Oil, Gas & Petrochemical Gaskets & Seals
Engineered sealing for upstream production, midstream transport, and downstream refining, from wellhead RTJs rated to 138 MPa to cryogenic LNG service at -162 °C.
This is the most technically demanding industry we serve. Every flanged connection, valve stem, and pressure vessel in oil and gas carries catastrophic consequences if the seal fails. We supply spiral wound gaskets (SWGs), ring joint gaskets (RTJs), Kammprofile gaskets, compression packing, flange isolation kits, and others, manufactured to ASME, API, and NACE (National Association of Corrosion Engineers) standards. Material traceability is available on request.
Wellheads, Christmas Trees & Production
Upstream sealing operates at the extreme end of the pressure-temperature envelope. We supply R, RX, and BX ring joint gaskets for API 6A wellhead and Christmas tree connections, rated to 138 MPa (20,000 psi). BX gaskets for 6BX flanges are pressure-energised — internal pressure drives the soft metal into the flange groove, improving the seal as pressure rises.
Sour gas production adds another layer. Hydrogen sulphide (H₂S) causes sulphide stress cracking in susceptible metals, a failure mode that occurs without warning. Every metallic gasket component in sour service must comply with NACE MR0175 / ISO 15156. Inconel 625 is the default choice: its threshold stress for cracking is near yield strength even in aggressive H₂S environments. 316 Stainless is restricted; ISO 15156 limits its use where elevated temperature, chloride concentration, and H₂S partial pressure combine to create cracking risk.
Key Upstream Applications
Wellhead Ring Joints
R, RX, and BX ring joint gaskets per API 6A. BX gaskets require surface finish ≤ 0.8 µm Ra and include pressure passage holes. Materials from soft iron for sweet service to Inconel 625 for sour gas and high-pressure wells.
Sour Gas Production Flanges
SWG with flexible graphite filler and NACE-compliant winding (304SS, 316SS, or Inconel 625) for gas sweetening plants, amine treatment systems, and sulphur recovery units. Full compliance with NACE MR0175 / ISO 15156 Part 1–3.
Ring Joint Gasket Materials
RTJ gasket metal must be softer than the flange groove. The gasket flows into the groove's micro-fine surface structure to create the seal.
Per API 6A Table 10.6 and ASME B16.20
Sour Service
Material substitution in sour gas service is a potential catastrophic failure mode. Sulphide stress cracking can occur without visible warning. Smaller-bore utility flanges are a common blind spot — they are often treated as low-risk, but the sour environment does not distinguish by bore size. Never substitute a non-NACE-compliant gasket material into H₂S service without a formal Management of Change (MOC) review.
Pipelines, Compression & Transport
Pipeline Flanges
A mainline valve station isolation failure means unplanned compressor shutdown and potential line venting. Transmission pipeline flanges at 7–15 MPa demand SWG selections that hold their bolt load through pressure cycling and temperature swings. We supply SWGs with flexible graphite filler for Class 600–900 service, and RTJ gaskets for Class 1500 and above.
In Australia, AS 2885 governs pipeline design, construction, and operation. It references ASME B16.5 and B16.47 for flanged fittings and ASME B16.20 for gaskets. The Cooper Basin alone runs 5,600 km of pipelines through 24 satellite facilities to the Moomba processing plant, feeding gas to Sydney, Brisbane, and Adelaide.
Compressor Sealing
Reciprocating compressor cylinder heads and casing joints face pulsating pressure that can fatigue standard gaskets. SWG with an inner ring is mandatory to prevent winding buckling from pressure pulsation. The inner ring is sometimes treated as optional, but for any service with significant pressure pulsation it is required, not nice-to-have. Piston rod packing (stacked graphite or PTFE ring sets) is the primary fugitive emission source from compressor stations.
Rapid Gas Decompression (RGD). In high-pressure gas service above roughly 50 bar (compressor seals, pipeline isolation kit O-rings, valve body and bonnet seals), elastomeric seals are vulnerable to explosive decompression: dissolved gas comes out of solution faster than the polymer can release it, blistering or fragmenting the seal. Specify HNBR or FKM compounds qualified to NORSOK M-710 / ISO 23936-2 for RGD resistance. Standard FKM and NBR will fail in this service. See our hydrogen industry page for the closely related H₂ permeation and embrittlement guidance.
Flange Isolation
Pipeline cathodic protection systems require electrical isolation at every flanged connection. Our flange isolation kits (gasket + sleeves + washers) prevent galvanic current flow while maintaining full pressure integrity. Kits are supplied per ASME B16.5 dimensions with material traceability for both the isolation gasket and hardware.
Australian Pipeline Network
Key pipeline infrastructure requiring gasket supply:
- — Cooper Basin: 536 producing gas wells, 5,600 km of pipelines
- — Surat/Bowen Basins: Coal seam gas to Curtis Island LNG
- — Carnarvon Basin: NWS, Gorgon, and Wheatstone feed gas
- — East Coast gas transmission: Moomba to Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide
Refineries & Petrochemical Plants
Refinery turnarounds are where gasket volume and lead time pressure collide. Ampol Lytton (Brisbane, 109,000 bbl/d) and Viva Energy Geelong (120,000 bbl/d) are Australia's two remaining refineries, and between them they drive the majority of our turnaround demand. Unplanned refinery downtime costs upward of US$500,000 per hour. The riskiest joints are often not the highest-pressure flanges but the ones that thermal-cycle most aggressively during startup. A disproportionate share of refinery incidents occur during startup and shutdown phases, when thermal cycling and pressure transients stress every flanged joint in the system.
Atmospheric Distillation (CDU)
Column flanges, overhead lines, and reboiler connections at 350–400 °C. SWG with flexible graphite filler and 304SS or 316SS winding. Graphite oxidation inhibitors extend service to approximately 537 °C.
Catalytic Cracking (FCCU)
Reactor/regenerator flanges and cyclone connections at 480–550 °C in an oxidising atmosphere. Standard graphite is not an option here. Graphite filler burns out at these temperatures, so mica or Thermiculite filler is required. 321SS or Inconel 600 winding for high-temperature creep resistance.
Heat Exchangers
Channel-to-tubesheet, floating head, and shell girth flange gaskets. Kammprofile gaskets outperform SWG in cyclic service. They compress 0.56 mm vs. 1.27 mm, load faster, and tolerate uneven bolt loads. Diameters up to 6 m require corrugated metal gaskets (CMGC).
Valve Packing & Bonnets
Valves account for up to 70% of plant fugitive emissions, with 80% of that from the stem. Expanded graphite packing reinforced with Inconel wire for high-temperature service. Must meet API 622 (packing material) and API 624 (complete valve assembly) test standards.
High-Pressure Steam
Boiler connections, process heater headers, and turbine inlet flanges. SWG with flexible graphite filler to approximately 537 °C; mica or Thermiculite above that. Bolt load relaxation at sustained high temperature is the primary cause of steam flange leaks.
Pressure Vessel Manways
Reactor vessels and column manway covers with limited bolting. Internal pressure provides primary gasket compression on internal covers. Large-diameter Kammprofile or CMGC for manway covers up to 6 m diameter.
Turnaround Planning
Planned turnarounds occur every 3–5 years per major unit and require 12–18 months of planning. We hold standard SWG and RTJ sizes in stock and can fabricate custom sizes during turnaround execution. Contact us early in the scoping phase for gasket bill of materials (BOM) review and competitive pricing on bulk turnaround orders.
For non-hydrocarbon chemical plants — reactive acids, caustics, and solvent service — see our Chemical Processing industry page for PTFE, FFKM, and standards-specific guidance.
LNG & Cryogenic Service
At -162 °C, most gasket materials stop working. Standard elastomers become brittle, ferritic steels fracture, and differential thermal contraction can open leak paths that don't exist at ambient temperature. Australia operates ten major LNG projects (from the North West Shelf at Karratha to the three Curtis Island plants in Queensland), and we supply cryogenic-rated gaskets to sites across the network.
Ferritic steels, carbon steels, and martensitic steels become brittle and must never be used. Only austenitic stainless steels (304L, 316L) retain ductility at cryogenic temperatures. PTFE filler is preferred over graphite for chemical purity in LNG service, though graphite is technically suitable. Glass-filled PTFE resists cold flow better than virgin PTFE at cryogenic temperatures, maintaining gasket stress in sustained LNG service.
The critical design challenge is differential thermal contraction. Coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) mismatch between bolt, gasket, and flange materials creates gaps during cooldown that can open leak paths. The risk is that ambient-temperature commissioning gives a misleading result: a joint that looks tight at 20 °C may not stay tight when it contracts to -162 °C, and CTE-driven leak paths often only appear on first cool-down.
Australian LNG Projects
MTPA = million tonnes per annum. Prelude FLNG is a floating facility.
Cryogenic Material Selection
Never use ferritic steel, carbon steel, or martensitic stainless steel gasket components in cryogenic service. These materials undergo a ductile-to-brittle transition and will fracture under load at LNG temperatures. Austenitic grades (304L, 316L) are mandatory for all metallic gasket elements.
Fire Safety & Fugitive Emissions
Fire-Safe Integrity
A single gasket failure in hydrocarbon service can trigger a fire and explosion chain reaction. API 6FB (4th edition, 2019) is the dominant fire test standard for flange gaskets. It subjects end connections to a 30-minute flame test averaging 760 °C within 2 minutes, at 75% of maximum working pressure.
Flexible graphite filler is inherently fire-resistant: it does not combust. PTFE melts at approximately 327 °C and begins to decompose significantly above 350 °C, releasing toxic fluorine compounds at higher temperatures. For applications requiring both chemical resistance (PTFE) and fire safety (graphite), dual-material gaskets combine a PTFE inner with graphite outer windings.
Pass: fire-safe construction
- SWG, 316L windings + graphite filler
- SWG, Inconel + vermiculite (high-temp)
- Kammprofile + graphite facing
- RTJ in soft iron, 316 SS, or Inconel 625
- Double-jacketed metal + graphite
- Corrugated metal + graphite
Fail: cannot pass an API 6FB burn
- Soft-cut nitrile, EPDM, FKM, neoprene
- Soft-cut compressed sheet (CNAF)
- Pure PTFE flat gaskets
- SWG / Kammprofile with PTFE filler
- Envelope (PTFE-jacketed) gaskets
Where a project specification calls for fire-safe construction, we manufacture spiral wound, Kammprofile, RTJ, corrugated metal, and metal-jacketed gaskets in-house, to the constructions and filler combinations qualified to pass API 6FA and API 6FB. Where the spec calls for a witnessed fire-test certificate against a specific branded part number, those certificates are held by the manufacturers who ran the tests — Flexitallic, KLINGER, Garlock, GPT. We match the design and source the certified part through them. Both routes meet API 6FB design intent; the question is whether your specification demands paper against a part number or design conformance.
Fugitive Emissions
Fugitive emissions from flanges and valve stems are a measurable compliance risk. Leak Detection and Repair (LDAR) programmes flag every connection that exceeds your site's emission limit — and valves account for up to 70% of that total. Flanges are the next largest category. The gasket's contribution is measurable and manageable with the right materials.
Low-emission gaskets with demonstrated leak-rate data per EN 13555 provide a measurable compliance advantage. TA Luft (Germany's Clean Air Act, widely adopted internationally as an emissions benchmark) classifies gasket emissions by leak class per EN 13555 testing, with the tightest grade (L0.01, meaning ≤ 0.01 mg/(m·s)) representing near-zero fugitive leakage. ISO 15848-1 classifies valve fugitive emissions from Tightness Class A (≤ 50 ppm methane, lowest leakage) to Class C (≤ 500 ppm, highest permitted). In Australia, NOPSEMA (the national offshore petroleum regulator) covers offshore operations; state EPAs govern onshore fugitive emissions.
Standards & Specifications
ASME Standards
We manufacture SWGs, RTJs (R, RX, BX profiles), corrugated metal, and metal jacketed gaskets to this standard, which is the primary dimensional and material specification for metallic flanged gaskets.
We supply CNAF, PTFE, and rubber flat gaskets to ASME B16.21 dimensions, in types from full-face to ring form, across NPS ½–24.
Pipe flanges NPS ½–24. Seven pressure classes (150–2500). 49 P-T rating tables by material group.
Large-diameter flanges NPS 26–60. Series A (MSS SP-44) and Series B (API 605).
Bolted flange joint assembly: bolt-up sequence, gasket stress, flange inspection, bolting specialist qualification.
API Standards
Wellhead and Christmas Tree equipment. R, RX, BX ring gaskets. BX to 20,000 psi. PSL 1–4.
Fire test for end connections. 30-minute flame, average 760 °C. Dominant gasket fire test standard.
Fire test for quarter-turn valves and non-metallic seats. 30 minutes at 760–1000 °C.
Fugitive emission testing for valve packing materials (622) and complete valve assemblies (624).
Subsea wellhead and tree equipment. AX, CX, VX gaskets for OEC. To 3,000 m water depth.
NACE / Sour Service
All metallic gasket components we supply for sour service comply with NACE MR0175 / ISO 15156, covering sulphide stress cracking (SSC), stress corrosion cracking (SCC), hydrogen-induced cracking (HIC), and hardness limits. Full material certification available on request.
Sulphide stress cracking resistance in downstream refining. Pressure vessels, heat exchangers, piping.
Australian Standards
Australian gas and liquid petroleum pipelines are governed by AS 2885 Parts 1–5. We supply gaskets to the ASME B16.20 / B16.21 specifications it references for flanged fittings.
Pressure vessels: design, fabrication, testing, and inspection. Allowable stresses, materials, marking.
Pressure piping: materials, design, fabrication, testing, and pre-commissioning. Current edition 2006 (reconfirmed 2016).
Gasket Materials for Oil & Gas
These are the materials we most commonly specify for oil and gas service, from the SWG filler that handles 95% of refinery flanges down to the exotic alloys required for sour service and cryogenic duty.
SWG Filler Materials
Dominant filler in oil and gas. -200 °C to +450 °C (to 537 °C with oxidation inhibitors). Strong sealability, low creep, fire-resistant. Oxidises in air above 450 °C.
-200 °C to +260 °C (continuous). Near-universal chemical resistance — attacked only by molten alkali metals and elemental fluorine. Preferred for LNG/cryogenic and corrosive media (HF, strong acids). Cold flow under sustained load.
To +1,000 °C. Zero oxidation risk. Required for FCCU, fired heaters, and any oxidising atmosphere above graphite limits. Lower sealability at low bolt loads.
Winding & Alloy Materials
Standard refinery and pipeline service. 316SS adds chloride resistance. 321SS adds titanium stabilisation for high-temperature thermal cycling.
Ni-Cr-Mo-Nb alloy. The default for sour service — threshold stress for SSC near yield strength. NACE MR0175-compliant. Used for wellhead RTJ and aggressive corrosion.
Monel 400 for HF alkylation and seawater. Alloy C-276 for the most severe chemical environments: resists HCl, H₂SO₄, wet chlorine, and mixed acid service.
Products for Oil, Gas & Petrochemical
Engineering Guides for Oil & Gas
Our technical guides cover spiral wound gasket selection, pressure-temperature ratings, and chemical compatibility, with the standards and selection criteria that apply in hydrocarbon service.
Browse All ResourcesExplore Further
Turnaround or Emergency Gasket Supply?
We stock standard SWG and RTJ sizes for immediate dispatch, with rapid custom fabrication for non-standard dimensions. Material traceability documentation and NACE-compliant materials available on request.
- ASME, API, NACE compliance
- Turnaround BOM review and pricing
- Emergency supply from Australian stock
Disclaimer
This page is provided for general engineering reference only and does not constitute professional advice, specification, or guarantee of performance. Actual results depend on specific application conditions. Universal Gaskets Pty Ltd accepts no responsibility or liability for decisions made based on this information. For full terms, see our Terms & Conditions.
Temperature ranges, chemical resistance ratings, and mechanical properties cited on this page are typical values for standard grades. Actual performance varies with compound formulation, filler package, and service conditions — contact us to confirm suitability for your specific application.