Work

Mechanism-guided synergistic design of anti-wear and friction-reducing compound additives for water-based drilling fluids

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: • Three novel compound additives with enhanced anti-wear and friction-reducing properties were developed through the optimized mixing of the single additives • The lubricating performance of these additives was systematically evaluated and benchmarked against purchased additives, and their superior thermal stability was experimentally verified. • The underlying tribological mechanisms of the compound additives were thoroughly investigated and discussed. Water-based drilling fluids are cost-effective and environmentally friendly, face challenges in deep-well drilling due to their inadequate lubricity and poor thermal stability that hamper drilling efficiency and safety. Thus, enhancing these properties is essential. To improve the wear resistance and thermal stability of water-based drilling fluids, a series of characterizations were conducted on two kinds of single additives operating with distinct mechanisms, and several compound additives were developed based on synergistic mechanistic effects of two different kinds single additives. The chemical compositions of these additives were comprehensively characterized using FT-IR and NMR techniques. Their tribological performance testing was systematically evaluated by the four-ball friction testing under varying load conditions (98.1-981 N) and pin-disk friction testing. The results showed that three friction-reducing compound additives had significantly enhanced anti-wear and friction-reducing properties compared to both single additives and three widely used commercial products. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) further confirmed their superior thermal stability. The lubrication mechanisms were elucidated by means of the detailed characterization of wear scar morphology and surface chemistry using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). These investigations revealed the distinct friction reduction pathways of individual components and their synergistic interactions within the compound additives, providing fundamental insights into the enhanced high-temperature performance.

Source: Results in Engineering

DOI: 10.1016/j.rineng.2026.109587

Authors: Yunhai Bai, Hongwei Dong, Xiaoping Zhang, Yiming Zhou, Suitao Qi

Institutions: CNPC Chuanqing Drilling Engineering Company Limited (China), China National Petroleum Corporation (China), Xi'an Jiaotong University

Language: English

Topic: Lubricants and Their Additives

Subfield: Mechanical Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,940

Funders: National Natural Science Foundation of China, CNPC Chuanqing Drilling Engineering Company Limited