Preparation of an environmentally friendly emulsion-type lubricant based on crude rice bran wax

Abstract

Abstract In this study, crude rice bran wax oil - in - water emulsion (named CRBWE) was prepared by agent-in-water method. The critical factors influencing the sample preparation process were optimized. For instance, the optimum hydrophile-lipophile balance value of compound emulsifier was 12.33–13.40, the content of compound emulsifier was 10 wt%, the emulsification temperature was 70 °C–80 °C, the agitation speed was 200 rpm, and the emulsification time was 30–45 min. The performances as a lubricant of drilling fluid were also evaluated with respect to lubricity, rheology and filtration loss of CRBWE. The results showed that CRBWE had good lubricity and didn't affect the rheological properties of drilling fluid. For example, when it was added into bentonite dispersion at room temperature with the fraction of 1 wt%, the coefficient of friction of bentonite dispersion dramatically decreased to 0.077, and the coefficient of friction reduced rate was greater than 80%. Overall, these findings indicated that CRBWE would have promising applications as environmental friendly lubricant of drilling fluids to reduce torque and drag in petroleum and natural gas drilling.