Bal Seal Issues Challenge to Name The Seal

HOUSTON, TEXAS – April 30th, 2009 – Bal Seal Engineering, Inc. announced today that it will sponsor a contest to name its new sealing technology for oilfield equipment applications.

Running May 1st-8th, Bal Seal’s “Name The Seal” contest will challenge oil industry professionals to win an Apple iPhone by submitting the moniker that best describes the company’s breakthrough spring-energized, multi-component seal. Participants will be able to enter online at www.balseal.com/nametheseal beginning May 1st, or onsite from May 4th-8th in the Bal Seal exhibit (#4924) during the 2009 Offshore Technology Conference in Houston, Texas.

Bill Nissim, Bal Seal’s Marketing and New Business Development Director, admits that a contest may seem like an unusual way to name a new product. But he adds that it’s really just an extension of the “collaborative approach” his company takes when engineering new solutions for its customers.

“OEMs trust us to participate in the development of their new products, because they know we can provide a unique perspective,” says Nissim. “Likewise, we feel that it’s beneficial to involve them in the development and, ultimately, the naming of this new technology. There’s no better source for valuable feedback than the people who are going to be using this product every day.”

According to Nissim, the as-yet-unnamed seal consists of a spring-energized, graphite-reinforced PTFE sealing ring coupled with a high-temperature engineered thermoplastic anti-extrusion element and a metal locking ring. Its unique, all-in-one configuration eliminates the need for costly sealing assemblies, facilitates retrofit into existing equipment, and simplifies maintenance and replacement operations, he says.

“The physical and mechanical properties of this new system enable it to perform over prolonged periods in applications characterized by extreme temperatures, speeds and pressures,” Nissim explains. “These attributes make it ideal for use in progressive cavity pumps, mud pumps, top drives, downhole tools and high-speed rotary devices.”

Bal Seal provided an exclusive look at the new seal, along with a few tantalizing details about the “Name The Seal” contest, by way of a full-page advertisement in the April 27th issue of Oil and Gas Journal. The company has also announced that it will display a one-minute animation sequence unit showcasing the new technology on a large-screen TV in its exhibit at OTC.

For more information about the “Name The Seal” contest, including rules and restrictions, visit www.balseal.com/nametheseal. For details about the OTC event, visit http://www.otcnet.org/2009/

About Bal Seal Engineering, Inc.
Bal Seal Engineering, Inc. is a global provider of custom-engineered sealing, connecting, conducting and shielding solutions for oil, gas and petrochemical equipment. Products include Bal Seal™, Bal Contact™ and Bal Shield™ solutions, all of which employ unique canted-coil™ spring technology for better environmental protection, enhanced performance, lower operating costs and reduced downtime. For the latest news and information about Bal Seal, visit http://mediaroom.balseal.com or call 800.366.1006.

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