A process for making packer elements for use in sealing an area between surfaces in a wellbore and packer elements formed from that process. The process includes extruding an elastomeric material to form a tubular structure and machining the outer surface of the tubular structure to provide a desired surface geometry. The tubular structure may be machined to provide a contoured surface geometry. The tubular structure with a contoured surface geometry may be machined to form a plurality of packer elements, which are separated by cutting the tubular structure.