Abstract
Uintaite is a well-known drilling fluid additive that has been used in the oil and gas industry since the 1950's. Known globally as Gilsonite, the oil and gas drilling industry has adopted it as the standard; however, in recent years products have entered the market misconstrued under the same name. Uintaite is a unique naturally occurring asphalt-like rock found exclusively in northeastern Utah, and has been proven effective as an additive in a wide range of applications. Geologically, Uintaite is part of the asphaltite family along with other natural bitumens such as grahamite and glance pitch.
A preceding study discussed Uintaite performance in synthetic based systems including its ability to comply with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards for discharge. This paper follows the natural progression from that study, comparing Uintaite's performance in synthetic base drilling fluids against other asphaltites and asphaltic products, commonly referred to as ‘black powders'. A comprehensive evaluation was performed to understand the effectiveness of each filtration control additive on the base synthetic drilling fluids properties; while at the same time evaluating their potential impact in the original fluid formulation to comply with environmental regulation, providing rigorous technical data to assist the drilling industry in better understanding this key drilling fluids additive. This paper is intended to describe the differences between authentic Uintaite and other asphaltic products.