Abstract :
The limited options of suitable elastomers with adequate cost-performance balance drive the necessity to introduce new materials in the oil & gas (O&G) application space. The relevance of a recently developed copolymer of chloroprene and acrylonitrile (referred to as acrylonitrile-chloroprene rubber or NCR) to O&G applications is described in this technical contribution. The new elastomer demonstrates adequate physical properties and reasonably good high and low-temperature capabilities. It offers good resistance to several aqueous and non-aqueous fluids with low volume swelling and retains its physical properties to reasonable extents while exposed to hot test oils. Acrylonitrile-chloroprene rubber has been found to sustain "sour gas" exposure. Good abrasion resistance, high tear strength, and remarkably high flex-fatigue resistance coupled with low heat build-up reflect its durability under dynamic conditions. In addition, acrylonitrile-chloroprene rubber can very well withstand the rapid gas decompression test at 25[degrees]C. This unique combination of attributes may allow acrylonitrile-chloroprene rubber to be considered as a candidate material for high-performance O&G applications. KEYWORDS acrylonitrile, copolymer, durability, elastomer, fluid resistance, polychloroprene, thermal properties