High Pressure Steerable Drilling Diaphragm

As the oil and gas drilling industry grows, drilling companies develop new technologies to create a competitive advantage. As these technologies become more and more complex, the components used in their systems are required to function in new and extreme ways.

Steerable drilling technology allows more efficient access to oil, but requires drill heads to articulate while drilling. This requires keeping high pressure oil in the drill housing while keeping high pressure debris out, and at the same time allow the housing to flex as the drill changes direction. The challenge of creating a seal which contains high internal pressure, maintains angular flexibility of the system and resists high external pressure is that while a stiff material is required to prevent extrusion under pressure, it can limit flexibility. The incumbent sealing technology was a fiber-reinforced diaphragm for strength and a hard plastic ring to resist extrusion. This seal assembly was not able to sufficiently prevent extrusion from the outside or from the inside, resulting in premature failure.

Using Finite Element Analysis (FEA) coupled with multiple experimental tests, Parker was able to create a solution meeting the needs of the steerable drilling technology. The Parker solution consists of a three piece assembly working under extreme pressure conditions while maintaining the flexibility needed for articulation or “steering”. The middle component is the sealing diaphragm. It is compressed on both ends and flexible in the middle. The outside component is a very hard elastomer. This piece creates a solid backup against internal pressure and prevents the flexible diaphragm from extruding out of the housing cavity. The inner component is a stainless steel coiled shim. This patent-pending shim technology bridges multiple extrusion gaps on the inside of the seal. The coiled design is able to flex and change size to accommodate maximum articulation of the mating components.

Top: High durometer elastomer for extrusion resistance
Middle: Elastomeric diaphragm for sealing
Bottom: Coiled stainless steel shim for extrusion resistance

Any drilling systems using housings that can tilt and flex and need to hold high pressure inside or outside can benefit from this high pressure diaphragm technology. This solution, or one tailored for your unique system requirements, can be used where a combination of flexibility and pressure extrusion resistance is needed. Parker’s Engineered Seals Division headquartered in Syracuse, Indiana, welcomes your sealing challenges.