Session: Material Selection and Qualification in CCS Downhole Environment (Part I of II)
An in-depth look at AMPP 21532 to select rubber seal material in CCS downhole environment (C2026-00050)
Thursday, March 19, 2026
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM Central
Location: 342 DE
Earn .5 PDH
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Scott Meng, Lingzhi Yang, Juntao Wang, Jiaxiang Ren, Bryan Edwards, Wenhong Li
Rubber seal materials play a critical role in the carbon capture and storage (CCS) systems. Their long-term performance is vital to the success of CCS projects, particularly in the downhole environment involving high-pressure, high-temperature and CO2. AMPP 21532-2023 establishes four general criteria for seal material selection. While these criteria offer a foundational framework, they lack the specifics necessary to guide practical material selection. This paper presents a comprehensive approach for selecting elastomeric materials in downhole CO2 applications. We also describe a custom RGD testing procedure developed in-house, based on a comparative review of five existing international RGD standards. This procedure enables more accurate evaluation of RGD resistance for CCS packer element material. Our study includes comparative testing of four elastomer compounds under CCS-relevant conditions. The changes in physical and mechanical properties were analyzed together with other critical properties. The test results reveal significant differences among the elastomers in terms of CO2 compatibility, RGD resistance, and low-temperature flexibility. These findings underscore the need to expand AMPP 21532-2023 by incorporating more detailed guidance. We recommend future revisions to the standard include specific material selection criteria, performance testing protocols, and specification ranges for critical properties, particularly CO2 permeability, RGD performance, and low-temperature behavior.
