A fluid-activated shaft bulkhead seal system comprising: a bulkhead, a rotating shaft, an annular support fixed with respect to the bulkhead and about the rotating shaft extending through the bulkhead and the annular support; an annular carrier (808, 1124, 1202, 1308) including a surface spaced from the rotating shaft (852, 1210, 1362), the annular carrier (808, 1124, 1202, 1308) including an interior surface (832, 1340) defining a channel (836, 1229, 1332) receiving the annular support therein and the annular carrier (808, 1124, 1202, 1308) also including opposing grooves (840, 1336) each supporting an O-ring (844, 1338) contacting an outside surface of the annular support to seal the annular carrier (808, 1124, 1202, 1308) with respect to the annular support, the annular carrier (808, 1124, 1202, 1308) moveable with respect to the annular support when the rotating shaft contacts the surface; the annular carrier (808, 1124, 1202, 1308) supporting a lip seal (814, 1174, 1204, 1366) on opposing sides thereof, each lip seal (814, 1174, 1204, 1366) including an outwardly facing pocket between a lip portion (816, 1178, 1206, 1368) spaced from the rotating shaft (852, 1210, 1362) and a portion abutting the annular carrier (808, 1124, 1204, 1308); annular retainers (824, 1196, 1372), one mated to each side of the carrier (804, 1124, 1202 1308), each retainer (824, 1196, 1372) coupling each lip seal (814, 1174, 1204, 1366) and a gel material (820, 1198, 1208, 1370) in the pocket of each lip seal (814, 1174, 1204, 1366) to the annular carrier (808, 1124, 1202, 1308); the gel material (820, 1198, 1208, 1370) configured to expand in the presence of a fluid urging the lip portions (816, 1178, 1206, 1368) of the lip seals (814, 1174, 1204, 1366) into contact with the periphery of the rotating shaft (852, 1210, 1362) to seal the annular carrier (808, 1124, 1202, 1308) with respect to the rotating shaft (852, 1210, 1362). a bulkhead, a rotating shaft, an annular support fixed with respect to the bulkhead and about the rotating shaft extending through the bulkhead and the annular support; an annular carrier (808, 1124, 1202, 1308) including a surface spaced from the rotating shaft (852, 1210, 1362), the annular carrier (808, 1124, 1202, 1308) including an interior surface (832, 1340) defining a channel (836, 1229, 1332) receiving the annular support therein and the annular carrier (808, 1124, 1202, 1308) also including opposing grooves (840, 1336) each supporting an O-ring (844, 1338) contacting an outside surface of the annular support to seal the annular carrier (808, 1124, 1202, 1308) with respect to the annular support, the annular carrier (808, 1124, 1202, 1308) moveable with respect to the annular support when the rotating shaft contacts the surface; the annular carrier (808, 1124, 1202, 1308) supporting a lip seal (814, 1174, 1204, 1366) on opposing sides thereof, each lip seal (814, 1174, 1204, 1366) including an outwardly facing pocket between a lip portion (816, 1178, 1206, 1368) spaced from the rotating shaft (852, 1210, 1362) and a portion abutting the annular carrier (808, 1124, 1204, 1308); annular retainers (824, 1196, 1372), one mated to each side of the carrier (804, 1124, 1202 1308), each retainer (824, 1196, 1372) coupling each lip seal (814, 1174, 1204, 1366) and a gel material (820, 1198, 1208, 1370) in the pocket of each lip seal (814, 1174, 1204, 1366) to the annular carrier (808, 1124, 1202, 1308); the gel material (820, 1198, 1208, 1370) configured to expand in the presence of a fluid urging the lip portions (816, 1178, 1206, 1368) of the lip seals (814, 1174, 1204, 1366) into contact with the periphery of the rotating shaft (852, 1210, 1362) to seal the annular carrier (808, 1124, 1202, 1308) with respect to the rotating shaft (852, 1210, 1362).