Sour Gas Resistant O Rings

Sour Gas Resistant O Rings: What is Sour Gas and which elastomers are resistant to it?

What is Sour Gas?

Sour Gas is a gas stream that contains hydrogen sulfide (H2S), a poisonous gas found in Oil & Gas wells around the world. H2S is highly corrosive and will react and degrade polymers including many types of elastomers. It will make them brittle and hard, also will lose their flexibility and capability to seal, eventually causing seal failure.

Elastomer Seals such as O Rings, Gaskets, and custom moulded parts for sour service require specialised materials and test information to ensure the seal will meet the service requirements.

Sour Gas Testing

Our Manufacturing Partners have developed a number of Sour Gas resistant elastomer materials for the Oil & Gas and Petrochemical industries. These have been third-party tested to a number of international test standards and conditions.

Further Sour Gas Testing

High H2S concentration testing is a step further than standard testing. Material testing at high temperatures and elevated concentrations of Sour Gas (25%). This crosses the minimum demands of the ‘conventional’ 2% NORSOK test. These advanced test factors are more characteristic of realistic service environments. Furthermore, it helps to find the limits of the rubber capability, which offers the level of comfort for the engineer in a given sealing installation.

Sour Gas Standards

Most commonly used standards are as follows:

• NORSOK M-710 covers requirements and procedures for qualification of non-metallic (polymer) materials for use in Sour Gas applications. Annex A – ageing of elastomeric materials (section 7.2)
• ISO 10423 (API 6A) covers Petroleum and Natural Gas industries, drilling and production equipment, wellhead and ‘christmas tree’ equipment (section F.1.13.5.2 DD/EE and FF/HH)
• NACE TM0187 establishes a test method to measure the capability of elastomeric materials to withstand static exposure to vapour phase sour gas environments (gaseous hydrocarbons with hydrogen sulfide at elevated pressure)
• ISO 23936-2 describes the requirements and procedures for qualification of elastomeric material used in equipment for Oil & Gas production (section 7 and Annex A)

Our material grades that have been proven to Sour Gas standards

• NORSOK – HNBR, FKM, FFKM, FEPM-TFE/P, EPDM
• NACE – FKM
• ISO 10423 (API 6A) – HNBR, FKM, FFKM, FEPM-TFE/P, EPDM

Additionally, we have a full range of specific Oil & Gas Perfluoroelastomer (FFKM) O Rings.

For more information and testing data on our range of Sour Gas elastomers, click here to download a brochure.

M Barnwell Services is the UK’s leading independent supplier, distributor, and manufacturer of fluid sealing products. If you require any additional information about our range and/or services, download our catalogue or contact a member of the team.

E & OE. M Barnwell Services endeavours to make sure all the content is correct. Information has been gained from manufacturing partners.