Gilsonite or Natural Bitumen is a pure hydrocarbon, with a melting point of 165°C.The mineral is a natural bitumen and geologically a petroleum based solid and therefore extremely compatible with petroleum bitumen. When blended, a very intimate molecule of Gilsonite and bitumen is formed, one that takes on some hardness and durability of Gilsonite while still retaining the flexibility of the Bitumen.
The dull, black appearance of weathered gilsonite resembles coal, whereas the surface of freshly broken gilsonite is shiny and resembles obsidian. Gilsonite is distinguished by its solubility in organic solvents, low density, and brown streak when rubbed on paper.
Natural bitumen was formed by a unique geologic event millions of years ago that caused a proto-petroleum deposit forming at that time to fill large surface cracks, later solidifying into the pure resinous rock mined today. Gilsonite is hand-mined in underground shafts using pneumatic jackhammers. We separate Gilsonite by temperature grade, dry and screen it, size it to customer specifications, and submit it to extensive quality control procedures before shipping to over 80 countries worldwide.
The definition of heavy oil has been terribly loosely based on the API gravity or viscosity. Such a definition of heavy oil is quite arbitrary and too general to be technologically accurate. There are attempts to rationalize the definition based upon viscosity, API gravity, and density, however, they also suffer from a lack of technical accuracy. most important, the flow properties of the heavy oil are reduced relative to conventional crude oil and heavy oil is much more difficult to recover from the subsurface reservoir. These materials have a high viscosity (and low API gravity) relative to the viscosity (and API gravity) of conventional petroleum and recovery of heavy oil usually needs the thermal stimulation of the reservoir.
Simply, bitumen is substantially non-volatile and immobile at reservoir temperatures. In fact, petroleum, and therefore the equivalent term crude oil cover a vast assortment of materials consisting of gaseous and liquid hydrocarbon-type chemical compounds that occur in sedimentary strata throughout the world. once petroleum occurs in a reservoir that permits the crude material to be recovered by pumping operations, as a free-flowing dark-to-light-colored liquid, it’s often referred to as conventional oil. heavy oil and bitumen require more energy-dependent ways of recovery from the heavy oil reservoir or from the bitumen deposit.
There is also large bitumen and gilsonite mine in Iran, often located in the western and southern parts of the country. Ilam, Kermanshah and Khuzestan are some of the cities where Gilsonite mines are located in Iran.
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. It 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.
The mineral now known as Asphaltum was discovered in the early 1860’s, but it was not until the mid-1880’s that Samuel H. natural Asphalt began to promote it as a waterproof coating for wooden pilings, as an insulation for wire cable, and as a unique varnish. Natrul Bitumen promotion of the ore was so successful that, in 1888, he and a partner formed the first company to mine and market gilsonite on a commercial scale.
Originally, Natural Bitumen was sold as “Selects” and “Fines”; the low softening point ore with conchoidal fracture was known as “Selects”. The higher softening point ore with a pencillated structure was known as “Fines”. Selects commanded a higher price than Fines because of their better purity, good solubility, and usefulness in the paint, stain, and varnish industries.
Time and technology have changed this classification system. Processing of Gilsonite now removes most of the inert contaminants and newer, more powerful, solvents make the higher softening point grades more interesting to the user. Today, Natural Bitumen is graded by softening point (a rough measure of solubility) and particle size. All grades carry a degree of quality far superior to those first small amounts of crude Gilsonite marketed in the 1880’s.
Natural bitumen, has many applications in various industries. These applications are defined and determined for each industry; and that industry uses raw material or finished product and processed bitumen as needed.
Drilling Fluid Loss Control:
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.
Cement:
Gilsonite,a solid hydrocarbon, is the same bitumen extracted from mines.since gilsonite was Introduced to the oil Industry in August 1957 as a cement additive , over 200 jobs have been performed using the material. This mineral has so far been discovered in the western mines of Iran. This material is used in the preparation of isogam, insulation of water pipes, making waxes and asphalt, drilling of oil wells and providing printer ink, etc.
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.
Asphalt & Road Paving:
Gilsonite are natural occurring hydrocarbon substances characterized by a high softening point (above 110° C) in the class known as asphaltite. They are mined much like other minerals and sold essentially in their native state. They are fully compatible with asphalt and have long been known as asphalt hardeners and reinforcing agents. Gilsonite is currently sold all over the world as a road bitumen modifier in the form of a dry bulk solid granular powder.
Chemical:
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 products, refractary and other industries further demonstrate the versatility and usefulness of this remarkable material.
Paint & Ink:
Gilsonite is added to bitumen-based paint to increase hardness, adhesion. UV stability, and water and chemical resistance. Gilsonite paint formulations are often used on automobile frames and radiators. Natural asphalt is also an ingredient in wood stains. For Paint, If added to asphaltite paints and varnishes, Gilsonite’s unique qualities improve their roughness, gloss and chemical and weather resistance.
Gilsonite and Gilsonite resin, derived by solvent extraction of raw Gilsonite, arc used as carbon black wetting agents for black news ink and heat set and gravure ink.In addition to wetting and dispersing the carbon black pigment, Gilsonite or Gilsonite resin binds the pigment to the paper. yielding the high-gloss print that resists rubbing off.
Foundry:
In Foundry and Refractories, for molding high-value metals there is more attention to factors such as finishing. Gilsonite can be a superior carbon additive replacing the traditional Sea Coal which has low Carbonic value compared to Gilsonite Specifications.
Natural Bitumen is non-hazardous and non-toxic. It is a very pure resinous rock, formed of a complex combination of different kinds of hydrocarbons.
Specification | unit | results | Test Method |
---|---|---|---|
Ash Content | %Wt | 2.0 - 10.0 | ASTM D-3174 |
Moisture Content | %Wt | 1.0 - 3.0 | ASTM D-3173 |
Volatile Matter | %Wt | 63.0 | ASTM D-3175 |
Fixed Carbon | %Wt | 29.0 | ASTM D-3172 |
Solubility in CS2 | %Wt | 81.0 | ASTM D-4 |
Specific Gravity at 25°C | ----- | 1.01 - 1.06 | ASTM D-3289 |
Normal Hepthan Insolubles | %Wt | 79.0 | ASTM D-3279 |
Color in Mass | ----- | Black | ----- |
Color in Streak or Powder | ----- | Brown | ----- |
Softening Point | °C | 180 - 205 | ASTM D-36 |
Penetration at 25°C | 0.1MM | 0.0 | ASTM D-5 |