An improved static seal element, sometimes referred to as a gasket, which maintains contact with a pipe and a flange during and after seal compression, such seal being particularly useful in a removable pipe coupling. The improved elastomer static seal element is for the prevention of leakage from between two pipes to be connected end to end, a flange being provided to contact the element, and being at least partially contained in a sheet metal housing which is arranged to apply diametric pressure to seal the element against the outer surface of one of the pipes and against the flange, the improvement being the addition of a stabilizer and seal lip projecting beyond the outer diameter of the seal element to maintain the seal in position against the metal housing vis-à-vis the flange of the center component.