Some examples of producing water-based drilling fluids including ecofriendly lubricating additives are described. A raw material oil including fatty acids with a short chain alcohol is esterified in the presence of a catalyst to produce alkyl ester products and triglycerides. The alkyl ester products are washed and heated to remove any residual water or the short chain alcohol. A first quantity of the alkyl ester products is mixed with a second quantity of a water-based wellbore drilling fluid.