CASE STUDY

SHARC Bit with Stinger Element

Increases ROP 46% in North Dakotas Bakken Field
PDC with center-placed, conical-diamond element
takes average ROP from 115 ft/h to 168 ft/h
CHALLENGE

Increase ROP and reduce the number of

bits required to drill 83/4-in vertical sections
of at least 6,000ft in the hard and abrasive
interbedded formations that compose
North Dakotas Bakken basin.
SOLUTION

Run an 83/4-in MDSiZ616 SHARC* highabrasion-resistance PDC drill bit fitted

with 16-mm cutters and a Stinger* conical
diamond element on a directional BHA to
increase verticalcontrol.
RESULT

Drilled 83/4-in vertical sections of between

6,209 and 6,477 ft with an average ROP
of 168 ft/h; increased ROP 46% when
compared with the next best average ROP,
reported by other bits in offset wells.

Hard formations challenge bits

center cutter efficiency

The relatively low rotational velocity at the

center of conventional PDC bits limits the
amount of rock they can remove, especially in
hard formations. And when drilling lithologies
with high unconfined compressive strength
(UCS), a PDC drill bits center cutters can incur
damage that reduces ROP and bit durability.
To increase ROP and reduce the number of
bits required to drill vertical sections in the
hard, abrasive, and interbedded formations
associated with applications in North Dakotas
Bakken basin, Smith Bits conducted a program
to develop more effective cutting elements
for PDC bits. For this program, bit design
engineers set a primary goal: Fit a PDC bit with
a more durable cutting element or elements
that would fail hard and abrasive, interbedded,
and transitional formation rock more efficiently
to increase ROP.

Innovative cutting element required

To increase drilling efficiency and stability

across a wide range of PDC bit applications,
the innovative Stinger conical diamond element
was developed. The element has twice the
diamond thickness of conventional PDC
cutters and is manufactured from synthetic
diamond material engineered to provide
superior resistance to abrasive wear and
impact loading. Combining this capability
with the Stinger elements unique conical
geometry resulted in a cutting element that can
significantly enhance a PDC bits durability.
To ensure that placement of the Stinger
element at the PDC bits center would maximize
drilling efficiency, engineers used IDEAS*
integrated drillbit design platform to further
optimize the cutting structure. This effort
included selectively abbreviating the blades
that held the PDC bits low-velocity center
cutters and placing the Stinger element at the
center of the PDC bits cutting structure.

The 83/4-in SHARC PDC bit with a Stinger conical

diamond element fails rock more efficiently at the
borehole center while significantly increasing
bitstability.

Drill Bits

CASE STUDY: Stinger element increases efficiency and stability at the center of a SHARC bits cutting structure

Company A,
average

Company B,
average

MDSiZ616,
average

1,000

203

2,000

168

3,000

Depth, ft

7,000

97

6,583

87

6,669

200

125

6,301

225

150

115

5,000

250

175

4,000

6,000

MDSiZ616,
record run

100
6,318

6,301

75

8,000

50

9,000

25

10,000

0
Smith Bits baseline bit

SHARC bit with a Stinger element

Other bits

ROP, ft/h

MDSi616,
average

ROP, ft/h

The SHARC PDC bits with a Stinger element drilled North Dakotas Bakken basin with an average ROP of 168 ft/h and a
maximum ROP of 203 ft/hr, which when compared with the next best average ROP reported by other bits in offset wells
represents an ROP increase of 46%.

By opening up the center of the cutting structure, a stress-relieved rock

column is allowed to develop at the bits center during drilling. As the
Stinger element engages it, the rock column is continuously crushed and
fractured, thereby improving drilling efficiency. In addition, with fewer
cutters, there is less division of the weight on bit (WOB), which increases
cutter loading and maximizes drilling efficiency. This effect has also
proven to increase stability and reduce vibration.

Stinger element significantly advances drilling performance

The MDSiZ616 SHARC PDC bit fitted with 16-mm cutters and a Stinger
element run on a directional BHA drilled 83/4-in vertical sections of
between 6,209 and 6,477 ft in single trips. Bits attained an average ROP
of 168 ft/h and a maximum ROP of 203 ft/h. When compared with the next
best average ROP reported by other bits in offset wells, the SHARC bits
with a Stinger element increased ROP 46%.

www.slb.com/Stinger
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of their respective owners.
Copyright 2013 Schlumberger. All rights reserved. 12-BT-0123