess good resistance to heat and chemical attack, and as they are widely availability at low cost. In comparison with metals, elastomers are lighter in weight and lesser in stiffness and hardness, swell more with increasing temperature, and are usually better in corrosion resistance. Other reasons for their preference include excellent damping and energy absorption, more flexibility and longer life; good sealing even with moisture, heat, and pressure; negligible toxicity; good moldability; and flexible stiffness. As mentioned in chapter-1, swelling elastomers or gels have found extensive use in different applications including drug delivery, microfluidics, biomedical devices, scaffolds for tissue engineering, biosensors, etc. As the main focus of this book is the oil and gas industry, implementation of swelling elastomer technology and deployment in different petroleum applications are discussed below.