Drilling mud containing hydrophobin
The present invention relates to the use of at least one hydrophobin or at least one hydrophobin derivative in a drilling mud.
1. A method of improving performance of a drilling mud comprising the step of adding a hydrophobin to a drilling mud.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobin is used functions as an emulsifier in a drilling mud.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobin is a fusion hydrophobin.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobin is a fusion hydrophobin selected from the group consisting of yaad-Xa-dewA-his (SEQ ID NO: 20), yaad-Xa-rodA-his (SEQ ID NO: 22) or yaad-Xa-basf1-his (SEQ ID NO: 24), wherein yaad is optionally a truncated fusion partner yaad′ having from 20 to 293 amino acids.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobin comprises from 0.1 to 10,000 ppm of the drilling mud.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobin comprises from 1 to 1000 ppm of the drilling mud.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobin is added to an oil-based drilling mud comprising from 40 to 95% by weight of an oil component and from 2 to 60% by weight of water.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein a component in addition to the hydrophobin is added to improve emulsion formation.
9. A process for drilling a borehole, in which drilling mud comprising a hydrophobin facilitates drilling.
10. The process of claim 9 , wherein the hydrophobin is a fusion hydrophobin or a derivative thereof.
11. The process of claim 9 , wherein the hydrophobin is a fusion hydrophobin selected from the group consisting of yaad-Xa-dewA-his (SEQ ID NO: 20), yaad-Xa-rodA-his (SEQ ID NO: 22) or yaad-Xa-basf1-his (SEQ ID NO: 24), wherein yaad is optionally a truncated fusion partner yaad′ having consisting of from 20 to 293 amino acids.
12. The process of claim 9 , wherein the hydrophobin comprises from 0.1 to 10,000 ppm of the drilling mud.
13. The process of claim 9 , wherein the hydrophobin comprises from 1 to 1000 ppm of the drilling mud.
14. The process of claim 9 , wherein the drilling mud is an oil-based drilling mud comprising from 40 to 95% by weight of an oil component and from 2 to 60% by weight of water.
15. The process of claim 9 , wherein the drilling mud is an oil-based drilling mud comprising from 70 to 95% by weight of an oil component and from 2 to 30% by weight of water.
16. The process of claim 9 , wherein a component in addition to the hydrophobin is added to improve emulsion formation.
17. A drilling mud comprising a hydrophobin.
18. The drilling mud of claim 17 , wherein the hydrophobin is a fusion hydrophobin or a derivative thereof.
19. The drilling mud of claim 17 , wherein the hydrophobin used in the drilling mud is a fusion hydrophobin selected from the group consisting of yaad-Xa-dewA-his (SEQ ID NO: 20), yaad-Xa-rodA-his (SEQ ID NO: 22) or yaad-Xa-basf1-his (SEQ ID NO: 24), where yaad is optionally a truncated fusion partner yaad′ having consisting of from 20 to 293 amino acids.
20. The drilling mud of claim 17 , wherein the hydrophobin comprises from 0.1 to 10,000 ppm of the drilling mud.
21. The drilling mud of claim 17 , wherein the hydrophobin comprises from 1 to 1000 ppm of the drilling mud.
22. The drilling mud of claim 17 , which is an oil-based drilling mud comprising from 40 to 95 percent by weight of an oil component and from 2 to 60 percent by weight of water.
23. The drilling mud of claim 17 , which is an oil-based drilling mud comprising from 70 to 95 percent by weight of an oil component and from 2 to 30 percent by weight of water.
24. The drilling mud of claim 17 , wherein a component in addition to the hydrophobin is added to improve emulsion formation.