 What is Gilsonite?
Gilsonite is a natural, resinous
hydrocarbon. This natural asphalt is
similar to hard petroleum asphalt and is
often called a natural asphalt, asphaltite, uintaite, or asphaltum.
Gilsonite is soluble in aromatic and
aliphatic solvents, as well as petroleum
asphalt. Due to its unique
compatibility, Gilsonite is frequently
used to harden softer petroleum
products. Gilsonite in mass is a shiny,
black substance similar in appearance to
the mineral obsidian. It is brittle and
can be easily crushed into a dark brown
powder.
Gilsonite is found below the earth's
surface in vertical veins or seams that
are generally between two and six feet
in width, but can be as wide as 28 feet.
The veins are nearly parallel to each
other and are oriented in a northwest to
southeast direction. They extend many
miles in length and as deep as 1500
feet. The vein will show up on the
surface as a thin outcropping and
gradually widen as it goes deeper. Due
to the narrow mining face, Gilsonite is
mined today, much like it was 50 or 100
years ago. The primary difference is
that modern miners use pneumatic
chipping hammers and mechanical hoists.
Gilsonite Physical Properties:
| Test |
Test Result |
Method |
| Color in Mass |
---- |
Black |
| Color in streak or Powder |
---- |
Brown |
| Specific Gravity at 25/25 C |
ASTM-D3289 |
0.8 |
| ASH content, wt% |
ASTM-D3147 |
7.60 |
| Moisture content wt% |
ASTM-D3173 |
0.5 |
| Volatile matter at 900C |
ASTM-D3175 |
62.3 |
| Solubility in cs 2 wt% |
ASTM-D4 |
74.9 |
| Softening point C |
ASTM-D-36 |
160 |
| Penetration |
---- |
3 |
| Flash point |
---- |
380-400 F |
| Fixed carbon |
ASTM-D3172 |
27.5 |
Elemental analysis:
N content , wt%
C content , wt%
H content , wt%
S content , wt% |
ASTM-D5291
ASTM-D5291
ASTM-D5291
Lp-242 0.59 |
74.4
7.3
4.5 |
Other specification according to API or OCMA standards.
Gilsonite Chemical Properties and Analyses: Carbon 84.9 % , Ash < 10%Gilsonite is included in a class of
solid bitumens known as asphaltites. The
Giolsonite deposites in Iran are
different from other asphaltites because of their:
1. High asphaltene content
2. high solubility in organic solvents
3. high purity and consistent properties
4. high molecular weight
5. high nitrogen content
Consumption Usage: Gilsonite, or North American Asphaltum
is a natural, resinous hydrocarbon found
in the Uintah Basin in northeastern
Utah. This natural asphalt is similar to
a hard petroleum asphalt and is often
called a natural asphalt, asphaltite,
uintaite, or asphaltum. Gilsonite is
soluble in aromatic and aliphatic
solvents, as well as petroleum asphalt.
Due to its unique compatibility,
Gilsonite is frequently used to harden
softer petroleum products. Gilsonite in
mass is a shiny, black substance similar
in appearance to the mineral obsidian.
It is brittle and can be easily crushed
into a dark brown powder.
When added to asphalt cement or hot mix
asphalt in production, Gilsonite HMA
Modifier helps produce paving mixes of
dramatically increased stability.
1. Asphalt and Road Paving Sector
For many years, Gilsonite has been used
in the oilfield as an additive in
drilling fluids. Gilsonite, in various
grades and formulations, has been used
to combat borehole instability problems,
provide lubricity, especially in highly
deviated holes, and more recently as a
bridging agent to combat differential
pressure sticking and provide a law
invasion coring fluid. It has been well
documented that appropriately formulated
Gilsonite products can minimize hole
collapse in formations containing
water-sensitive, sloughing shales and
reduce stuck pipe problems by forming a
thin wall cake and an inter-matrix
filter cake.
Gilsonite products are currently being
widely used in water based, oil based,
and synthetic based mud systems
worldwide. Blended Gilsonite has proved
to be very effective in all water-based
systems, with the flagship product in
this line being Bore-Plate(R) Shale
Stabilizer.
2. Oil Sector
Gilsonite is used in drilling mud fluids
and oil well cementing. Gilsonite, in a
range of softening points and particle
sizes, is a standard ingredient in
oil-based drilling muds used in shales
and other difficult geological
formations. The addition of
specially-treated Gilsonite to
water-based drilling fluids helps
minimize hole washout by stabilizing
troublesome shales, and seals off highly
permeable sands while reducing torque
and drag. The addition of Gilsonite to
oil well cements reduces slurry weight
without loss of compressive strength and
acts as an effective bridging and
plugging agent to seal fractures in weak
formations while cementing
3. Asphalt and Road Paving Sector
Gilsonite is used as a
performance-enhancing agent for asphalt
mixes. Gilsonite-modified paving mixes
achieve higher PG grades and incorporate
perfectly into the asphalt blend with no
need for high shear milling as is the
case with many other modifiers.
Gilsonite-modified asphalts have higher
stability, reduced deformation, reduced
temperature susceptibility and increased
resistance to water stripping than
non-modified asphalts. Gilsonite is also
used to make both solvent-based and
emulsion pavement sealers with superior
appearance and weathering properties.
4. Foundry Sector
Gilsonite is combined with coal and
other ingredients as an additive in
foundry sands to insure the quality of
the molded part by improving mold
release and the overall finish of metal
castings.
5. Chemical Products Sector
Gilsonite combines with many other
chemicals and materials that take
advantage of its unique physical and
chemical properties. Binder and coating
applications in metallurgical, wood
product, refractary and other industries
further demonstrate the versatility and
usefulness of this remarkable material.
6. Inks and Paints Sector
Iranian Gilsonite Resin is widely used
as the primary carbon black wetting
agent for black news inks and heatset
and gravure inks. Iranian Gilsonite
Resin competes advantageously with
petroleum-based hydrocarbon resins,
phenolic resins and metal resinates, all
of which it can complement or replace to
various degrees. Various concentrations
of Iranian Gilsonite Resin are used to
manufacture law-rub-off news inks with
superior gloss and tack properties.
Special grades of Gilsonite called
Selects are also standard ingredients in
black ink formulations and are used as
additives in asphaltic paints and
varnishes. |