ENGINEERING PLASTIC MATERIAL USED IN OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY

ENGINEERING PLASTIC MATERIAL USED IN OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY

Very few industries require optimum performance from their equipment as much as the oil and gas industry. Extreme temperatures, harsh environmental conditions, eroding sea water and chemical exposure all add up towards making the oil and gas industry as one of engineering’s greatest challenges.

Thanks to continuous growth of the oil and gas industry, there is now a growing demand for engineering plastic material. In this respect, high performance polymers offer many advantages over metal, especially when used appropriately. Some engineering plastic material are also capable of withstanding a variety of extreme conditions as and when needed such as temperature, mechanical loading, durability and chemical resistance. 

At Ai plastics, our in-house capabilities enable us to provide our customers with the best and the most cost-effective solutions for their projects and applications.

Some of the materials that are suitable to use in the oil and gas industry include:

Ketron PEEK

The Ketron Peek family is based on polyetheretherketone resin. It displays a unique combination of high mechanical properties, temperature resistance and excellent chemical resistance, thus making it the right use for oil and gas applications.

Characteristics:

• Resistance to harsh chemical and corrosive environments as well as elevated temperatures
• Broad operational temperature range
• Low levels of creep and excellent mechanical properties which can be further enhanced by the addition of fillers such as glass and carbon fibers
• Abrasion and wear resistance under high loads (bearing grades)

Common oil and gas applications for PEEK include:

• Seal and packing components, such as backup rings, piston seals, and labyrinth seals
• Subsea connectors
• Poppets
• Valve seats
• Compressor valve plates

PTFE

PTFE is often used as an anti-extrusion backup due to its high strength characteristics. Its material features make it a suitable material to be used for oil and gas applications.

Characteristics that make it ideal for the oil and gas industry:

• Exhibits the broadest range of chemical resistance due to its simple, fully fluorinated structure
• Absorbs only a negligible amount of moisture
• Very low coefficient of friction
• Flame resistant

Common oil and gas applications of PTFE include:

• Seal and packing components, such as O-rings, backup rings, spring-energized seals, slipper seals, and piston rings
• Sealing liquid natural gas or other cold media
• Bearing and wear components (filled grades)

Other materials used

Other engineering plastics that are widely used in the oil and gas application industry include:

• Ertalon Nylon 6
• Ertalon Nylon 66
• Nylatron GS
• Nylatron GSM
• Duratron
• Fluorosint
• Techron

If you need technical advice on what material to use for various application within the oil and gas industry, please give us a call at 0161 727 0255 or download our datasheets from our website. You can also send your questions to enquiries@aiplastics.com