Saudi Arabian Oil Company

Ali Radhwan

Md Amanullah

Jothibasu Ramasamy

Abdulaziz S Al-Qasim

Raed A Alouhali

Sara Alkhalaf

Mohammed Khalid Al-Arfaj

Abdullah Saleh Al-Yami

One or more embodiments presently described are directed to drilling fluid compositions that include lubricants, methods for making the drilling fluids, and methods for drilling subterranean wells utilizing the drilling fluids. According to one embodiment, a drilling fluid composition may include a base fluid including water, a weighting agent in an amount of from 0.1 weight percent (wt. %) to 75 wt. % relative to the total weight of the water-based drilling fluid, and a lubricant in an amount of from 1 wt. % to 10 wt. % relative to the total weight of the water-based drilling fluid. The lubricant may include one or more alkyl esters and a fatty acid blend including one or more medium-chain fatty acids. The one or more medium-chain fatty acids may be at least 50 wt. % of the fatty acid blend.

Water-based drilling fluids that include lubricants

According to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, water-based drilling fluids may include an aqueous base fluid and one or more additives. In embodiments, water-based drilling fluids may include a lubricant blend including at least oleic acid and palmitoleic acid. The sum of the volume percent of the oleic acid and palmitoleic acid may be from 0.1 vol. % to 10 vol. % of the total volume of the water-based drilling fluid. In embodiments, water-based drilling fluids may include a lesser melting point fraction of jojoba oil in an amount of from 0.1 vol. % to 10 vol. % relative to the total volume of the water-based drilling fluid. At least 90% of the lesser melting point fraction of jojoba oil may have a melting point less than or equal to 15&#xb0; C. Methods for drilling subterranean wells with the water-based drilling fluids are also disclosed.

Water-based drilling fluid compositions and methods for drilling subterranean wells

Provided is a lubricant, which may include a mixture of alkyl-esterified fatty acids from waste vegetable oil and a C8/C10 fatty acid blend. The C8/C10 fatty acid blend may include a caprylic fatty acid (C8) and a capric fatty acid (C10). Provided is a method of preparing a lubricant, which may include providing alkyl-esterified fatty acids from waste vegetable oil and a C8/C10 fatty acid blend, and mixing them such that a homogeneous lubricant composition forms. Further provided is a water-based mud, which may include an aqueous base solution and a lubricant composition. Further provided is a method off preparing the water-based mud, which may include providing an aqueous base solution and a lubricant composition and mixing them such that the water-based mud forms. Further provided is a method of using a water-based mud, which may include introducing into a wellbore the water-based mud comprising a lubricant composition.

Lubricant formulation for multiple water-based muds

One or more embodiments presently described are directed to lubricants and methods for making such lubricants. According to one embodiment, a lubricant suitable for use in a water-based drilling fluid may comprise one or more alkyl esters and a fatty acid blend comprising one or more medium-chain fatty acids. The one or more medium-chain fatty acids may be at least 50 weight percent (wt. %) of the fatty acid blend. The weight ratio of the one or more alkyl esters to the fatty acid blend may be from 1:1 to 3:1.

Lubricants that include alkyl esters and fatty acids

One or more embodiments presently described are directed to lubricants and methods for making such lubricants. According to one embodiment, a lubricant suitable for use in a water-based drilling fluid may comprise one or more alkyl esters and a fatty acid blend comprising at least palmitic acid and stearic acid. The sum of the weight percent of the palmitic acid and stearic acid may be at least 50 wt. % of the fatty acid blend. The weight ratio of the one or more alkyl esters to the fatty acid blend may be from 1:1 to 3:1. The molar ratio of palmitic acid to stearic acid may be from 20:80 to 40:60.

One or more embodiments presently described are directed to drilling fluid compositions that include lubricants, methods for making drilling fluids, and methods for drilling subterranean wells utilizing the drilling fluids. According to one embodiment, a drilling fluid composition may include a base fluid including water, a weighting agent in an amount of from 0.1 weight percent (wt. %) to 75 wt. % relative to the total weight of the water-based drilling fluid, and a lubricant in an amount of from 1 wt. % to 10 wt. % relative to the total weight of the water-based drilling fluid. The lubricant may include one or more alkyl esters and a fatty acid blend including at least palmitic acid and stearic acid. The sum of the weight percent of the palmitic acid and stearic acid may be at least 50 wt. % of the fatty acid blend.

The present application discloses water-based drilling fluid systems and methods of making water-based drilling fluids systems. According to one embodiment, a drilling fluid system may include a drilling fluid and a lubricant. The lubricant may be synthesized from waste vegetable oil.

Synthesized lubricants for water-based drilling fluid systems

Drilling fluids and methods of making and using drilling fluids are provided. The drilling fluid includes an emulsion comprising an oleaginous phase suspended within an aqueous phase, a clay-based component in the aqueous phase, CaCl, KCl, or both in the aqueous phase, and a polyglycerol-fatty acid complex. The polyglycerol-fatty acid complex may be free of covalent crosslinks. The polyglycerol-fatty acid complex may include polyglycerol hydrogen bonded to a fatty acid, and the oleaginous phase may include safra oil and the polyglycerol-fatty acid complex. Methods of producing the drilling fluid include reacting polyglycerol and a fatty acid at a temperature of less than 250&#xb0; C. thereby forming a polyglycerol-fatty acid complex. The method further includes mixing an aqueous phase, a clay-based component, and the polyglycerol-fatty acid complex to produce a drilling fluid.

Drilling fluids and methods of making thereof

A rapidly dehydrating fluid (RDF) composition that forms a permeable and decomposable plug and methods of lost circulation control and manufacture of the RDF composition. The RDF composition may include a carrier fluid such as water, a cellulosic microfiber viscosifier, date tree seed particles, and fibers formed from date tree waste such as date tree trunks. The RDF composition may mitigate or prevent lost circulation by forming a decomposable plug in a fracture of the lost circulation zone and may also enable the production of hydrocarbons from the zone without removal of the plug.

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Qatif, Saudi Arabia

Ali Radhwan