Water-based drilling fluids that include lubricants

A method for making a water-based drilling fluid, the method comprising:

• mixing a base fluid, a weighting agent in an amount of from 0.1 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, where:
• the base fluid comprises water;
• the lubricant comprises 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 is at least 50 wt. % of the fatty acid blend;
• and
• the weight ratio of the one or more alkyl esters to the fatty acid blend is from 1:1 to 3:1, wherein the weight ratio uniformly distributes the fatty acid blend within the one or more alkyl esters so that the lubricant is in a liquid state.

A method for drilling a subterranean well, the method comprising:

• operating a drill in a wellbore in the presence of a water-based drilling fluid, where the water-based drilling fluid comprises:
• a base fluid comprising water;
• a weighting agent in an amount of from 0.1 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 comprising:
• one or more alkyl esters;
• and
• a fatty acid blend comprising at least palmitic acid and stearic acid, where the sum of the weight percent of the palmitic acid and stearic acid is at least 50 wt. % of the fatty acid blend, and the weight ratio of the one or more alkyl esters to the fatty acid blend is from 1:1 to 3:1, wherein the weight ratio uniformly distributes the fatty acid blend within the one or more alkyl esters so that the lubricant is in a liquid state.