Every type of drilling and completion fluid used in a well must be compatible with elastomers and seals used in downhole tool and surface rig equipment. Incompatibilities between the fluid and elastomers can result in trips to repair equipment, leaks and catastrophic failure of safety equipment. Results from a variety of tests show that common elastomers perform as specified by the manufacturer when exposed to formate brines. Formate brines are buffered to maintain an alkaline pH during field use. Some elastomers are incompatible with alkaline fluids, especially at high temperatures. Examples are NBR (Nitrile) and FKM (Viton). This section summarises the results of a variety of elastomer compatibility testing performed on formate brines. Some general guidelines are given for elastomer performance in formate brines.

 

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