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Elastomer testing
Tests are done with standard rubber disks made of various rubber
compounds, which are allowed to swell in the appropriate fluid at the
specified temperature. The disks allow fast comparison and selection of
the best compound for the application.
The selection tests are done using standard rubber disks of 20mm
diameter and 2mm thick. These disks react fast and require little fluid:
the most accurate way to quantify swell is to measure the volume
increase. The volume swell is much larger than thickness swell and
can be accurately measured by weighing. Therefore, the selection
tests rubber samples bonded to steel plates. The steel plate enforces
zero swell at the steel-rubber interface, exactly as with the packers.
However, sample testing represents free swell, and cannot predict any
swell behaviour after the moment the packer starts sealing. Commonly,
rubber disks are included in these tests for comparison with earlier
tests.
Operators using Swellfix oil and water swellable elastomers are to be found in:
Oman, Russia, United Kingdom, Norway, Netherlands, Nigeria, Cameroon, Brunei,
Malaysia, New Zealand, Canada, U.S.A, and many more...
Product Testing
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Water-swellable Elastomers
Water-swellable elastomers (WSE) swell under the influence of a salinity gradient between the fluid and
the elastomer. (The physical process is osmosis,) The behaviour of water based reservoir fluids, muds and
brines can be accurately repeated with lab made fluid mixtures. This eliminates the need for testing in actual
reservoir fluid samples.
Due to the process of osmosis, pure water enters the rubber matrix and the ions stay behind. As a result the
remaining fluid becomes more saline. This is particularly relevant with the limited volumes of test fluid in the
tests, but is not of influence with the unlimited fluid volumes in the actual application. Therefore, the water
based fluid sample must be regularly refreshed in order to simulate actual behaviour.
Oil-swellable Elastomers
A process of dissolution governs the swelling of oil-swellable elastomers. The amount and speed of swelling
of oil-swelling elastomers depends on the temperature and the composition of the crude. The swelling
characteristics of an oil-swelling elastomer have to be determined experimentally, using samples of the actual
crude oil.
Oil-swelling elastomers swell because oil enters the matrix of the rubber. From the large number of tests it
has been established that all the various components of a crude oil enter the matrix. This means that, unlike
water tests, the remaining fluid does not change in composition and the oil-based testing fluids do not require
regular refreshment.
PIT testing PIT tests can be carried out for water- or oil-swelling elastomers. During the test,
the fluid is circulated at low flowrates past the rubber bands. Whenever a band
has swollen to fill the annulus, circulation is effectively stopped and the rubber
allowed to soak. During this time the internal pressure is built up in the rubber and
creates the actual sealing force.
PIT testing mimics the packer in cased hole. These tests are done both on small scale (1:5) and full-scale
(1:1). The 1:5 scale tests (mini-PIT) are ideally suited to make quick comparisons between compounds. Full-
scale tests give accurate predictions for time-to-seal and maximum pressure differential.
After the swell period, the maximum pressure differential is tested by increasing the pressure differential
in steps and measuring the leak rate. If the leak rate is above 1 ml/min , the seal is deemed to have failed.
Often, the test is repeated after several days, usually with excellent results, demonstrating the remarkable
property of these rubbers to self-heal.
SWELLFIX BV,
Phileo Damansara 1, No. 9, Jalan 16/11,
46350 Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
Ph: +60 3 7955 1199 Fax: +60 3 7955 8989
E. info@swellfix.com w. www.swellfix.com
E-ZIP External Zonal Inflow Profiler
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Overview
Installation Process
The E-ZIP swellable elastomer is vulcanized directly onto the casing to creating a strong and durable packer.
The E-ZIP is shipped from our manufacturing plants to the well site or customer’s warehouse in a ready to
run condition. All that is required for installation is that the rig crew remove the protective covering prior to the
E-ZIP being made up to the casing string. No additional assembly, running tools, or personnel are required
for the E-ZIP.