Material Development & Product Testing


Intro-Lab
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Solutions Development and Testing

Freudenberg Oil & Gas Technologies leverages the more than 80 years of sealing and material innovation of The Freudenberg Group. With focused innovation through our 14,000-sqft Material Development & Product Test Facility located in Houston, Texas, Freudenberg Oil & Gas Technologies works to develop and certify new materials to meet the greater sealing demands for upstream applications. 

The materials development and product testing facility has International Standard ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accreditation for testing and calibration laboratories. 

Our material development and testing capabilities include:

  • Elastomer Development, Mixing, and Prototyping
  • Sour Gas (H2S)
  • HPHT
  • Thermal Cycling
  • Material Property Testing and Validation
  • Product Testing to API and ISO Industry Standards

Material Development


Elastomer Mixing Lab

Elastomer Mixing Lab

Our capabilities include a mixing lab to cultivate new material recipes. Freudenberg Oil and Gas Technologies’ elastomer research group is focused on developing new formulations targeted for solving the most stringent challenges encountered by materials used in the oil and gas industry, from extreme temperature and pressure conditions to exposure to harsh drilling and completion fluids.

The mixing lab has all the necessary equipment for compounding new material recipes for seals, BOPs, packers and other non-metallic based oilfield parts. Freudenberg Oil and Gas Technologies developed a full range of elastomers, from commercial NBR, HNBR, NR, and EPDM base polymers to high-performance FKM grades and FFKM Grades, including GAZGUARD® - our trademarked RGD-resistant compounds.

Purpose
Develop new elastomer material recipes

Product Example
O-Rings, Spring Seals & T-Seals

Equipment
3L Mixer  /  2 Roll Mill  /  Heaters for the mill and mixer  /  Hydraulic press  /  Rubber cutter  / Oven  /  Rheometer  /  DSC


Physical Properties Lab

Material Properties Lab

The Material Properties Test Lab performs physical testing for O-Rings, Spring Seals and T-Seals, among other solutions. This facility is equipped to conduct a wide variety of tests on the mechanical properties of Elastomers and Plastics – Tensile Testing, Flexural Strength and Modulus, Compression Stress Relaxation Testing as well as conduct immersion testing with combustible and flammable fluids.

Equipment
Tensile Tester  /  Manual clicker press  /  Densimeter  /  Microscope  /  Hardness tester Shore A, D and IRHD  /  Heating oven  /  Compression stress relaxation fixtures

Types of Tests Performed
ISO 48  /  ISO 37  /  ISO 527  /  ISO 34-1  /  ISO 1817  /  ISO 11357-1+2  /  ISO 188  /  ISO 815  /  ISO 1183  /  ASTM D 429  /  ASTM D 412  /  ASTM D 638  /  ASTM D 395  /  ASTM D 790  /  ASTM D 2240  /  ASTM 3767  /  ASTM D 2000

Example Tests Performed

  • Mechanical Properties
  • Hardness
  • Compression set
  • Immersion testing (in flammable and combustible fluids)

Product Testing


Thermal Cycling Lab

Thermal Cycling Lab

Our Thermal Test Lab is dedicated to product function testing for a variety of sealing solutions such as Spring Seals, T-Seals and FS Seals. This facility utilizes an environmental chamber, a gas booster and an accumulator vessel.

Equipment

  • Thermal chamber (48 x 48 x 48 inches,max load 2,500 lbs)
  • Gas booster + accumulator vessel

Typical Tests Performed

  • ISO 10423 pressure temperature cycling test
  • API 6A F 1.11
  • Customer-specified tests

Temperature Range

  • Typical temperature cycle: -04°F to 250°F (-20°C to 121°C)
  • Chamber is capable of temperature range: -100°F to 375°F (-73°C to 191°C)

Pressure Range

  • Standard test: atmospheric pressure to 15,000 psi(103 MPa)
  • Customer specific test: with new vessel design can get up to 20,000 psi (138 MPa)

Gases / Fluids

  • Standard gases: 100% N2
  • Other gas combinations to be evaluated upon request

HPHT Test Lab

HPHT Test Lab

Our HPHT (High Pressure High Temperature) Test Lab uses Rapid Gas Decompression (RGD) Testing to assess material and function of products such as O-Rings, Spring Seals and T-Seals. The lab includes insulated, self-contained test vessels with band heaters between vessel and insulation.

Equipment
Insulated self-contained test vessels, with band heaters between vessel and insulation

Typical Tests Performed
Norsok M-710 RGD  /  ISO 23936  /  NACE TM 0187  /  Shell DODEP  /  Total GS-PVV-142  /  Customer-specified tests

Temperature Range
Room temperature, to 430°F (220°C)

Pressure Range

  • Standard test: atmospheric pressure to 15,000 psi (103 MPa)
  • Customer specific test: new vessel design can get up to 20,000 psi (138 MPa)

Gases / Fluids

  • Standard gases:
    5% CO2, 95% CH4  /  10% CO2, 90% CH4  /  100% N2 and 100% CO2
  • Customer specific test: other concentrations or gas combinations to be evaluated upon request

Product Test Area

Product Test Area

Our Product Test Area is designed to perform function testing for products such as BOPs and ram packers. The facility is capable of running API 16A testing, as well as customer-specific tests. Typical tests cover water, control fluids, drilling muds and glycol. 

Typical Tests Performed

  • API 16A
  • Customer-specified tests

Pressure Range

  • Up to 15,000 psi (103 MPa)

Gases / Fluids

  • No gases
  • Fluid test: water, control fluids, drilling muds, glycol
  • Other fluids will be evaluated upon request

Sour Gas Test Lab

Sour Gas Test Lab

Our Sour Gas Lab tests a broad spectrum of gases and fluids, as well as customer-specific combinations as requested. Material and function tests include atmospheric pressure to 2,000 psi and immersion testing to 15,000 psi, as well as Norsok M-710 sour gas testing.

Equipment

  • 2 test vessels with stands and insulation in the labhood
  • Wet scrubber for air purification

Typical Tests Performed
Norsok M-710 sour gas  /  ISO 23936  /  ISO 10423 immersion test / API 6A F 1.13 /  ISO 10423 fixture test /API 6A F 1.13  /  Customer-specified tests

Temperature range

  • Room temperature to 430°F (220°C)


Pressure Range

  • Standard test: atmospheric pressure to 2,000 psi (13 MPa)
  • Customer-specific test immersion testing to 15,000 psi (103 MPa)

Gases / Fluids

  • Standard gases:
    2% H2S, 3% CO2, 95% CH4  /  10% H2S, 5% CO2, 85% CH4  /  100% N2
  • Other concentrations or gas combinations will be evaluated upon request

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