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  • 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.

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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.

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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

  • Deepwater Applications for 3M™ Glass Bubbles

    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

  • General resources

    3M™ Glass Bubbles for Buoyancy sales card (PDF, 190 KB)

    3M™ Glass Bubbles for Insulation sales card (PDF, 183 KB)

  • Handling information

    3M™ Glass Bubbles Bag Unloading Suggestions (PDF, 215.81 KB)

    3M™ Glass Bubbles Metering and Mixing Guide (PDF, 323.45 KB)

    3M™ Glass Bubbles Box Unloading Suggestions (PDF, 359 KB)

  • Technical papers

    3M Technologies for Flow Assurance (PDF, 890 KB)

    Wet insulation evolves to meet subsea flowline performance demands (PDF, 212 KB)


12 products

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  • Industries: Energy
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3M™ Glass Bubbles S28HS

3M Stock

B40064646

Alternative ID

S28HS

Image for 3M Glass Bubbles S38HS

3M™ Glass Bubbles S38HS

Options available
0.38 g/cm³; 5,500 psi

3M™ Glass Bubbles S38XHS

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Image for 3M Glass Bubbles K15

3M™ Glass Bubbles K15

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Image for 3M Glass Bubbles S32HS

3M™ Glass Bubble S32HS

3M Stock

B5005035032

Alternative ID

S32HS

Image for 3M Glass Bubbles K20

3M™ Glass Bubbles K20

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Image for 3M Glass Bubbles K25

3M™ Glass Bubbles K25

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0.60 g/cm³; 27,000 psi

3M™ Glass Bubbles iM30K

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Image for 3M Glass Bubbles K20HS

3M™ Glass Bubbles K20HS

3M Stock

B5005217016

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3M™ Glass Bubbles iM16K

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Image for 3M Glass Bubbles K46

3M™ Glass Bubbles K46

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3M™ Glass Bubbles XLD3000

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