Plastic material solutions for the oil and gas industry

The oil and gas industry demands high temperature, high pressure (HTHP), high mechanical strength and chemical resistance materials, suitable for the most extreme environments. Modern technical plastics have a major contribution to make towards improving existing solutions in the oil and gas industry due to state-of-the-art materials that offer a greater range of benefits.  Ensinger has invested heavily in research and development to find innovative solutions to new technical challenges. With expertise in developing and manufacturing high-performance and engineering plastic materials, Ensinger’s product portfolio has been enhanced to meet the specific requirements of the oil and gas industry, suitable for a wide range of applications. With extensive experience in the oil and gas sector, Ensinger works closely with customers to achieve the optimum solution to suit their application's requirements. Technical material experts can provide customers with a qualified material recommendation, which can be confirmed by practical testing.

Current systems in place in the oil and gas sector largely use modern materials such as Polyimide, PTFE, PA 6 C, PPS, PAI and PEEK. In addition to this, Ensinger’s PEEK products are tested in accordance with EN ISO 23936-1 and NORSOK M-710, which verifies the material's resistance to the severe conditions of the environment it will be exposed to.

The oil and natural gas industry is typically broken down into three categories: upstream, midstream, and downstream. Oil exploration, extraction, and production are the main activities of upstream oil companies.


Solutions for Upstream Oil and Gas Industry

The upstream oil and gas industry consists of exploration activities to access hydrocarbons, and at the same time, considers safety factors to try and reduce negative environmental impact. The exploration can be onshore or offshore. The characteristics of Ensinger's high-performance and engineering plastic materials meet the technical requirements for many of the systems leading to optimal production, efficiency, safety, and greater equipment lifecycles, while also combining strength, chemical compatibility, wear resistance, conductivity, and flammability, along with temperature and pressure functionality.

Ensinger supplies a vast range of products that are used in upstream and gas exploration, including blowout preventers (BOP), seal components, electrical connectors, back up rings, valve seats, housings, high pressure packing, seals rings, steam seals, etc.

Solutions for Midstream and Downstream Industry

Midstream

The midstream segment of the oil and natural gas industry refers to anything required to transport and store crude oil and natural gas before they are refined and processed into fuels and key elements needed to make a very long list of products used in everyday activities. Midstream also includes pipelines and all the infrastructure needed to move these resources long distances, such as pumping stations, compressors, tank trucks, rail tank cars and more.

Downstream

Downstream industry includes everything involved in refining and transporting petroleum products to end users. This industry process transports many products related to our everyday necessities such as diesel, natural gas, gasoline, heating oil, lubricants, asphalt, insecticides, medicines, and propane as well as sub-products such as chemicals that will be the base material for things like fabrics, and plastics.

The characteristics of Ensinger's high-performance and engineering plastic materials meet the technical requirements for many of the systems in midstream and downstream providing for optimal production, efficiency, safety, and greater equipment lifecycles, while combining strength, high temperature and high pressure resistance, with mechanical shock, chemical compatibility, friction resistance, conductivity, and flammability.  Ensinger`s vast portfolio of products are used in midstream and downstream applications, such as packing rings, valve rings, piston rings, wear bands, bushings, valve seats, valve rings, labby seals, steam seals, steam bearings.

BENEFITS FROM ENSINGER TO THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY

Custom sizes - or just large!

Ensinger also has extensive experience in the manufacture of PEEK tube, offering a wide range of standard tube sizes and wall thicknesses. Custom sizes are also available, with the ability to adapt to large dimensions. Alongside this, the material blend can be customised by adding fillers and additives to suit the needs of specific applications. A variety of applications in the oil and gas industry can benefit from Ensinger’s PEEK tubes due to their outstanding properties.

Only the highest standards are good enough for us!

Our PEEK shapes products are tested according to EN ISO 23936-1 and NORSOK M-710.

We are where you are! 

Ensinger’s branches have been strategically placed globally to ensure that they are closer to their customers.

Low weight and increased lifetime!

Good resistance to common fluids, no corrosion, high thermal resistance, good wear resistance and low friction are properties our materials hold that contribute to reduced maintenance costs and increased equipment lifetime. Therefore, the use of our low weight polymers can reduce energy costs and improve performance and efficiency.

One-Stop Shop for oil and Gas: Competence from a single source

With our many years of experience, we are the expert for your customised application in the gas and oil industry. We can advise you on the selection of the right material, the right processing technology and the design of the end product. As a full-service plastics supplier, we have a fully integrated value chain, offering everything from compounds, stock shapes or filaments to finished products from a single source.


Finished oil and gas parts from ensinger

oil and gas products from ensinger


Material SOLUTIONS FOR THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY

  • Ensinger’s PEEK products are able to achieve compliance for use in highly demanding oil and gas applications in accordance with EN ISO 23936-1:2009 and NORSOK M-710, Edition 3.

  • For applications such as bearings, where one part slides over another, there is often extreme wear. Thermoplastics work well in these applications, where low friction is crucial. 
  • Ensinger offers a wide range of high performance plastics suitable for the most demanding environments with long term maximum usage temperatures up to 300 °C, depending on the application. 

Oil and Gas Case studies

Electrical Connectors

made of TECAPEEK

Reliable plastics for Electrical Connectors

Throughout the oil and gas production industry, the transportation of electricity is a key factor. This electricity is transmitted using a network of electrical connectors. These electrical connectors are subjected to the aggressive operational environment as well as potentially high pressures and temperatures. 

Seals and Back up Rings

made of TECAPEEK

Withstand extreme temperatures and chemicals

In the oil and gas industry, oil seals are used to prevent dust, dirt, water and any other harmful substances from entering and damaging machinery. Seals are a vital component to help protect various components such as tight-fitting ball, sleeve and roller bearings. It is vital to ensure the most appropriate material is used to produce seals, depending on the environment they will be operating in, as different environments may require materials with different degrees of resistance to chemicals and temperatures.

Frequently asked questions on oil and gas plastic material

  • We offer semi-finished products that are compliant for highly demanding oil and gas applications. The tests are performed according to EN ISO 23936-1:2009 as well as NORSOK M-710, Edition 3. Find out more:
  • Yes, Ensinger does guarantee traceability on an order-specific basis to ensure highest standards of safety.
  • As a result of the joint industry effort to prepare EN ISO 23936-2 dealing with qualification of elastomers, NORSOK standard M-710, Edition 3 refers to the requirements in EN ISO 23936-2:2011 for elastomers. For thermoplastic materials, the qualification requirements are given directly in the NORSOK standard and aligned with requirements and format in EN ISO 23936-2. the thermoplastics part EN ISO 23936-1:2009 is considered as informative. 
  • Both standards, EN ISO 23936 and NORSOK M-710 specify testing with distilled water, although using seawater might tend to get nearer to the real environment. According to comparison tests performed by Victrex, using both seawater and distilled water in various ageing tests, no major differences between the two environments could be observed. 
  • There does not exist, nor are there currently plans to introduce an NTS/NORSOK qualification approval strategy or public listing of qualified manufacturers in this regard.