Gilsonite for Horizontal and Extended-Reach Drilling

April 2, 2026 · 1 min read · Sun Gilsonite Technical Team

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Gilsonite for Horizontal and Extended-Reach Drilling – Basekim printed bag for drilling mud conditioner

Horizontal and extended-reach wells put extra demands on drilling fluids: long open-hole sections in shale, high torque and drag, and difficult hole cleaning.

Challenges

Long exposure of shale to mud
High friction from pipe lying on the low side
Risk of differential sticking
Formation damage in the reservoir section

How gilsonite helps

Seals shale micro-fractures over long intervals
Builds thin filter cake that reduces sticking risk
Provides lubricity to reduce torque and drag
Keeps HPHT fluid loss low

Pallet of 25 kg gilsonite paper bags – drilling fluid application

Recommendations

Maintain gilsonite concentration throughout the lateral (4–8 lb/bbl).
Combine with liquid lubricants in water-based systems.
Monitor cavings and torque trends closely.

Lateral drilling checklist

Item	Action
Shale stability	Maintain gilsonite and inhibitors
Hole cleaning	Optimise flow rate and rotation
Torque & drag	Monitor friction factors
Fluid loss	Keep HPHT low

Long laterals

As lateral length increases, friction becomes a limiting factor. Asphaltic additives that reduce friction can help extend reach.

Our drilling fluid grade gilsonite is used in long laterals worldwide. Also read shale stabilization with gilsonite.

Recommended product

Data sheet

Drilling Fluid Grade Gilsonite

Data sheet – Drilling Fluid Grade Gilsonite
Property	Typical value	Test method
Appearance	Black, shiny powder	Visual
Softening point (R&B)	160 – 220 °C (grades)	ASTM D36
Ash content	3 – 8 %	ASTM D3174
Solubility in TCE	95 – 99 %	ASTM D2042
Specific gravity @ 25°C	1.04 – 1.06	ASTM D70
Moisture, max	1 %	ASTM D95
Particle size	75 – 200 µm	Sieve
Typical dosage	2 – 8 lb/bbl
Packing	25 kg (50 lb) bags palletized; 1 MT jumbo bags.