Abstract: A high pressure sealing arrangement of the type in which a rotor sealing ring end face defines a gas pressure with a stator sealing ring end face has a functional gap between a cylindrical portion of the seal housing and the stator sealing ring bridged by an O-ring of reduced hardness. The conditions are such that torsional deformation of the stator sealing ring is practically zero under all operating conditions so that the recesses, grooves or the like of the end faces or at least one of them need not be defined to provide a twist-restoring force by reason of the pressure in the sealing gap.