New High Thermal Stable Explosives for Deep Water Wells in Oil and Gas Industry

Purpose and goal

In the initial objective it was assumed that deep water extraction in the oil & gas industry would provide the best possibilities and potential for a new explosive with high thermal stability. The primary objective stands still, but will be severely postponed in time, due to altered market conditions for the oil business. In the meantime, the new explosives will be used in other applications and business areas. Alternative applications, e.g. detonators, have been tested successfully for use in the construction and mining industries.

Expected results and effects

The explosives will in its first application be used as base charge in detonators for civil purposes. The design phase has demonstrated LTEX 1 to be an excellent substitute for existing secondary explosives in civil detonators. Used in its first application, it will contribute to a higher degree of safety, facilitate handling since the detonator allows co-transportation and co-storage with other explosives and last but not least halve the package volume.The price will be comparable with existing primers. There is a great demand among users on the market.

Planned approach and implementation

In the technical part of the project the following activities have been performed: development of the synthesis, safety standard tests, manufacturing of pressed charges, manufacturing of hollow charges and tests of hollow charges. We expect to perform further full scale tests of the output from the explosives mounted in a hollow charge when the confidence for investments returns to deep water extractions in the oil industry. In parallel of the project development of civil detonators containing the new explosives has been performed and provided successful results.