Developments in High Performance Seal Designs for Critical High Pressure Offshore and Pipeline Applications

Ever demanding business and operating conditions have highlighted the need for significant improvements in the reliability of high duty mechanical seals. With platform operators under pressure to minimize deferred oil production due to equipment failure, there has been, in recent years, a much closer link between user and vendor to jointly develop solutions to satisfy the business requirements. Using a root cause basis, and using advanced materials and technologies, the key problem areas affecting reliability have been addressed and solutions provided for some pioneering applications. This paper looks at the key problem areas of reliability and details solutions that have been applied to move mechanical seal operation to a new level.