US2773030A - Drilling muds - Google Patents

Drilling muds Download PDF

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US2773030A
US2773030A US465417A US46541754A US2773030A US 2773030 A US2773030 A US 2773030A US 465417 A US465417 A US 465417A US 46541754 A US46541754 A US 46541754A US 2773030 A US2773030 A US 2773030A
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oil
mud
drilling
sulfurized
muds
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Rodolfo J Tailleur
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Gulf Oil Corp
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Gulf Oil Corp
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    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C09—DYES; PAINTS; POLISHES; NATURAL RESINS; ADHESIVES; COMPOSITIONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; APPLICATIONS OF MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • C09K—MATERIALS FOR MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
    • C09K8/00—Compositions for drilling of boreholes or wells; Compositions for treating boreholes or wells, e.g. for completion or for remedial operations
    • C09K8/02—Well-drilling compositions
    • C09K8/04—Aqueous well-drilling compositions

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  • This invention relates to improvements in drilling mud compositions of the type used in Well drilling, and more particularly it pertains to oil-in-water emulsion drilling muds having improved lubricating properties.
  • oil-in-water emulsion drilling muds can be made to possess elfective lubricating properties and thus prolong the life of drill bits while retaining the normally desirable properties of such muds.
  • I provide a drilling mud which is an emulsion of oil-in-water containing clay solids, and a Water-insoluble, oil-soluble sulfurized organic compound in the oil phase, said'sulfurized compound being present in an amount suflicient to increase the Timken load-carrying capacity of the mud to at least about 30 pounds.
  • Such drilling muds possess excellent lubricating qualities and prolong the life of the bearings of drill bits,
  • the water-insoluble, oil-soluble sulfurized organic compounds utilized in the muds of my invention include such materials as sulfurized unsaturated higher fatty acids and their esters, sulfurized open-chain olefins' and polymers thereof, sulfurized higher molecular weight paraffinic hydrocarbons, sulfurizedcrude petroleum and residual fractions thereof, sulfurized terpenes, and sulfurized phenols and salts thereof.
  • the sulfurized unsaturated higher fatty acids are generally of 12 or more carbon atoms and include such matenials as sulfurized dodecenoic, tetrad'ecenoic, hexadec- The unsaturated fatty,
  • acids obtained from'the splitting of fatty glycerides, e. g., oleic, ricinoleic, linoleic, etc. acids, form a preferred source of this class of materials. 7 or relatively pure acids, e. g., oleic acid, can be sulfurized to form the sulfurized organic compound utilized in the muds of this invention.
  • Another good source of un-, saturated fatty acids is tall oil which. contains approximately 50 to 56 percent of .fatty acids, mainly olelc acid, 38 to 42 percent of rosin acids and 6.to 8 percent of unsapomfiable material. Since the unsaturated higher fatty acids will usually be obtained fromnatural sources,'they will normally contain no more than 18 carbon atoms.
  • the sulfurized unsaturated higher fatty acid esters are obta ned by the sulfurization of an ester of the fatty 'acids described above.
  • a common source of such esters coniprises the fatty glycerides, e. g., corn oil, linseed oil, soya o l, castor O11, rape oil, cottonseed oil, tung oil, perilla Oll, menhaden oil, lard oil, etc.
  • esters of monohydric alcoholsand the higher'unsaturated fatty acids can also be sulfurized and V successfully employed in the muds of my invention.
  • monohydric alcohol esters include sperm oil, methyl oleate, ethyl oleate, oleyloleate, as well as similaresters obtainable by alcoholysis of fatty glycerides with a mono- 4 drocarbon fraction to yield heptenes, can also be sulfurized and employed in the mudsiof the invention.
  • Preferred materials of this class are sulfurized diisobutylene'and sulfurizedheptene.
  • hydrocarbon materials which'canfbe sulfurized to yield suitablesulfurized organic compounds include higherparafiinic hydrocarbons, such as essentially paraffinic lubricating oils and paraflinv'vax; crudexpetroleum and the various residual fractions thereof, such as topped crudes, reduced crudes, residual fuel oils and the solvent extract fractions of residual petroleum oils; and the terpenes, such as pine oil, pinene (turpentiiie) and di pentene.
  • an amountof sulfurized organic compound sufiicient to provide from aboutl to 4 percent Sulfurized phenols, particularly the alkyl phenol sulfides containing at least 4 carbon atoms in one or more alkyl groups, are also useful as the sulfurized organic compounds in the muds of my invention.
  • Such bisphenol sulfides include, fo'r example, the sec butyl and tert-fb'utyl phenol, isoamyl phenol, isooctyl phenol, nonyl phenol, triisobutyl phenol and wax alkyl phenol sulfides.
  • Metal salts of such sulfurized phenols are also suitable, for example, the sodium, calcium, barium, zinc-and tin salts.
  • the above sulfurized organic compounds can be prepared in any conventional manner known to the art such as by sulfurization with elemental sulfur, with sulfur halides, and with phosphorus sulfides.
  • elemental sulfur as the sulfurizing agent because it is cheap and produces excellent sulfurized or -v ganic compounds for the purposes of this invention.
  • sulfurized organic compounds from I cating oils can be similarly treated, they can also be reacted with a phosphorus sulfide, for example, P285, P483, etc. to obtain suitable compounds.
  • a sulfur halide for example, 82012
  • the sulfurized organic compounds are incorporated into the drilling muds in amounts sufficient to increase the Timken load-carrying capacity of the mud to at'least about 30 pounds.
  • an amount of sulfurized organic com- 7 pound is employed which is sufficient to provide at least 7 about 0.5 percent of sulfur by weight, based on the oil phase of the oil-in-water emulsion drilling mud.
  • sulfurized olefins such as sulfurized heptene and sulfurized diisobutylene.
  • Any clay can be utilized in the drilling muds-of this 4 invention which is commonly employed for this purpose in the art.
  • Such clays, which form dispersions or gels with waterycan be native products, such as may be available at the well site, or a relatively pure clay, such as bentonite, or base-exchanged clays, such as lime-treated clays, etc.
  • a relatively pure clay such as bentonite, or base-exchanged clays, such as lime-treated clays, etc.
  • bentonite a relatively pure clay, such as bentonite, or base-exchanged clays, such as lime-treated clays, etc.
  • the 'clay is employed in an amount of frorn'about 2 to 8 percent by weight of the entire composition, more or-less,
  • the sensitivity of the drilling muds to, alkali metal hy-I droxide imposes certain precautions in'the use of clay defiocculants to reduce the viscosity and fiuid loss of the muds.
  • clay defiocculants For example, oneof the most-widely used clay defiocculants is quebracho which is generally employed with caustic soda. If the drilling muds of this invention are treated in the usual manner with the conventional quebracho-caustie soda mixture, there results a loss of the enhanced lubricating properties, although the-otherwise normal properties of the muds are retained. It is to be noted, however, that the muds of the invention will their load-carrying capacities.
  • cordance with this invention containing pure bentonite as the clay in an amount of 6 percent by weight ofv the V entire mud and having a relatively high tolerance to alkali metal hydroxides, I have found that the use of 0.5 pound of caustic soda per barrel of drilling mud, although reducing the load-carrying capacity considerably, does not render the mud worthless from a lubricating stand point. However, when the caustic soda is increased to 1.0 7
  • Suchalkaline materials'as, ammonia, amines such as mono-,'di-andtri-ethanolamine,
  • lubricating properties of my drilling muds containing the sulfurized organic compounds are unexpectedly additionally enhanced by the use therewith of an asphalt.
  • an asphalt for example, there can be employed such materials as natural asphalts, petroleum asphalts, blown asphalts, sulfurized asphalts, the solid petroleum residues or pitches obtained in the vacuum reduction of crude oils, asphalt extract fractions obtained in the solvent refining of residual petroleum oil fractions, and the asphaltites, such as gilsonite, manjak or glance pitch, and grahamite.
  • asphalts range from highly viscous liquids to essentially solid materials and when present are employed in amounts of from about 5 to 75 percent by weight of the total oil phase in the oil-in-water emulsion, depending on the type of asphalt employed and its solubility or dispersibility in the oil of the oil phase. Ordinarily, from to 35 percent by weight is satisfactory.
  • oil used to prepare the oil-in-water emulsion drilling muds of this invention is deficient in solvent or dispersing power for the asphalt. In such instances, it is desirable to use an auxiliary solvent or blending agent with the asphalt to insure solution or dispersion thereof in the oil phase prior to preparation of the emulsion itself.
  • a light gas oil fraction and the thinned material can then serve as the oil phase, the amounts of asphalt falling within the proportions stated above.
  • Incorporation of the asphalts in the oil phase can be facilitated by initially melting or finely dividing the material prior to adding the oil; blendnig can also be facilitated by heating the oil mixture to about 180 F.
  • the oil employed in forming my oil-in-water emulsion drilling muds can be obtained from any suitable source.
  • crude petroleum and various petroleum fractions such as topped crudes, reduced crudes, gas oils,
  • liquid extract fractions obtained in the solvent refining of lubricating oils and mixture of these materials can be employed in the oil phase.
  • the total oil phase of the drilling muds of the invention ranges from about 2 to 40 percent by volume of the entire drilling mud, preferably from about 5 to 25 percent.
  • the total oil phase comprises the above-described oils, the sulfurized organic compound and an asphalt, if the latter is employed.
  • an emulsifying agent is also present, it is considered to be part :of the oil phase for the purpose of determiningtheamount of total oil phase in the mud.
  • an emulsifying agent will normally be added during preparation of the muds to facilitate emulsification or dispersion of the oil phase in the water phase and to stabilize the emulsion obtained.
  • Numerous emulsifying agents for preparing oil-in-water emulsions are known in the art and any of such conventional emulsifying agents can be employed for the above purposes. Depending upon the nature of the oil employed in the oil phase, it is sometimes unnecessary to employ an emulsifying agent.
  • emulsifying agents are surface-active compounds, they will also act to reduce the surface tension of the filtrate, although not all emulsifying agents are of equal effect for this purpose.
  • my drilling muds therefore contain an emulsifying agent which not only serves to assist in the emulsification of the oil and to stabilize the emulsions formed, but substantially to reduce the surface tension of the filtrate as well.
  • emulsifying agents which are particularly suitable for the latter purpose include preferentially oil-soluble alkylaryl sulfonic acids, e. g. -wax" benezene sulfonic acids and mahogany acids, and metal salts thereof, e. g., the alkali metal, ammonium and alkaline earth metal, including calcium and magnesium, salts.
  • Suitable emulsifying agents include the sodium soaps of tall oil and the fatty acid esters of the anhydroalkitols, for example, sorbitan, mono-, di-, tri-oleate, sorbitan mono-stearate, etc.
  • sorbitan mono-, di-, tri-oleate, sorbitan mono-stearate, etc.
  • an existing conventional oil-in-wat'er emulsion drilling mud to a drilling mud in accordance with my invention. This is also accomplished during circulation of a the drilling mud in the well by adding thereto, with agita tion with the drilling mud in the usual mud pit, a waterinsoluble, oil-soluble sulfurized organic compound or a concentrate thereof in oil.
  • the converted drilling mud also contain an asphalt
  • the asphalt is included as an oil concentrate in solution or uniform dispersion, a blending agent and/or heating being used if required.
  • Such concentrates can also contain an emulsifying agent and should preferably include such an agent if an asphalt is employed.
  • the total amount of oil concentrate and the concentration of the components of the resulting drilling mud composition being prepared taking into account the composition of the conventional oilin-water emulsion drilling 'mud being converted, will result in an oil-in-water emulsion drilling .mud having the composition of the muds of my invention, as set forth in detail above.
  • the drilling muds of my invention which have become depleted in one or more components during use, e. g., the sulfurized organic compound or emulsifying agent, can be treated with the depleted components or oil concentrates thereof to restore the desired concentration of such components.
  • an oil phase is prepared as follows. Into a suitable mixing vessel, there is placed 30 barrels of a diesel fuel oil and barrels of sulfurized diisobutylene having a sulfur content of about 40 percent by weight and the mixture is stirred. Thereafter, there are stirred in 4 barrels of an oil concentrate of the sodium salts of mahogany acids (the concentrate being available commercially as Petronate HL, containing about 60 percent by weight of the salts dissolved in a lubricating oil).
  • the oily composition thus prepared which is to constitute the oil phase of the drilling mud, amounts to about 50 barrels and is a moderately viscous, black liquid that can be pumped readily at ordinary tern '8 peratures and emulsifies readily in the mud to form an oil in-water emulsion.
  • the oily composition is then added to the straight water-base drilling mud by circulating the mud through the well while pouring the oilycomposition into the mud ditch through which drilling mud returns to the mud pits from the well and agitating the pits with mud guns.
  • Drilling need not be discontinued during the change from a water-base mud to the oil-in-water'emul sion mud of my invention.
  • the entire drilling mud in the system is a uniform oil-in-water emulsion rnud of my in? vention. Continued drilling with the new mud results in the benefits and advantages heretofore described.
  • the load-carrying capacities of drilling muds are a measure of the prolongation of bit life and. other advantages obtained through the use of my drilling muds in actual drilling operations in the field. Since the load-carrying capacities of drilling funds as obtained by the Timken machine correlate well with actual field tests, it is thus possible to test the efficacy of drilling muds in the laboratory to de-' termine their suitability for use in the field.
  • EXAMPLE 1 A well, hereinafter designated as well Nol l, was drilled 'with 3-cone roller bits and with an oil-in-water' emulsion drilling mud having the following approximate composition: Water -60% by volume. Eastern Venezuelan crude oil 15-20% by volume. Clays and other solids 10-20% by volume. Petronate 2 lbs. per barrel.
  • This emulsion drilling mud was tested with the Timken machine and was found to have a load-carrying capacity of 60 pounds.
  • the bits in well No. 2 were kept in the drilling cycle at the bottom of the hole after the cutting teeth had been worn past the point where they would .normally have been replaced. Bits are normally replaced as the cutting teeth become worn because of the danger of failure of the bearings of the bit with continued use, and the ensuing possibility of a fishing job to recover the cones of the bit. If in the test well employing the mud of my invention, the bits had been changed when the cutting teeth were Worn, in accordance with normal practice, the number of feet of hole made per hour of total drilling rig time would have shown a substantial increase.
  • the actual feet of hole made per hour of total drilling rig time was substantially the same, about 13 feet per hour, in both tests. This result was obtained because, in order to expose the bit bearings to the most severe test conditions when employing the drilling muds of my inbearings, as in the past, but the cutting teeth of the bit.
  • the use of the drilling muds of my invention therefore confers the additional advantage of imparting a safety factor in drilling operations, because a bearing failure may not be expected until .after the teeth of the bit have been substantially worn out. Since bit changes will be accomplished because of tooth wear prior to the bearings approaching a dangerous condition of wear, the likelihood of cone-fishing jobs is substantially reduced.
  • Figure 1 is a graphic representation of footage drilled versus the number of bits used
  • Figure 2 is a graphic representation of the number of hours drilled with each bit in relation to the footage drilled.
  • Figure 1 shows the increased footage per bit obtained with the muds of this invention and the increased total footage obtained notwithstanding the use of fewer bits.
  • Figure 2 shows the prolongation of bit life in hours as well as the increased footage obtained with the muds of this invention.
  • Table III There are set forth in Table III, below, numerous examples of drilling muds made in accordance with the invention.
  • the table also includes for purposes of comparison muds which were not madein accordance with the invention. All of the muds of the examples were prepared by the following general procedure.
  • the oil and sulfurized organic compound were mixed and the asphalt material and emulsifying agent were also added to the oil when employed.
  • the mixture was heated to F. and stirred for 15 minutes to obtain a uniform web-e6 11 blend of the various constituents.
  • the oily mixture was then added to a suspension of 6 percent by weight of bentonite in water, and the entire mixture was heated in an open vessel at 140 F. with sufiicient stirring to insure 12 catalyst.
  • the sulfurized tall oil had a sulfur content of 11.6 percent by weight.
  • the extract had asphalt employed had a melting point of 325 to 335 F. a g y f API and a Viscosity of 1170 and penetrations of 0 at 77 F. and 2 to 3 at 115 F., at 100 F.
  • the diesel fuel oil employed had a gravity both penetrations being measured under loads of 100 f a u 11 ash POIIH of ut 173 F. and 21. grams after 5 seconds.
  • the asphalt entitled Asphalt boillng range of ab1lt440 Extract is obtained as the asphaltic extract in the Duo- Under the heading Emulslfying Agent, the Ma-.
  • sol solvent refining treatment of a long petroleum resi- E A6168 p y were a 46 Percent y Weight duum having a flash point of from about 450 to 500 concentrate in a lubricating oil fraction of the preferen- F.
  • the Duosol solvents are propane and a mixture of tially oil-soluble petroleum sulfonic acids obtained as a phenol and cresylic a id
  • the extract had an API by-product in the refining of lubricating oil fractions with gravity of 7.5 a flash point of 525 F. and a neutraliza- Oleum-
  • the Petwnate p y was all i colleen tion number of 0.6.
  • Example 36 the clay emto strip off unreaeted hydrocarbons until a flash point ployed was a calcium base-exchanged bentonite in a conof 2607 F. was obtained.
  • the sulfurized heptene had a sulfur content of about 50 mite, a 2 percent by weight suspension of bentonite, in percentdbg ir sulfiunzed 5:8?
  • g 1 water was treated with lime in the proportion of 2 pounds s figi f gi fi g g g g O per barrel, well agitated and aged overnight. There- 5 re an grams 0 after, an additional amount of dry bentonite was added, powdered tron as a cataiyst. The mixture was gradually sufiicipnt t iv total b to o t ⁇ 0 th heated with stirring to 320 F. and maintained at that V 0 g e a en 3 c i if n e temperature for 1% hours.
  • the sulfurized liquid product obtained was defl dry bentonite" there occurred a P Increase canted and found to contain about 5.8 percent of sulfur 40 vfsFoslty of The mud was thmned by the by Weight.
  • the sulfurized tail oil was prepared in an dmon of calcwm hgnosulfonate in the proportion of essentially simiiar manner, omitting the use of the iron /2 pound per barrel.
  • Examples 7 and 10 to 14 show subsstantially identical drilling muds varying in total oil phase from about 2 to 40 percent by volume of the mud. All of these drilling muds exhibited the improved load-carrying capacities of the invention. It is noted that a higher oil concentration is desirable if a lighter drilling fluid is required.
  • Examples 15 to 19 show increasing concentrations of the sulfurized organic compound in the muds of the invention, the amount of sulfur in the oil phase being varied from about 1 to about 8 percent.
  • Examples 20 to 24 indicate that as the asphalt content of the muds of the invention is increased the load-carrying capacities are correspondingly increased.
  • Example 24 also indicates that, depending upon the nature of the oil phase employed, as stated earlier in this specification, it is sometimes unnecessary to employ an emulsifying agent, an excellent oil-in-water emulsion mud of superior load-carrying properties being obtained without an used to obtain the desired increase in lubricating properties.
  • the use of the larger amount of asphalt in Example 15 requires that only 2.5 percent of sulfurized diisobutylene need be employed to obtain a load-carrying capacity of 65 pounds, as against 10 percent of sulfurized diisobutylene in Example 20 to obtain the same load-carrying capacity.
  • Examples 25 through 29 show the effect of alkali metal hydroxides on the drilling muds of the invention.
  • the asterisks adjacent the values of load-carrying capacity shown in Examples 25, 26, 28 and 29 indicate that these muds have been treated with alkali metal hydroxides. For instance, compare Example 16 with Example 25.
  • Example 16 is a mud of the invention without having been treated with caustic soda and has a load-carrying capacity of 80 pounds. As shown in Example 25, when the mud of Example 16 is treated with 0.5 pound per barrel each of caustic soda and quebracho, the load-carrying capacity is reduced to 55 pounds.
  • Example 26 shows that when the amounts of caustic and quebracho are increased to 1 pound per barrel, the load-carrying capacity drops to 15 pounds, a value indicating no significant lubricating properties. It is to be noted that although quebracho was used in these tests to simulate the conventional caustic soda-quebracho treatment in the field, the use of quebracho alone without caustic sodawill not result in a reduction of the load-carrying capacities of the muds of the invention.
  • Example 27 shows a mud of the invention substantially free of caustic soda and having a load-carrying capacity of 60 pounds. When this mud is treated with 1 pound per barrel each of caustic soda and quebracho, its load-carrying capacity drops to 5 pounds,"as shown in Example 28.
  • Example 29 shows the similar eiiect obtained when potassium hydroxide is substituted for sodium hydroxide in the caustic-quebracho treatment.
  • sulfur-containing asphaltic materials containing at least about 1.5 percent by weight of combined sulfur are effective in conferring improved lubricating properties on oil-in-water emulsion drilling muds.
  • Such sulfurcontaining asphaltic materials can be the asphalt constituent of the present drilling muds, as in the case of manjak in Example 30 of the present application.-
  • the asphalt constituent of the present application need not be a sulfur-containing material to be effective in enhancing the properties of the sulfurized organic compound.
  • the asphalt may have a negligible sulfur content, as in the case of the Asphalt Extract (cf. Examples 24 and 39) which contains only0.72 percent of sulfur by Weight and gilsonite (cf. Example 35) which contains only 0.2 percent of sulfur by weight, both of which are ineffective in themselves as a sulfur-containing asphaltic material in conferring lubricating properties 'on oil-in-water emulsion drilling muds.
  • a drilling mud of enhanced lubricating properties comprising an oil-in-water emulsion containing clay solids and a water-insoluble, oil-soluble sulfurized organic compound, said sulfurized compound being present 'in an amount sufficient to increase the Timken load-carrying capacity of the mud to at least about 30 pounds, said mud 7 containing no amount of alkali metal hydroxide'suflicient to destroy the enhanced lubricating properties of the mud.”
  • sulfurized organic compound is selected from the class consisting of sulfurized unsaturated higher fatty acidsand their esters, 1
  • V i sulfurized crude petroleum and residual fractions there--- V i of, sulfurized terpenes, and sulfurized phenols and salts thereof.
  • the drilling mud of compound is present in van amount suflicient to provide from about 1 to 4 percent of sulfur by weight of the oil phase.
  • a drilling mud of enhanced lubricating properties comprising an oil-in-water emulsion containing clay solids
  • said sulfurized compound being present in an amount" sufiicient to increase the Timken load-carrying capacity of the mud to at least about 30 pounds, and an emulsify ing agent selected from the group consisting of preferentially oil-soluble alkylaryl sulfonic acids and metal salts thereof, the sodium soaps of tall oil, and the higher fatty 1 acid esters of the anhydroalkitols, the amount of emulsifying agent being sufficient to reduce the surface tension of the filtrate substantially below that-of water, said mud containing no amount of alkali metal hydroxide sufiicient to destroy the enhanced lubricating properties of the mud.
  • the emulsifying agent comprises the sodium salts of mahogany acids.
  • the emulsify ing agent comprises sorbitan monooleate.
  • the drilling mud of claim 5, wherein the emulsify ing agent comprises mahogany acids.
  • said sulfurized compound is present in an amount sufiicient to provide at least about 0.5 percent of sulfur byvweight of the oil phase.
  • a drilling mud of enhanced lubricating propei ties comprising an oil-in-water emulsion containing clay solids, a water-insoluble, oil-soluble sulfurized organic compound, said sulfurized compound being present in an amount sufficient to increase the Timken load-carrying capacity of the mud to at least about 30 pounds, and an asphalt, said mud containing no amount of alkali metal hydroxide sufficient to destroy the enhanced lubricating 7 properties of the mud.
  • a drilling mud of enhanced lubricating properties comprising an oil-in-water emulsion containing clay solids, a water-insoluble, oil-soluble sulfurized organic compound, said sulfurized compound being present in an amount suflicient to provide at least about 0.5 percent of sulfur by weight of the oil phase, from to 75 percent of an asphalt by weight of the oil phase, and an emulsifying agent selected from the group consisting of preferentially oil-soluble alkylaryl sulfonic acids and metal salts thereof, the sodium soaps of tall oil, and the higher fatty acid esters of the anhydroalkitols, the amount of emulsifying agent being sulficient to reduce the surface tension of the filtrate substantially below that of water, said mud containing no amount of alkali metal hydroxide sufiicient to destroy the enhanced lubrication properties of the mud.
  • a drilling mud of enhanced lubricating properties comprising an emulsion of a gas oil in water, said emulsion also containing clay solids, an amount of sulfurized diisobutylene suflicient to provide from about 1 to 4 percent of sulfur by weight of the oil phase, and from about to 35 percent of a petroleum asphalt by weight of the oil phase, said mud containing no amount of alkali metal hydroxide sufficient to destroy the enhanced lubricating properties of the mud.
  • a drilling mud of enhanced lubricating properties comprising an emulsion in water of an extract fraction of a solvent refined lubricating oil distillate, said emulsion also containing clay solids, an amount of sulfurized diisobutylene suflicient to provide from about 1 to 4 percent of sulfur by Weight of the oil phase, and from about 15 to 35 percent of a petroleum asphalt by weight of the oil phase, said mud containing no amount of alkali metal hydroxide suflicient to destroy the enhanced lubricating properties of the mud.
  • the drilling mud of claim additionally containing the sodium salts of mahogany acids.
  • a drilling mud of enhanced lubrication properties comprising an emulsion of a gas oil in water, said emulsion containing clay solids, an amount of sulfurized heptene sufiicient to provide from about 1 to 4 percent of sulfur by weight of the oil phase, and from about 5 to 75 percent of the asphaltic extract of a long residuum, said mud containing no amount of alkali metal hydroxide sufiicient to destroy the enhanced lubricating properties of the mud.
  • the drilling mud of claim 27 additionally containing the sodium salts of mahogany acids.
  • a drilling mud of enhanced lubrication properties comprising an emulsion in water of an extract fraction of a solvent refined lubricating oil distillate, said emulsion also containing clay solids, an amount of sulfurized heptene suflicient to provide 1 to 4 percent of sulfur by weight of the oil phase, and an asphaltite, said mud containing no amount of alkali metal hydroxide sufficient to destroy the enhanced lubricating properties of the mud.
  • a uniform blend of oily materials, usefulas' the oil phase of an oil-in-water emulsion drilling mud of enhanced lubricating properties comprising an oil, a waterinsoluble, oil-soluble'sulfurized organic compound in an amount sufficient to provide from about 0.5 to 8 percent of sulfur by weight, and from 5 to 75 percent of an asphalt by weight, said blend containing no amount of alkali metal hydroxide suflicient to destroy the enhanced lubricating properties of the mud.
  • an yemulsifying agent selected from the group consisting of V preferentially oil-soluble alkylaryl sulfonic acids and metal salts thereof, the sodium soaps of tall oil, and the higher fatty acid esters of the anhydroalkitols.
  • a process for enhancing the lubricating properties of a drilling fluid during the drilling of a well, drilling of said well having been begun with a water-base drilling mud which comprises adding to said water-base drilling mud in the drilling fluid system of said well, an oil and a Water-insoluble, oil-soluble sulfurized organic compound in amounts effective to convert said Water-base drilling mud to an oil-in-water emulsion drilling mud having a Timken load-carrying capacity of at least about 30 pounds,
  • said mud containing no amount of alkali metal hydroxide sufficient to destroy the enhanced lubricating properties of the mud, circulating the resulting mixture through said drilling mud system, and continuing drilling of the well.
  • a process of drilling a well with a rotary bit which comprises forming a borehole with said bit while circulating a drilling mud of enhanced lubricating properties through said borehole, said drilling mud comprising an oil-in-water emulsion containing clay solids and a waterinsoluble, oil-soluble sulfurized organic compound, said sulfurized compound being present in an amount sufficient to increase the Timken load-carrying capacity of the mud to at least about 30 pounds, said mud containing no amount of alkali metal hydroxide suflicient to destroy the enhanced lubricating properties of the mud, whereby the life of the bit is prolonged.
  • A uniform blend of oily materials, useful in the oil phase of an oil-in-water emulsion drilling mud of enhanced lubricating properties, comprising an oil, a Water-' asphalt and an emulsifying agent selected from the group consisting of preferentially oil-soluble alkylaryl sulfonic acids and metal salts thereof, the sodium soaps of tall oil,"
  • said blend containing no amount of alkali metal hydroxide suflicient to destroy the enhanced lubricating properties of the mud.

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Cited By (19)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3014862A (en) * 1957-09-23 1961-12-26 Gulf Oil Corp Drilling mud of enhanced lubricating properties
US3027324A (en) * 1958-12-30 1962-03-27 Gulf Research Development Co Water base drilling fluid and method of drilling
US3047493A (en) * 1958-05-26 1962-07-31 Gulf Research Development Co Drilling process and water base drilling muds
US3047494A (en) * 1959-04-16 1962-07-31 Milwhite Mud Sales Company Method of controlling the extra pressure lubrication of drilling muds
US3048538A (en) * 1959-05-08 1962-08-07 Gulf Research Development Co Water-based drilling fluid having enhanced lubricating properties
US3049490A (en) * 1959-08-27 1962-08-14 Crossett Chemical Company Fresh water drilling fluids
US3049491A (en) * 1959-08-27 1962-08-14 Crossett Chemical Company Oil well drilling fluids
US3091589A (en) * 1961-03-15 1963-05-28 Texaco Inc Drilling fluid
US3111998A (en) * 1959-08-26 1963-11-26 Gulf Oil Corp Foam or mist drilling process
US3214374A (en) * 1961-10-26 1965-10-26 Magnet Cove Barium Corp Drilling fluids and compositions for preparing the same
US3668129A (en) * 1970-06-03 1972-06-06 Robert P Willett Drilling fluid composition and additive therefor
US3712393A (en) * 1971-01-20 1973-01-23 Atlantic Richfield Co Method of drilling
US3899431A (en) * 1973-01-18 1975-08-12 Marathon Oil Co Oil-in-water microemulsion drilling fluids
US3926822A (en) * 1971-09-08 1975-12-16 Lubrizol Corp Novel sulfur-containing compositions
US4188300A (en) * 1973-04-05 1980-02-12 Mayco Oil And Chemical Company, Inc. Cosulfurized olefin and lard oil
US4356096A (en) * 1981-06-01 1982-10-26 Venture Chemicals, Inc. Method of enhancing the effect of liquid organic lubricants in drilling fluids
US4771094A (en) * 1987-06-03 1988-09-13 Nalco Chemical Company Compositions for suspending solid particles in aqueous media
US10062044B2 (en) * 2014-04-12 2018-08-28 Schlumberger Technology Corporation Method and system for prioritizing and allocating well operating tasks
US10626316B2 (en) 2015-06-26 2020-04-21 Oxiteno S.A. Indústria E Comércio Drilling fluid composition containing a diester-based oil phase

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2021223870A1 (de) * 2020-05-07 2021-11-11 Ehrl Alwin Mittel zur verflüssigung von rohöl und/oder zur entfernung von ölrückständen

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US2043961A (en) * 1933-03-11 1936-06-09 Texas Co Lubricants
US2423144A (en) * 1944-10-07 1947-07-01 Shell Dev Emulsifiable hydrocarbon oils and emulsions thereof
US2542019A (en) * 1948-07-22 1951-02-20 Union Oil Co Drilling fluids
US2573959A (en) * 1948-02-24 1951-11-06 Union Oil Co Drilling fluids
US2689219A (en) * 1952-02-11 1954-09-14 Stanolind Oil & Gas Co Emulsion drilling fluid

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US2605222A (en) * 1948-12-14 1952-07-29 Shell Dev Fluid for drilling wells

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US2043961A (en) * 1933-03-11 1936-06-09 Texas Co Lubricants
US2423144A (en) * 1944-10-07 1947-07-01 Shell Dev Emulsifiable hydrocarbon oils and emulsions thereof
US2573959A (en) * 1948-02-24 1951-11-06 Union Oil Co Drilling fluids
US2542019A (en) * 1948-07-22 1951-02-20 Union Oil Co Drilling fluids
US2689219A (en) * 1952-02-11 1954-09-14 Stanolind Oil & Gas Co Emulsion drilling fluid

Cited By (19)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3014862A (en) * 1957-09-23 1961-12-26 Gulf Oil Corp Drilling mud of enhanced lubricating properties
US3047493A (en) * 1958-05-26 1962-07-31 Gulf Research Development Co Drilling process and water base drilling muds
US3027324A (en) * 1958-12-30 1962-03-27 Gulf Research Development Co Water base drilling fluid and method of drilling
US3047494A (en) * 1959-04-16 1962-07-31 Milwhite Mud Sales Company Method of controlling the extra pressure lubrication of drilling muds
US3048538A (en) * 1959-05-08 1962-08-07 Gulf Research Development Co Water-based drilling fluid having enhanced lubricating properties
US3111998A (en) * 1959-08-26 1963-11-26 Gulf Oil Corp Foam or mist drilling process
US3049490A (en) * 1959-08-27 1962-08-14 Crossett Chemical Company Fresh water drilling fluids
US3049491A (en) * 1959-08-27 1962-08-14 Crossett Chemical Company Oil well drilling fluids
US3091589A (en) * 1961-03-15 1963-05-28 Texaco Inc Drilling fluid
US3214374A (en) * 1961-10-26 1965-10-26 Magnet Cove Barium Corp Drilling fluids and compositions for preparing the same
US3668129A (en) * 1970-06-03 1972-06-06 Robert P Willett Drilling fluid composition and additive therefor
US3712393A (en) * 1971-01-20 1973-01-23 Atlantic Richfield Co Method of drilling
US3926822A (en) * 1971-09-08 1975-12-16 Lubrizol Corp Novel sulfur-containing compositions
US3899431A (en) * 1973-01-18 1975-08-12 Marathon Oil Co Oil-in-water microemulsion drilling fluids
US4188300A (en) * 1973-04-05 1980-02-12 Mayco Oil And Chemical Company, Inc. Cosulfurized olefin and lard oil
US4356096A (en) * 1981-06-01 1982-10-26 Venture Chemicals, Inc. Method of enhancing the effect of liquid organic lubricants in drilling fluids
US4771094A (en) * 1987-06-03 1988-09-13 Nalco Chemical Company Compositions for suspending solid particles in aqueous media
US10062044B2 (en) * 2014-04-12 2018-08-28 Schlumberger Technology Corporation Method and system for prioritizing and allocating well operating tasks
US10626316B2 (en) 2015-06-26 2020-04-21 Oxiteno S.A. Indústria E Comércio Drilling fluid composition containing a diester-based oil phase

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