Trelleborg features new NORSOK-approved sealing materials at ATCE 2015
By Alex Endress, Editorial Coordinator
Trelleborg Sealing Solutions showed off two recently released sealing materials for drilling and production at the 2015 SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, held 28-30 September in Houston. The materials received NORSOK approval in September, bringing the total number of Trelleborg’s NORSOK-approved sealing materials for the oil and gas industry to 23. These new sealing solutions are rubber compounds designed for high-temperature, high-pressure sealing operations, Trelleborg Oil and Gas Segment Manager Eric Bucci said.
Mr Bucci said that he has seen increasing requests for sealing materials that comply with NORSOK, API and ISO standards due to increased focus on safety and compliance. “If your materials are approved at those specs, (companies) know those are high-quality premium materials, and you are already past the first step in working with these customers.” To achieve compliance, sealing solutions must pass through a chemical cocktail comprised of a combination of ingredients such as brine, methane, or carbon dioxide, and maintain sealing capabilities. Mr Bucci indicated new sealing solution development is being driven by redesign of oilfield tools to promote efficiency and cost reduction in the down market. “That is one thing that is keeping us going at the moment – this massive influx of projects for tool redesign and cost efficiency, making tools smaller, lighter and easier to work with.”
He said the downturn has also attracted Trelleborg’s customers to investing in long-term partnerships. “Now that it is slowed down, they take their time more than they have in the past to actually review what is really needed, and put a little more in depth analysis into it,” Mr Bucci said. “That is when they fall back on us because we have partnered with them throughout the years to dream up these innovative solutions.”
The company’s seals are currently available for a variety of drilling and production tools, such as seals in rotary steerable systems, fluid sampling tools, wireline tools, MWD/LWD tools, top drives, BOPs and packers.
