The oil and gas industry operates in some of the harshest environments on Earth. From extreme downhole temperatures exceeding 300°F to constant exposure to corrosive chemicals and abrasive conditions, equipment failures aren't just costly—they can halt operations entirely. The materials you specify for custom molded parts and coatings must perform under these relentless conditions, or your operations pay the price.
Polyurethane elastomers have emerged as a critical solution for these demanding applications. When formulated with the right intermediates, they deliver the exceptional performance characteristics that oil field operations require: high-temperature stability, chemical resistance, flexibility retention, and superior abrasion resistance.
Polyurethane parts and coatings are valued in the oil and gas industry for their exceptional resistance to extreme conditions common in oil field environments. Polyurethane elastomers formulated with core Gantrade intermediates can meet the challenges of oil field environments including high temperature exposure, water, oil and chemicals resistance, maintenance of flexibility, abrasion resistance and crack and wear resistance.
Gantrade's Intermediates for Custom Polyurethane Parts
Our urethane intermediates can assist formulators to tailor the properties of polyurethanes to meet the most demanding performance requirements in the oil and gas industry, with prolonged performance at 150ºC (300ºF) and above. This includes our performance polyols, curatives and chain extenders and MDI isocyanates. Gantrade's team of experts can assist you in the development of parts and coatings for use in extreme environments common in drilling and production environments.
Gantrade's Polyols Grade Slate
Polyols create the flexible segments of the polyurethane elastomers. The type of polyol influences the final product's resilience, flexibility, hydrolysis, thermal and abrasion resistance.
Polytetramethylene Ether Glycol (PTMEG) Polyols: PTMEG is used to produce elastomers with high resilience, good dynamic performance, and improved hydrolysis resistance, abrasion resistance and performance in low-temperature environments. We offer a complete line of PTMEG polyols molecular weights along with and formulation information.
Polycaprolactone Polyols: Polycaprolactone based polyurethanes significantly outperform polyester polyols in resistance to hydrolysis, oil, and chemicals, as well as superior cut and tear strength, toughness, and abrasion resistance. Our product line of Placcel® polycaprolactone polyols allow tailoring of polyurethanes to demanding specifications. Gantrade experts can guide the selection of the right polycaprolactone polyol for your requirements.
Polycarbonate Diols: Polycarbonate polyols are known for the ultimate performance in water, chemical and abrasion resistance, and high temperature environments, making them ideal for the extreme conditions experienced in the oil and gas industry applications. Available in crystalline and amorphous grades, our ROPOL polycarbonate provide for a broad range of performance attributes and can achieve long-term durability in the most demanding environments.
Isocyanates
The type of isocyanate determines properties like strength, durability, and thermal resistance.
MDI (Diphenylmethane Diisocyanate): MDI-based polyurethanes are well-suited for down-hole high-temperature and durable applications. Our broad line of MDIs produce tough, abrasion-resistant, and thermally stable elastomers and coatings. We offer a very broad line of MDIs including monomeric 4,4'-MDI (MMDI), MMDI derivatives and polymeric MDIs. MDI-based polyurethanes are well-suited for high-temperature, rigid, and durable applications like downhole.
Curatives
MCDEA (4,4'-Methylene-bis-(3-chloro-2,6-diethylaniline)): MCDEA-cured polyureas are well-suited for the challenging environments of oil and gas operations. MCDEA provides polyureas several key performance advantages including excellent high-temperature resistance, enhanced mechanical and dynamic properties, good resiliency, superior abrasion and wear resistance, and low heat build-up (low hysteresis) under high compressive loads.
MOCA (4,4'-Methylenebis(2-chloroaniline)): MOCA-cured polyurethanes retain good properties at high temperatures. In Gantrade's experience, MCDEA is a much better curative for challenging conditions experienced in oil field applications.
Diol Chain Extenders
1,4-Butanediol (BDO): When it comes to MDI systems, the chain extender of choice for most processors is 1,4-BDO. BDO as a urethane chain extender affords tough, high strength, durable, and thermally stable polyurethane elastomers.
Hydroquinone bis (2-hydroxyethyl) ether (HQEE): HQEE is the benchmark for diol chain extenders in polyurethane performance. Compared with BDO, HQEE affords high hardness and tensile values, increased tear strength and resiliency, and improved retention of properties at high temperatures. HQEE extension produces an approximately 30ºC higher hard segment melting point vs. BDO translating to superior elevated temperature performance.
Polyurethane Custom Parts for Oil & Gas where Gantrade Intermediates Offer Performance Advantages
Exemplary of some parts where Gantrade intermediates can contribute in meeting the extreme conditions required in the oil and gas industry include the following:
- Custom molded polyurethane parts
- Downhole Equipment and Tools
- Pipe linings and pigs
- Bend stiffeners
- Bushings
- Seals, O-rings and Gaskets
- Coatings
Engineering Solutions for Extreme Conditions
The performance demands of oil and gas operations continue to intensify. Equipment must withstand higher temperatures, more aggressive chemicals, and longer service intervals. The difference between a part that performs and one that fails often comes down to the intermediates used in its formulation.
Gantrade's portfolio of urethane intermediates—from high-performance polyols to specialized curatives and chain extenders—gives formulators the building blocks needed to engineer polyurethane parts that meet and exceed these challenging requirements. Our technical team brings decades of formulation expertise to help you select the right combination of intermediates for your specific application.
Whether you're developing custom molded parts for downhole equipment, formulating coatings for extreme environments, or seeking to improve the performance of existing polyurethane components, Gantrade is ready to assist you to innovate solutions to the challenges with the oil and gas industry environments.
Ready to discuss your formulation challenges? Contact our technical team to explore how Gantrade's urethane intermediates can enhance the performance and durability of your oil and gas applications.
