Oil and Gas Applications

Global Precision Ball & Roller offers AISI S-2 Rockbit and 52100 Chrome steel balls for the oil and gas industries. The S-2 Rockbit balls, commonly called “Bit balls,” are a wise choice because of their excellent shock load resistance and wear characteristics. The S-2 balls are thru hardened and slightly softer than a 52100 Chrome steel ball, allowing for forgiveness. They are found in the stack bearings of a downhole mud motor and are usually mud-lubricated, but can be part of sealed bearings which are oil-lubed. The S-2 Rockbit balls have the means to withstand mud slurries with rock fragments. There are some oil and gas companies using the 52100 Chrome steel balls as they have also been a proven choice for decades. The 52100 Chrome balls have an HRc of 60-67 hardness while the S-2 Rockbit balls have an HRc of 55-59. The S-2 Rockbit balls are also used in the rotary bits for the mining industry.

We also offer ceramic balls used in the oil and gas sector, often used in chemical injection pumps and valve applications for the supreme wearability of the material. The ceramics we offer are silicon nitride, silicon carbide, alumina oxide and zirconia. Ceramic balls offer a combination of abrasion and corrosion resistance not found in steels, alloys, or many forms of other carbides. They often last longer and mitigate the stress on mating parts which reduces the operating costs on your equipment.

A ball and seat valve is a device used to restrict fluid flow to one direction. It consists of a polished sphere or ball, usually of metal, and an annular piece, the seat, ground and polished to form a seal with the surface of the ball. Most ball and seat valves for the oil industry are made of tungsten carbide or titanium carbide as well as alloy steel. Steel ball valves have several useful applications within the oil and gas industries.

Gravitational force or the force of a spring holds the ball against the seat. Flow in the direction of the force is presented, while flow in in the opposite direction overcomes the force and unseats the ball. We provide a variety of ceramic, carbide, alloy, and steel balls for valves in the oil industry.

Give us a call today at 860-210-0808 for more information on how our products can be utilized in the oil and gas industries!