New WBM success story from the Permian presented at 2025 AADE Conference

April 23, 2025

Breaking New Ground: Gilsonite® WBM Demonstrates OBM-Level Performance in Permian Case Study at AADE 2025

Michael Doiron, Global Accounts Executive at American Gilsonite Company, recently presented groundbreaking results at the 2025 AADE National Technical Conference and Exhibition, highlighting the use of Gilsonite® uintaite as a performance-enhancing additive in water-based muds (WBM). Hosted by the American Association of Drilling Engineers (AADE), the annual event brought together drilling professionals and innovators to share the latest advancements in fluids technology.

The paper, catalogued as AADE-25-NTCE-048 and titled “Uintaite-Based Blend Enables Replacing OBM when Drilling an Extended Reach Lateral in the Permian Basin Using WBM,” detailed how a major operator successfully drilled a 2.5-mile extended reach lateral in the Permian Basin using a Gilsonite® uintaite-based WBM – effectively replacing the need for oil-based mud (OBM) in a high-demand application.

This case history demonstrated several key performance benefits:

  • Enhanced rate of penetration (ROP)
  • Reduced torque and drag
  • Improved filter cake development
  • Reduced filtrate volumes
  • Reduced NPT and overall cost savings

The results provided compelling evidence that Gilsonite® uintaite can serve as a high-performance, cost-effective and more sustainable alternative to OBM – especially valuable in today’s operational and environmental landscape.

The American Gilsonite Company team was proud to contribute to this year’s technical dialogue and offer a real-world example of how uintaite-based technology continues to evolve the possibilities for extended reach drilling.

For additional background on the case history presented, you can read the full version here.

As the only source of Gilsonite® branded uintaite in the world, American Gilsonite Company remains committed to advancing drilling performance and innovation. For more information on how Gilsonite® can support your operations, please contact us.