RaMEX RX-72TL Friction Reducer and Spectrum Swelling Seal

Ruma Products BV. HOLLAND
Technical Product Report
©
RaMEX RX-72TL
Friction Reducer
and Spectrum
Swelling Seal
Elastomers
Issued: 22 July 2015
QMS
Quality Management System
ISO 9001-2008
ISO 29001
ISO 14001
Summary:
This report looks into the effects of RaMEX AS RX-72TL
friction reducer on spectrum swelling Elastomers in two
different concentrations in 2 different brine motive fluids
RUMA PRODUCTS BV
2015
©Ruma Products BV. Hoogeveen Holland.
RaMEX RX-72TL Friction Reducer and Spectrum Swelling Seal
Elastomers
Content
Background Information................................................................................................................... 2
What are swelling seals ............................................................................................................... 2
How swelling seals work .............................................................................................................. 2
Completion Fluids and their use in Wells ...................................................................................... 3
Friction reducers ........................................................................................................................... 3
Swelling Testing Program............................................................................................................ 3
Test Results:...................................................................................................................................... 4
Weight increase ............................................................................................................................ 4
Thickness increase Middle in mm .............................................................................................. 5
Thickness increase Edge mm ..................................................................................................... 5
Volume increase cc’s ................................................................................................................... 6
Results and conclusions: ................................................................................................................. 7
Technical Details of RX-72 TL .................................................................................................... 8
Laboratory Certification .................................................................................................................... 9
Manufacturing Contact Information.............................................................................................. 11
Commercial and Technical Sales Engineer Contact Details: .................................................. 11
This document including any attached files, contain confidential and privileged information for
the sole use of the intended recipient. Any review, use, distribution, or disclosure by others is
strictly prohibited. All information and contents remain the property of Ruma Products B.V.
RUMA PRODUCTS BV. HOLLAND
Page 1 of 11
RaMEX RX-72TL Friction Reducer and Spectrum Swelling Seal
Elastomers
Background Information
What are swelling seals
Swelling seals are seals produced from elastomer that swell when brought into
contact with various motive fluids. These fluids can be almost endless in their variety,
however the elastomer has to be designed to be sensitive to that fluid. They are not
new and have been known about since elastomers have been used. Swelling of the
elastomer was always seen as a problem and in fact often was. In industries such as
drink water it is a requirement that the elastomer does not swell in contact with the
water, this is as important a characteristic as that of the effects of the elastomer on
the water. Manufacturers of new compounds such as ourselves go to great lengths
to ensure such elastomers fulfil all these requirements to enable them to be certified
as suitable for use in Potable water supplies. Oil swelling elastomers were used
extensively by the military during the second world war as a self-sealing mechanism
on fuel tanks built into aircraft.
The use of swelling seals has found some prominence in the last 5-10 years in Oil
and gas wells where it has proven useful in the creation of compartments in long
open-hole liner systems as well as for fracturing formations. This use was simply the
result of their being easy to use. Unlike mechanical seals used in wells there is no
setting mechanism required. You run them into the well and they will swell if the fluid
and the elastomer are compatible. Nothing else is needed to be done. In mechanical
seals the engineering has to be done per seal type and is a considerable engineering
design workload. In swelling seals the chemical engineering required to design the
elastomeric compound and the bonding requirements is in its own right a
considerable engineering workload, however once it has been done the rest is easy.
You can alter the dimensions of the seal at will as it has little engineering impact
upon the final product.
How swelling seals work
How do they work? Whilst there are a number of different seals they all work
basically by the creation of a diffusion gradient between the elastomer and the motive
fluid. This diffusion gradient effectively pulls the motive fluid INTO the elastomer.
Because the elastomer is “elastic” this results in the seal swelling. It is worth noting
that this diffusion gradient exists in many everyday things. Biscuits have them too,
which is why they become soft and crumbly if not sealed well in a tin (They are not
elastic) . If they were flexible they would swell. It is also why sweets become soft and
sticky. They all have diffusion gradients and this is often towards water as the motive
fluid or in the case of the last few example water vapour in the atmosphere.
This document including any attached files, contain confidential and privileged information for
the sole use of the intended recipient. Any review, use, distribution, or disclosure by others is
strictly prohibited. All information and contents remain the property of Ruma Products B.V.
RUMA PRODUCTS BV. HOLLAND
Page 2 of 11
RaMEX RX-72TL Friction Reducer and Spectrum Swelling Seal
Elastomers
Completion Fluids and their use in Wells
Outside of its primary role as a hydrostatic pressure control barrier, completion fluids
have many different uses to those in drilling fluids. To achieve those requirements
physical characteristics are chemically added to the completion fluids. Once of the
more modern characteristics is added to completion brines used on long extended
reach horizontal wells. This is that of being able to reduce the interaction of the
friction in the wells on long horizontal liner systems reducing the drag considerably
while running long liner and screen sections as well as reducing pumping loads.
Friction reducers
Because these are chemical additions to the brine there is a very real possibility that
the chemicals themselves can attack the elastomers used and directly affect the
reliability and longevity of the elastomer body mechanically. A second affect is that of
being able to alter the diffusion gradient between the fluid and the swelling
elastomers. By altering this gradient it is possible to alter the degree of swell
occurring. This can be either in a positive or a negative sense, this is doubly
important on long horizontal laterals where considerable time can be involved with
the running of the liners and screens.
With all of this in mind a series of tests were conducted with RaMEX to confirm and
quantify any or all the effects of the contact between the Oblique Spectrum
elastomers and the commonly used RX-72TL friction reducers supplied by RaMEX.
Swelling Testing Program
To test the effects of friction reducer on the swelling characteristics a series of button
discs were immersed in fluid samples. One set was immersed in two different brine
concentrations of 5% and 20% to create the reference curve. The second set in a
similar brine concentration of 5% and 20% but then containing a standard 3%
concentration of RX-72TL. The results of immersion over a period of time were them
measured and recorded for comparison. The temperature samples were tested at
was 80 Celsius.
The measurements conducted were:




Change in weight versus time
Change in edge thickness versus time
Change in centre thickness versus time
Change in volume versus time.
Chemical Effect on the Elastomer
By measuring all of these aspects you can discern what would be seen as normal
measuring error discrepancies as there would likely be only one error. If they all show
increases then it is an across the board reading.
This document including any attached files, contain confidential and privileged information for
the sole use of the intended recipient. Any review, use, distribution, or disclosure by others is
strictly prohibited. All information and contents remain the property of Ruma Products B.V.
RUMA PRODUCTS BV. HOLLAND
Page 3 of 11
RaMEX RX-72TL Friction Reducer and Spectrum Swelling Seal
Elastomers
Test Results:
Weight increase
Weight Increase (g)
30
1552-75 5% NaCl
1552-75 20% NaCl
25
1552-75 5% NaCl+3% RX-72TL
1552-75 20% NaCl+3% RX-72TL
g
20
15
10
5
0
0
5
10
15
Time (days)
20
25
30
In the above there is a slight difference between the reference sample curve in Blue and the
Red curve where it was tested with RX-72-TL however the difference which can be seen in
all measurements whether its mm, grams or cc’s is all within the limits of experimental
accuracy.
This document including any attached files, contain confidential and privileged information for
the sole use of the intended recipient. Any review, use, distribution, or disclosure by others is
strictly prohibited. All information and contents remain the property of Ruma Products B.V.
RUMA PRODUCTS BV. HOLLAND
Page 4 of 11
RaMEX RX-72TL Friction Reducer and Spectrum Swelling Seal
Elastomers
Thickness increase Middle in mm
Thickness Increase Middle (mm)
9
1552-75 5% NaCl
8 1552-75 20% NaCl
1552-75 5% NaCl +RX-72
7 1552-75 20% NaCl+RX-72
6
(mm)
5
4
3
2
1
0
-4
1
6
11
16
21
26
31
time (days)
Thickness increase Edge mm
Thickness Increase Edge (mm)
10
1552-75 5% NaCl
9
1552-75 20% NaCl
1552-75 5% NaCl +RX-72
8
1552-75 20% NaCl+RX-72
7
(mm)
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
0
5
10
15
Time (days)
20
25
30
This document including any attached files, contain confidential and privileged information for
the sole use of the intended recipient. Any review, use, distribution, or disclosure by others is
strictly prohibited. All information and contents remain the property of Ruma Products B.V.
RUMA PRODUCTS BV. HOLLAND
Page 5 of 11
RaMEX RX-72TL Friction Reducer and Spectrum Swelling Seal
Elastomers
Volume increase cc’s
Volume Increase (%)
600
1552-75 5% NaCl
1552-75 20% NaCl
500
1552-75 5% NaCl+3% RX-72TL
400
%
300
200
100
0
0
5
10
15
tijd (dgn)
20
25
30
Volume Change (cm3)
30
1552-75 5% NaCl
1552-75 20% NaCl
25
1552-75 5% NaCl+3% RX-72TL
1552-75 20% NaCl+3% RX72TL
cm3
20
15
10
5
0
0
5
10
15
tijd (dgn)
20
25
30
This document including any attached files, contain confidential and privileged information for
the sole use of the intended recipient. Any review, use, distribution, or disclosure by others is
strictly prohibited. All information and contents remain the property of Ruma Products B.V.
RUMA PRODUCTS BV. HOLLAND
Page 6 of 11
RaMEX RX-72TL Friction Reducer and Spectrum Swelling Seal
Elastomers
Results and conclusions:
All of the above graphs clearly show that the swelling of the elastomer has not been affected
by the presence of the friction reducer. In the samples measured in the 20% brine there are
dimensional anomalies at the first measurements but as the swell at that point is very small
errors can be created. However when measured for the volume and weight of both with a
simple and very accurate measurements there are clearly no differences to be seen in
swelling performance. The samples submerged with 5% salinity show a consistent difference
in the intermediate measurements, this tends to indicate that these results were measured
without anomalies however in real terms the difference is very minimal and as it starts the
same and finished with the same swell with or without the friction reducer.


It can be concluded that the swell is not affected by the addition of RaMEX RX-72TL
friction reducer .
That RaMEX RX-72TL does not affect the base elastomer
This document including any attached files, contain confidential and privileged information for
the sole use of the intended recipient. Any review, use, distribution, or disclosure by others is
strictly prohibited. All information and contents remain the property of Ruma Products B.V.
RUMA PRODUCTS BV. HOLLAND
Page 7 of 11
RaMEX RX-72TL Friction Reducer and Spectrum Swelling Seal
Elastomers
Technical Details of RX-72 TL
This document including any attached files, contain confidential and privileged information for
the sole use of the intended recipient. Any review, use, distribution, or disclosure by others is
strictly prohibited. All information and contents remain the property of Ruma Products B.V.
RUMA PRODUCTS BV. HOLLAND
Page 8 of 11
RaMEX RX-72TL Friction Reducer and Spectrum Swelling Seal
Elastomers
Laboratory Certification
This document including any attached files, contain confidential and privileged information for
the sole use of the intended recipient. Any review, use, distribution, or disclosure by others is
strictly prohibited. All information and contents remain the property of Ruma Products B.V.
RUMA PRODUCTS BV. HOLLAND
Page 9 of 11
RaMEX RX-72TL Friction Reducer and Spectrum Swelling Seal
Elastomers
This document including any attached files, contain confidential and privileged information for
the sole use of the intended recipient. Any review, use, distribution, or disclosure by others is
strictly prohibited. All information and contents remain the property of Ruma Products B.V.
RUMA PRODUCTS BV. HOLLAND
Page 10 of 11
RaMEX RX-72TL Friction Reducer and Spectrum Swelling Seal
Elastomers
Manufacturing Contact Information.
Ruma Products B.V.
Zeppelinstraat 5
7903 BR Hoogeveen
The Netherlands
Commercial and Technical Sales Engineer Contact Details:
Tel. +31 (0) 528 260 160
Contact: Mr. Reinard Alkema
E-mail: [email protected]
E-Mail: [email protected]
www.oblique.eu
VAT Reg. No.
Bank account:
IBAN:
NL851073219B01
ING 65.81.46.866
NL16INGB0658146866
This document including any attached files, contain confidential and privileged information for
the sole use of the intended recipient. Any review, use, distribution, or disclosure by others is
strictly prohibited. All information and contents remain the property of Ruma Products B.V.
RUMA PRODUCTS BV. HOLLAND
Page 11 of 11