Patent ID: 8273689

Claim:
A method of providing extreme pressure lubrication of drilling equipment during drilling operations, the method comprising: providing a drilling fluid system having effective rheology and fluid loss control properties, the drilling fluid system comprising a continuous phase comprising as an integral component a dispersion comprising a quantity of insoluble fatty acid soap particles comprising alkali metal selected from the group consisting of lithium, potassium, rubidium, cesium, and combinations thereof; and, drilling through a subterranean formation using the drilling fluid system under conditions effective to maintain effective rheological properties and gel strengths and to maintain effective fluid loss control properties, and to react the insoluble fatty acid soap particles with one or more metal surfaces of drilling equipment in contact with the drilling fluid system, thereby producing lubricated drilling equipment comprising one or more metal surface comprising a substantially continuous lubricating film providing improved lubricity as reflected in an increase in lubricating film strength compared to a control during extreme pressure testing.