3M Glass Bubblesfor Insulation & Buoyancy

3M Glass Bubbles for Buoyancy and Insulation

Keep your profits flowing.

3M™ Glass Bubbles for coating and syntactic foams used in offshore insulation and buoyancy applications.

REQUEST A SAMPLE

Contact a sales rep

3M Glass Bubbles are supported by our global sales, technical and customer service resources. Contact a sales rep for more information, including formulation assistance or questions about a specific application.

CONTACT A SALES REP

3M Glass Bubbles for insulation and buoyancy
As the search for oil and gas moves farther offshore, it has become increasingly challenging to ensure reliable production flow. The high pressures and low temperatures of deepwater environments combine to increase fluid viscosity and potential unwanted deposition, restricting flow and placing enormous challenges on flowlines, risers and critical equipment.

3M Glass Bubbles are high-strength, low-density hollow glass microspheres used in many kinds of syntactic foam compositions for thermal insulation and buoyancy. These foams can help you improve your equipment reliability in deep-water applications to help you keep your production and profits flowing.

3M Glass Bubbles are an excellent solution to offshore insulation and buoyancy applications:
- Low thermal conductivity
- Insoluble in water
- Wide pressure range and densities
- Compatibility with most resins
- Lowered foam’s water absorption at high pressure
- Special grade to enhance bonding with resins

Thermal insulation
The need to operate at greater depths and with longer subsea tiebacks in turn requires strong, lightweight flowline and riser insulation with lower heat transfer. Compared to bulky, heavy pipe-in-pipe constructions, wet pipe insulation incorporating 3M Glass Bubbles is both easier and more economical to lay. Less than half the weight of pipe-in-pipe, these flexible flowlines offer a practical alternative that is easier to support in deep waters. Plus, the more compact construction means more pipe can be wound per spool, potentially requiring fewer and smaller ships for installation.

Subsea flowlines

Lighter weight, cost-effective alternative to pipe-in-pipe constructions

Smaller pipeline diameter; more pipe wound per spool

Production risers

Achieve OHTC (U values) of 2 W/m^2 K and below

Steel catenary risers (SCRs), top-tensioned risers (TTRs) and riser towers
Buoyancy
With an optimal balance of high strength and low density, 3M Glass Bubbles have become an industry-standard additive for syntactic foams used in buoyancy modules, buoys or buoyancy blocks for undersea vehicles. When 3M Glass Bubbles are formulated with resin, the resultant syntactic foam has a high strength-to-density ratio to provide maximum net buoyancy for a given depth rating.

Buoyancy modules for drill risers

Helps prevent the steel casing from collapsing under its own weight at depth

Helps protect the drill string against ocean currents

Distributed Buoyancy Modules (DBMs)

Potential for maximum lift at the required ocean depth

Buoyancy blocks for Remote Operated Vehicles (ROVs)

High net buoyancy foams rated to any ocean depth

Resources for insulation and buoyancy

All fields are required unless indicated optional
First Name
Last Name
Business Email Address
Business Phone
Company
Industry Type
Please Specify Other (optional)
Job Role
Please Specify Other (optional)
Address
City
Zip Code
Country
Preferred Language
State
Project Timeline
What compressive forces will the bubble be subjected to in the application process?
Describe Why You Are Considering Glass Bubbles
Describe Your Current Process and / or Application
Please List Which Glass Bubbles You Are Considering (optional)
WhatsApp Consent
3M™ Glass Bubbles are intended for industrial applications and manufactured to industrial specifications in conformance with various recognized industrial quality standards. These products are not intended, designed, manufactured or labeled for sale to or use by consumers, or for medical device, food/food supplement/food additive, drug, or cosmetics applications. 3M Advanced Materials Division (3M) will assess the intended use of 3M™ Glass Bubbles and reserves the right not to sample, sell or supply if 3M determines that it is not in a position to support the intended use of 3M™ Glass Bubbles.
Subscribe to Newsletter
Data Privacy
Marketing Consent
Profiling Consent
End Devices Consent
Consent Legal Text
3M takes your privacy seriously. 3M and its authorized third parties will use the information you provided in accordance with our Privacy Policy to send you communications which may include promotions, product information and service offers. Please be aware that this information may be stored on a server located in the U.S. If you do not consent to this use of your personal information, please do not use this system.
Submit

Our apologies...

An error has occurred while submitting. Please try again later...

Thank you!

Your form was submitted successfully

All fields are required unless indicated optional
Please describe your project, challenge or application
Email Address
First Name
Last Name
Job Role
Industry
Company
City
Zip or Postal Code
Country/Region
Preferred Language
State or Province
WhatsApp Consent
Subscribe to Newsletter
Data Privacy
Marketing Consent
Profiling Consent
End Devices Consent
Consent Legal Text
3M takes your privacy seriously. 3M and its authorized third parties will use the information you provided in accordance with our Privacy Policy to send you communications which may include promotions, product information and service offers. Please be aware that this information may be stored on a server located in the U.S. If you do not consent to this use of your personal information, please do not use this system.
Submit