3M™ Glass Bubbles for Oil and Gas

A three-fold increase in strength to density means greater performance at greater depths than ever.

Over the past forty years, oil and gas recovery operations have been pushing farther and farther out to sea — creating a growing need for materials that can survive the harsh, unforgiving conditions encountered in deepwater operations. During that time 3M has responded with materials that have proven their ability to help meet those increasingly complex challenges by delivering a balance of performance, cost effectiveness and long-term survivability.

The most recent developments are new grades of 3M™ Glass Bubbles S42XHS, XLD3000 and XLD6000 that are ideal for deepwater insulation and buoyancy applications, and 3M™ Glass Bubbles HGS 8000X, designed to reduce density in applications such as cementing and drilling fluids. These new products are developed with extra high strength (XHS) and extra low density (XLD) in mind to help operators meet the increasing need for materials that can survive and perform in harsh environments.

3M's newest glass bubbles offer a three-fold advantage in strength-to-density performance over previous 3M materials. The advanced performance helps make it possible to link surface facilities to longer subsea tiebacks at greater depths; or to reduce riser and flowline insulation dimensions for better placement, more efficient pipe lay operations, and greater operating efficiencies at current depths.

Find out how 3M glass bubbles can help expand the capabilities of your oil and gas operations in these key areas: