RFID tags made with VICTREX® PEEK™ polymer can withstand the extreme physical and chemical conditions of downhole environments

RFID tags made with VICTREX® PEEK™ polymer can withstand the extreme physical and chemical conditions of downhole environments.

When Merrick Systems Inc., a leading provider of integrated software solutions for upstream oil and gas operations, wanted a high performance material for the housing of its RFID tags, it chose VICTREX® PEEK™ polymer because of its superior combination of properties including the ability to withstand the extreme temperatures, physical and chemical conditions of downhole environments.

RFID tags provide an asset management/inventory control process to track equipment used during drilling and production of oil and gas wells. The tags are embedded in downhole tubulars such as drill pipe, casing, production tubing and other BHA (Bottom Hole Assembly) components. They provide fast, accurate and consistent collection of information on each component before, during, and after it is run into a well. According to Ian Binmore, Director of Drilling Products at Merrick Systems, “The more knowledge that service companies and drilling crews have about what is going into the hole before it goes into the hole, the less likely there is of a costly delay or a catastrophic situation. The only way to confidently know this information is to be able to track the components and the VICTREX PEEK polymer tags enable that to occur.” RFID tags can save time and money by speeding up inefficient operations, making sure that operations can go as planned, enabling engineering optimizations and ensuring that assets are properly deployed and used.

Meeting Design Requirements
Previous techniques for mounting RFID tags included simply epoxying them to steel. “These techniques typically result in failure,” said Binmore adding “they can also present a danger to personnel if pressure gets trapped behind the tag while pulling equipment out of a well.” He continued, “We needed a housing that could be mechanically shaped to prevent pressure buildup while withstanding the downhole conditions and providing a mechanical mounting. We found that VICTREX PEEK polymer was the best material available for the housing as it could meet all of our design requirements.”

As a replacement for metals, composites and other polymers, VICTREX PEEK high performance polymer is the engineering solution due to its outstanding combination of properties.

• High Temperature Performance
• Wear Resistance
• Chemical Resistance
• Fire, Smoke and Toxicity Performance
• Hydrolysis Resistance
• Electrical Performance
• High Strength to Weight Ratio
• Inherent Purity
• Dimensional Stability

Strength, Corrosive Resistance, Moldability, Abrasion Resistant
Merrick’s material requirements included the ability to withstand the high pressures and temperatures of the downhole environment, strength, corrosive resistance, acceptability in the industry, moldability, expansion coefficients, brittleness, abrasive resistance, epoxy bondability, dielectric properties, and long term stability, including resistance to deterioration under UV exposure. VICTREX PEEK polymer met all these requirements. “In addition,” said Binmore, “It met our requirements for a material that could be manufactured in bulk to provide quantities of product at a price point that would promote wide adoption of the technology.”

RFID tags have been in existence for quite some time in the drilling industry, but have had a less than stellar performance history. In the past, the problem has been the reliability of the tags to sustain the high temperatures, high pressures and well-documented severe conditions incurred during a drilling operation. “We are not the only company offering RFID tags,” said Binmore. “However, we have demonstrated that tag reliability is no longer an issue through the use of a well thought out strategy that includes tag design, the use VICTREX PEEK polymer, special epoxies and tag installation methods that will endure during sustained drilling operations. This has created a tag that can survive the extreme physical and chemical environments that the tags routinely encounter in a downhole environment. “Victrex has been integral in the development of a product that works,” added Binmore. “Together, Merrick Systems and Victrex have turned it into a valued working product, at a price point that the industry can rapidly accept.”

VICTREX® PEEK™ polymer is an outstanding, high quality and versatile material backed by strong, global resources and engineering expertise.

High Performance VICTREX PEEK, stock shapes, Films and Coating
What makes VICTREX PEEK high performance thermoplastic different is its ability to meet so many performance requirements while allowing engineers and designers to reach new levels of systems cost savings, differentiation, and quality. Its design and processing flexibility allows it to be used in many types of applications, and it is readily available in finished form such as stock shapes, films and coatings. Whether you need an unfilled grade for high purity applications or filled for improved strength, wear, and electrical conductivity, VICTREX PEEK high performance polymer can meet your needs.

VICTREX PEEK polymer, is a repeat unit that comprises of oxy-1, 4-phenylenoeoxy-1, 4-phenylene-carbonyl-1, 4-phenylene. This linear aromatic polymer is semi-crystalline and widely regarded the highest performance thermoplastic available today.

VICTREX PEEK is a high performance polymer with unique properties that makes it an ideal choice for today’s – and tomorrow’s – most demanding applications.

About Victrex
Victrex plc is an innovative leading manufacturer of high performance materials, including VICTREX® PEEK™ polymer, VICOTE® Coatings and APTIV™ Film. These materials are used in a variety of markets and offer and exceptional combination of properties to help processors and end users reach new levels of cost savings, quality and performance. VICTREX® is a registered trademark of Victrex Manufacturing Limited. PEEK™, PEEK-HT™, T-Series™, MAX-Series™ and APTIV™ are trademarks of Victrex plc. VICOTE® is a registered trademark of Victrex plc. For more information visit: http://www.victrex.com.