sulfonated asphalt

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1. n. [Drilling Fluids]
An asphaltic mud additive that has been reacted with sulfite to add anionic sulfonate groups
to the complex molecular structure. Sulfonate groups make an additive water dispersible,
depending on the extent of sulfonation. Such an additive is used to stabilize wellbores and
as a filter-cake additive for water- and oil-base muds.
See: asphaltic mud additive, filter cake, oil-base mud, polar, water-base drilling fluid

sulfonated asphalt
Sulfonated asphalt is sodium asphalt sulfonated made water soluble by a unique sulfonation
process. It is a versatile, total mud conditioner that stabilizes shale formations, significantly
increases lubricity, lowers high temperature high pressure fluid loss (HTHP) water loss and
enhances filter cake properties in both oil and water-based drilling fluids. sulphonated asphalt
product can be mixed in most water-based and all oil-based and synthetic muds. Sulfonated
asphalt additive is available in two different forms: Regular and Potassium enhanced. Potassium
Sulfonated asphalt additive is a specially prepared potassium salt of sulfonated asphalt. In
addition to providing the same unique qualities as regular Sulfonated asphalt additive, it
contributes water soluble potassium ions at approximately 400ppm/lb of product carried in the
mud system. This is beneficial in those areas that require the specific action of potassium to
adequately minimize water induced clay swelling. For over 52 years, the unique chemistry of
Sulfonated Gilsonite additives has delivered extraordinary results in all types of drilling fluids
offering the following advantages:
1. Reacts with shale to prevent or stop sloughing and swelling
2. Reduces high temperature high pressure fluid loss (HTHP) see case history
3. Produces thin compressible filter cakes
4. Significantly increases lubricity; either alone or synergistically with small amounts of oils,
synthetic oils, or glycol
5. Prevents stuck drill pipe
6. Extremely temperature stable - does not have the softening point typically associated with un-
reacted asphaltic additives
7. Minimal and easily distinguishable fluorescence - does not hamper well logging or core
analysis
8. Will not leave oil slick, sheen or rainbow on water at offshore locations
9. No emulsifiers needed to ensure proper mixing
10. Do not need to bypass the solids control equipment while mixing
11. Reduces high temperature gelation and stabilizes mud properties
https://gilsonite-bitumen.com/gilpedia/brand/sulfunated.html
Sodium sulfonated asphalt is shale control additives are used to inhibit the swelling and caving of shales
caused by hydrous disintegration.

Sulphonated asphalt is lost circulation additives and used to plug a zone into which the drilling fluid is
being lost, to prevent a complete loss of the frilling fluid is being lost, to prevent loss of the drilling fluid
into the formation being drilled, and hence as lost of drilling fluid circulation from the bottom of the drill
hole to the top.

The sulfonated asphalt agents used to plug such a zone include inorganic chemical grouts or cements
containing mixtures of silicates, metallic oxides, and limestone.

Our drilling fluid is HTHP sodium sulfonated asphalt is very good shale control additives in water based
mud.

Usage of sodium sulfonated asphalt

Sulfonated asphalt is blend of Gilsonite, blown asphalt, lignite, caustic soda and mixture of latter
compounds.

This additives using because of foaming in water and it is partially soluble in water and fully emulsion in
the fluids.

Liquid additives have therefore been developed to overcome some of the problems associated with the
use of dry additives. However, liquid compositions containing polyglycols can give rise of stability
problem.

How to use sulfonated asphalt.

In particular first the viscosifier is mixed with mater and then the polyglycols and finally the sulfonated
asphalt added.

Tags
Sulphomethylotion and/or sulphonation of the asphaltenes are not feasible processes

because of the lack of functional groups within the asphaltene molecule. Nevertheless, oxidation

of the asphaltenes does produce the necessary functional groups and subsequently sulphomethylation

and sulphonation can be conveniently achieved (5). Confirmation that sulphomethylation and
SUIphonation

of the oxidized asphaltenes occurs can be obtained from three sources, namely, (i)

overall increases in the sulphur contents of the products relative to that of the starting material;

(ii) the appearance of o new infrared absorption band at 1030 cm attributable to the presence of

sulphonic acid group(s) in the molecule(s) (6); and (iii) the water-solubility of the products - a

characteristic of this type of material (7, 8). These sulphomethylated and sulphonated oxidized

pH of 2.5-3.0, while the parent oxidized asphaltenes can be precipitated from alkaline solution by

acidification to a pH of 6.5.

Soltex Additive: Soltex Additive is neither asphalt nor gilsonite, it is sulfonated

Asphalt, an entirely different product. In the manufacture of Soltex
Additive, specially selected asphalt is use as a raw material.
The sulfonation of asphalt can be simply shown as:
Asphalt + sulfonating agent Sulfonic acid of asphalt
Sulfonic acid of asphalt + NaOH Sodium asphalt sulfonate (Soltex Additive)
Sulfonic acid of asphalt + KOH Potassium asphalt sulfonate
(Potassium Soltex Additive)
It should be pointed out that all available double bonds from hydrocarbons are eliminated by the
sulfonation process used to make Soltex Additive. An excess amount of sulfonating agent is used to
guarantee the complete sulfonation and smooth processing in the plant. This process is routinely
monitored by testing the solubility of Soltex Additive and Potassium Soltex Additive in water.

COMPARISON OF Soltex Additive Asphalt* Gilsonite

SOLTEX
ADDITIVE,
ASPHALT, AND
GILSONITE
Analysis
Loss on Ignition, 36.3 72.8 99.2
wt %
Softening Point None 50 C 150 C 80 C 175 C
Carbon, wt % 49.0 87.2 86.6
Hydrogen, wt % 4.6 9.4 8.0
Nitrogen, wt % 0.5 0.8 2.6
Sulfur, wt % 11.1 1.8 0.5
Oxygen, wt % 34.8 0.8 2.3
Solubility in water, >70 <1 <1
%
Soltex Additive is produced by reacting asphalt with SO3. The SO3 reacts with available double
bonds. This creates chemically altered sulfonated material. It is then neutralized with sodium or
potassium hydroxide. This process gives a material that is highly anionic (has a negative charge). It is
also partially soluble in water. Particle size ranges from very small (about 10 carbon atoms much
too small to see) to very large (highly charged particles large enough to see with the unaided eye).
This large variation in particle size range gives a high probability of having particles the correct size
to plug holes in both rock and wall cake. The anionic character also gives it an affinity for broken
rock and clay edges which are charged sites. See illustration below.

Blown asphalt has no chemical charge. It is not soluble so its particle size is strictly related
to how finely it is ground. Typically it is ground to something between 50 200 mesh. This
would be equivalent to the largest particles in hydrated and dispersed Soltex Additive. Any
solubility seen in blown asphalt is not solubility of the blown asphalt, but rather something
that is blended with it, usually lignite. Blown asphalt is not soluble in water. In fact it has to
have a 8
surfactant blended with it to keep it from floating out. Blending a sulfonated surfactant with blown
asphalt does not create sulfonated asphalt. It just reduces the surface tension of the water enough
that the surface of the asphalt is water wet and it does not float out. The photo below shows that
asphalt, Gilsonite/Asphalt blends and Gilsonite all float on fresh water. If it floats on water it will
float on a drilling mud! Lignite mixes better but mostly floats until you raise the pH. Most look-a-like
products have a large lignite component with pH material added to simulate the appearance of
being sulfonated. Another reason to add lignite is that it is cheap and readily available.

Soltex Additive
Gilsonite/Asphalt blend
Gilsonite
Lignite
There are presently no true substitutes for Soltex Additive because the chemical
modification of asphalt by sulfonation requires special equipment, selected asphalts, and
considerable expertise. This sulfonation process produces a product which is highly anionic
and is typically 70% to 80% water soluble. Therefore, after sulfonation Soltex Additive, no
longer has the chemical or physical properties of asphalt. The water soluble portion of
Soltex Additive is comprised of large, electronegative macro molecules. These particles in
the filtrate bond themselves to the electropositive edges of clays and shales. This chemical
neutralization inhibits the natural tendency of the formation to take on water. Thus,
sloughing, swelling and shale disintegration are prevented. 9
The fact that Soltex Additive is highly anionic gives it a distinct advantage in seeking out
the charged broken edges of shales at the fracture well bore interface. This neutralizes the
broken edges and prevents water from entering the formation. Chemically inactive materials
such as gilsonite are only randomly dispersed in the mud. Gilsonite contacts the face as the
mud filters into the micro fracture, leaving solids, including the gilsonite at the fracture
wellbore interface.
The production of Soltex Additive also gives it a particle size advantage over gilsonite,
which is ground to size, giving particles that are relatively coarse similar to those of ground
asphalt mentioned above. Virtually all Soltex Additive particles, regardless of size, are
highly anionic. When particle size distribution is combined with the fact that the particles are
highly charged and therefore seek out the broken edges of shales, it becomes obvious that
Soltex Additive provides a significant advantage over products like gilsonite.
Soltex Additive excels in controlling fluid loss, and especially high temperature high
pressure (HTHP) fluid loss. The Soltex Additive in the filtrate is inhibitive and minimizes
damage to water sensitive shales and drilled cuttings. In lab tests gilsonite appears to be
ineffective in reducing HTHP fluid loss of a drilling fluid and in some tests has actually
increased the HTHP fluid loss over the control as documented in the Liquid Soltex
Additive Technical Paper.
The clay stabilizing characteristic of Soltex Additive, its ability to lower the HTHP fluid loss,
its ability to increase lubricity, prevention of bit balling, reduce torque and drag, and help
prevent differential sticking are all reasons to rely on Soltex Additive. The special combined
chemical and physical activity of Soltex Additive clearly accounts for its superior
performance.
Soltex Additive goes into a drilling fluid and remains stays there because it is sulfonated. Non
reacted competitive materials, such as gilsonite and blown asphalt need a surfactant to keep them
from floating out. Further, the non-reacted materials will agglomerate if any oil or hydrocarbon
condensate is present in the system, and that will cause them to float out on the surface of the pits
or go out over the shaker taking good materials like polymers with them. This costly loss of
additives can be avoided when Soltex Additive is used.
Potassium Asphalt Sulfonate
CAS No.: 68201-32-1

Property:

Potassium Asphalt Sulfonate is partially water soluble and water dispersible. Potassium
Asphalt Sulfonate acts to aid in stabilizing shale sections, controlling solids dispersion and
improving wall cake characteristics. Unlike some other blending gilsonite, Potassium Asphalt
Sulfonate is highly sulfonated by unique process which leads to partially oil soluble as well.
Potassium Asphalt Sulfonate gives more excellent emulsifying characteristic. Potassium
Asphalt Sulfonate is also highly resistant to temperature. Potassium Asphalt Sulfonate
stabilizes shale formation by inhibiting disintegration of the shale both chemically and
physically. Potassium Asphalt Sulfonate inhibits the dispersion of drilling cuttings, controls
high temperature high pressure (HTHP) filtration. Potassium Asphalt Sulfonate reduces torque
and drag, prolongs the life of the bit, improves filter cake quality and enhances well productivity.
It also acts as an emulsifier of diesel oil. In addition to providing the same unique quality as
Sodium Asphalt Sulfonate, Potassium Asphalt Sulfonate contributes water-soluble potassium
ions to the mud system. Potassium Asphalt Sulfonate is a proven extensively used drilling fluid
additive having many fine properties. Oil asphalt is basal raw material. It appears brown in easily
breakable pieces or fluidized powder. Its density is 0.98g/cm3. Its partly water soluble partly oil
soluble for every kind of drilling fluid. Potassium Asphalt Sulfonate includes two types of high
water soluble: Sodium Asphalt Sulfonate FT, Calcium Asphalt Sulfonate FT-K.

Specifications:
index
Items
high water soluble ET FT-K

Appearance powder powder

PH 8-10 8-10

Moisture 8.0 % 8.0 %

Sodium sulfonate content 10.0 % --

Kalium -- 10.0 %

water soluble content 90.0 % 90.0 %

oil soluble content 18.0 % 18.0 %

 HTHP. FL reducing rate 40.0 % 40.0 %

Usages:

Potassium Asphalt Sulfonate can emulsify fresh water or sea water with oil, depress the solid
expansion of drill chips, and control HTHP FL. Potassium Asphalt Sulfonate produces thin and
tenacious mud cakes, helps maintain low shearing rate under HTHP, cleans and stabilizes well
holes that have a great deal of collapsing shales.

- Stabilize shale statum

- Reduce rotative torque and prevent jamming
- Substitute of oil, including crude oil,waste engine oil and dieserl oil
- Depress the solid expansion of drill chips
- Control HTHP EL
- Produce thin and tenacious mud cakes

Packing:

25Kg net each, sealed in 3-in-1 compound paper bag with plastic lining

http://www.irochemical.com/product/Mud-Drilling/Potassium-Asphalt-Sulfonate.htm