Applications Engineering Course

FY2001

Drill Bit Technology:

Fixed Cutter
 Lesson Outline

Nomenclature

Cutting Action

Blade, cutter, & pad layouts

Bottom hole patterns

Cutter Technology
 Fixed Cutter Bit Features
Profile

PDC
Cutters
Gauge

Junk Slot

Bit Breaker
Slot

API Threaded
Pin
FM / FS2000: F.A.S.T.
Matrix / Steel
F orce Balancing
A symmetric Blade Layout
S piraled Blades
T racking Cutters
 The FM2000 Series
Matrix body technology utilizing Ring Claw
cutter technology maximizes performance.
 The FS2000 Series
New steel body technology advances PDC
bit performance and efficiency.
PDC Cutting Action =
Shearing
Asymmetric Blade Layout
Spiraled Blades & Gage
Pads

Straight Spiraled
Blades and Pads Blades and Pads
 Cutter Layouts

Standard Set - Track Set -

50 Cutters 50 Cutters
 Bottom Hole Patterns

Standard Cutter Bottom Tracking Cutter Bottom

Hole Pattern Hole Pattern

Little resistance to lateral Scalloped bottom hole pattern

forces with the standard cutter is created by tracking cutters
layout
Impact Arrestors

Impact Arrestors
provide
stabilization to
both the axial and
lateral modes of
vibration. The
impact arrestors
are positioned
directly behind a
preceding PDC
cutter.
Low Torque Gage Pad
Design
Rounded Edges

Low Friction Carbide

 TM
Ring Claw Cutter
Technology
Patented Ring Claw
cutters, compared to
standard PDC cutters,
have triple the volume of
diamond, making them
more abrasion resistant,
and up to four times more
impact resistant.
 Deep Ring Claw Cutter
Technology

The next step beyond Ring Claw

Little or no impact damage
Wear generally confined to
the diamond table
Increased life
Increased reusability
No apparent sacrifice in performance
C-Scan Transducer
Computer Generated Graphical
Representation of C-Scan
Readings
Cutter Rake Angles

Back Rake Side Rake

Side Rake

Back Rake

Bit Center
Application of PDC Bits
Geological knowledge essential
Offset well information & bit records
Enhanced selection process using offset well
log Analysis / GeoMechanics
Bit selection should meet actual criteria
necessary to fail specific rock types and
satisfy cleaning requirements
Potential PDC Applications
Long shale, mudstone or claystone sections, sands,
chalk, limestone, dolomite, salts and anhydrite
Gumbo shales with oil based mud
Researched sandstone intervals
Absence of hard, well cemented, angular abrasive
sands
Absence of chert, pyrite, quartzite
Motor/turbine drilling (high RPM)
 Summary
PDC cuts rock with a shearing action
Cutters exist in a variety of shapes/sizes
19mm, 13mm, 10.5mm, 8mm

Consider: Blade, cutter, & gauge layouts

Consider nozzle configurations, hydraulics
PDC is prone to damage from vibrations
Geological knowledge is essential for bit selection
Thank-you