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PETE 411
Well Drilling
Lesson 7
Drilling Bits - Drag Bits
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Contents
The Ideal Bit
Drag Bits
Fishtail Type
Natural Diamond
Polycrystalline Diamond Compact
(PDC)
Relative Costs of Bits
3
Read: ADE, Ch.5 (bits)
HW # 3: due 9 -15 - 04
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The purpose of Chapter 5 (ADE)
is to introduce the student
to the:
Rotary Drill bits
selection and
operation
of rotary drilling bits.
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Rotary Drilling Bits
Bit types available
Criteria for selecting the best bit for a
given situation
Standard methods for evaluating dull bits
Factors affecting bit wear and drilling
speed
Optimization of bit weight and rotary
speed
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Bit Types Available
Drag bits (fixed cutter blades)
Fishtail bit
Natural diamond bits
PDC Bits (Polycrystalline Diamond Compact)
Rolling cutter bits (rock bits - with cones)
Mill tooth bits
Tungsten carbide bits
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The Ideal Bit *
1. High drilling rate
2. Long life
3. Drill full-gauge, straight hole
4. Moderate cost
* (Low cost per ft drilled)
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The Ideal Bit
Hardness (soft, medium, hard)
abrasiveness
cuttings stickiness
other considerations e.g. cost
The Ideal Bit will depend on the type
of formation to be drilled
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Drag Bits
Drag bits drill by physically plowing
or machining cuttings from the
bottom of the hole.
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Drag Bits
Cutter may be made from:
Steel
Tungsten carbide
Natural diamonds
Polycrystalline diamonds (PDC)
Drag bits have no moving parts, so it is less likely
that junk will be left in the hole.
11 Fishtail type drag bit
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Natural Diamond Bits PDC Bits
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Natural
Diamond
bit
junk slot
cuttings
radial flow
high p
across face
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Soft
Formation
Diamond bit
Larger diamonds
Fewer diamonds
Pointed nose
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Hard
Formation
Diamond bit
Smaller diamonds
More diamonds
Flatter nose
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Natural Diamonds
The size and spacing of diamonds on a
bit determine its use.
NOTE: One carat = 200 mg precious stones
What is 14 carat gold?
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Natural Diamonds
2-5 carats - widely spaced diamonds
are used for drilling soft formations such as
soft sand and shale
1/4 - 1 carat - diamonds are used for drilling
sand, shale and limestone formations of
varying (intermediate) hardness.
1/8 - 1/4 carat - diamonds, closely spaced,
are used in hard and abrasive formations.
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When to Consider Using a Natural
Diamond Bit?
1. Penetration rate of rock bit < 10 ft/hr.
2. Hole diameter < 6 inches.
3. When it is important to keep the bit and
pipe in the hole.
4. When bad weather precludes making trips.
5. When starting a side-tracked hole.
6. When coring.
* 7. When a lower cost/ft would result
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Top view of diamond bit
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Side view of
diamond bit
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PDC
bits
Courtesy
Smith Bits
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PDC Cutter
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At about $10,000-150,000 apiece, PDC bits cost five to 15 times more
than roller cone bits
PDC Bits
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The Rise in Diamond Bit Market Share
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Coring
bit
PDC +
natural
diamond
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Bi-Center bit
Courtesy Smith Bits
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Relative Costs of Bits
Diamond WC Insert Milled
Bits Bits Tooth Bits
$/Bit
Diamond bits typically cost several times as much as tri-
cone bits with tungsten carbide inserts (same bit diam.)
A TCI bit may cost several times as much as a
milled tooth bit.
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PDC Bits
Ref: Oil & Gas Journal, Aug. 14, 1995, p.12
Increase penetration rates in oil and gas
wells
Reduce drilling time and costs
Cost 5-15 times more than roller cone bits
1.5 times faster than those 2 years earlier
Work better in oil based muds; however,
these areas are strictly regulated
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PDC Bits
Parameters for effective use
include
weight on bit
mud pressure
flow rate
rotational speed
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PDC Bits
Economics
Cost per foot drilled measures Bit
performance economics
Bit Cost varies from 2% - 3% of total cost,
but bit affects up to 75% of total cost
Advantage comes when
- the No. of trips is reduced, and when
- the penetration rate increases
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PDC Bits
Bit Demand
U.S Companies sell > 4,000 diamond drill
bits/year
Diamond bit Market is about $200
million/year
Market is large and difficult to reform
When bit design improves, bit drills longer
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PDC Bits
Improvements in bit stability, hydraulics,
and cutter design => increased footage per bit
Now, bits can drill both harder and softer
formations
Formations in US are not as conducive to PDC
bits as formations in some other areas
Bit Demand, contd
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PDC Bits
By year 2000:
PDC bits had control of about 1/3 of
the worldwide drilling market
The total PDC bit market had risen
to $400 million per year
U.S. bit manufacturers had a 2/3
share of this market
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PDC Bits
Improvements are a result of the following:
Research
Good Engineering Practices
Competition with other PDC bit
manufacturers/rock bit industries
Bit Design
General Electric introduced PDC in 1973
Product Life = 2 years
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PDC Bits
Bit Design, contd
Now, a speciality tool
PDC bit diameter varies from 3.5 in to 17.5 in
Goals of hydraulics:
clean bit without eroding it
clean cuttings from bottom of hole
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PDC Bits
Factors that limit operating range
and economics:
Lower life from cutter fractures
Slower ROP from bad cleaning
Bit design, contd
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PDC Bits
Cutters
Consist of thin layer of bonded diamond
particles + a thicker layer of tungsten carbide
Diamond
10x harder than steel
2x harder than tungsten carbide
Most wear resistant material
but is brittle and susceptible to damage
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PDC Bits
Diamond/Tungsten Interface
Bond between two layers on cutter is
critical
Consider difference in thermal
expansion coefficients and avoid
overheating
Made with various geometric shapes to
reduce stress on diamond
Cutters, contd
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PDC Bits
Various Sizes
Experimental dome shape
Round with a buttress edge for high
impact loads
Polished with lower coefficient of friction
Cutters, contd
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PDC Bits
Bit Whirl (bit instability)
Bit whirl = any deviation of bit rotation
from the bits geometric center
Caused by cutter/rock interaction forces
PDC bit technology sometimes
reinforces whirl
Can cause PDC cutters to chip and break
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PDC Bits
Preventing Bit Whirl
Cutter force balancing
Bit asymmetry
Gauge design
Bit profile
Cutter configuration
Cutter layout
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PDC Bits
Applications
PDC bits are used primarily in
Deep and/or expensive wells
Soft - medium hard formations
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PDC Bits
Advances in metallurgy, hydraulics
and cutter geometry
Have not cut cost of individual bits
Have allowed PDC bits to drill longer
and more effectively
Allowed bits to withstand harder
formations
Application, contd
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PDC Bits
Application, contd
PDC bits advantageous for high rotational
speed drilling and in deviated hole section
drillings
Most effective: very weak, brittle formations
(sands, silty claystone, siliceous shales)
Least effective: cemented abrasive sandstone,
granites
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Grading of Worn PDC Bits
CT - Chipped Cutter
Less than 1/3 of cutting
element is gone
BT - Broken Cutter
More than 1/3 of cutting
element is broken to
the substrate
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Grading of Worn PDC Bits contd
LT - Lost Cutter
Bit is missing one or
more cutters
LN - Lost Nozzle
Bit is missing one or
more nozzles
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Table 7.7 - Commonly Used Bit Sizes
For Running API Casing
Casing Size Coupling Size Common Bit
(OD in.) (OD in.) Sizes Used (in.)
4 1/2 5.0 6, 6
1/8
, 6
1/4
5 5.563 6
1/2
, 6
3/4
5 1/2 6.050 7
7/8
, 8
3/8
6 6.625 7
7/8
, 8
3/8
, 8
1/2
6 5/8 7.390 8
1/2
, 8
5/8
, 8
3/4
7 7.656 8
5/8
, 8
3/4
, 9
1/2
7 5/8 8.500 9
7/8
, 10
5/8
, 11
8 5/8 9.625 11, 12
1/4
9 5/8 10.625 12
1/4
, 14
3/4
10 3/4 11.750 15
13 3/8 14.375 17
1/2
16 17 20
20 21 24, 26
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END
of
Lesson 7
- Drag Bits -