Results of Geothermal Casing Packer Seal Elastomer Compound Development
- Key words
- Elastomer; High Temperature; Development; Packer; USA; 260 C; Packer Seal; Field Test; EPDM; Materials; Casing Packer; US DOE; L'Garde
- Conference
- Geothermal Resources Council Transactions
- Year
- 1979
- Session
- Well casing; Packers
- Language
- English
Abstract
Reliable casing packer seal elastomers for the unusually severe geothermal environment at 260°C (500°F) did not exist in 1976. A contract to develop elastomer compounds for this specific application was awarded to L'Garde Inc. by the Department of Energy. Elastomer compounds were successfully developed which as packer seals maintain seal at 260°C for more than 24 hours in synthetic geothermal brine (aqueous solution of H2S, CO2, and NaC1). The final results of the elastomer compound development are presented. The successful compounds are based on the following polymer systems: EPDM, fluroelastomer, EPDM/fluroeleatomer blend and propylene-TFE. Evaluation was performed on full scale packer seals as well as O-rings by L'Garde. L'Garde ran comparison tests against commercially available elastomers including Kalrez. L'Garde's test results were also corroborated independently by three other companies.
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