DRILLING ENGINEERING

Drilling Bits

Rotary Drilling
The action of
rotating the drill
bit with the
application of
pumping fluid
(Mud) through the
drill string, drill
bit, and annular
to remove
cuttings.

Principles of Drilling Techniques Percussion Cabel Tool Drilling

very old drilling technique
(applied more than 2000 years ago
by the Chinese)
Phase Technique
(discontinuous)
Phase 1: Rock Drilling
free falling bit strikes the bottom
with a heavy blow repeated
lifting and dropping makes the bit
drill
Phase 2: Removal of Cuttings
interruption of drilling to remove
cuttings by bailing
3

Rotary Drill Bit

Purpose of this chapter is to know about selection and
operation of drill bits.
Topics of Interest
Various bit types available (classification).
Criteria for the selection for the best bit for a given
situation.
Standard methods for evaluating dull bite.
Factors affecting bit wear and drilling speed.
Optimization of bit weight and rotary speed

Types of Bits
Drill
Bits

Fixed
Cutter

Fishtail

Diamond

Roller
Cone

PDC

Mill
Tooth

Roller
Bearin
g

TCI

Journal
Bearing

Types of Bits
1.
Drag Bits: Consist of fixed cutter blades
that are integral with the body of the bit and
rotate as a unit with the drill string (19th
century).
2.
Rolling Cutter Bits: (1909) have two or
more cones containing the cutting elements
which rotate about the axis of the cone as the
bit is rotated at the bottom of the hole

Types of Bits
Drill
Bits

Fixed
Cutter

Fishtail

Diamond

Roller
Cone

PDC

Mill
Tooth

Roller
Bearin
g

TCI

Journal
Bearing

Drag Bits
Drag bits drill by physically plowing or
machining cuttings from the bottom of
the hole.

Types of Bits
Drill
Bits

Fixed
Cutter

Fishtail

Diamond

Roller
Cone

PDC

Mill
Tooth

Roller
Bearin
g

TCI

Journal
Bearing

Cutting
Elements
Size and number of
diamonds, depend on the
hardness of the formation.
For hard formations: many
small stones (0.07-0.125
carat)
For soft formations: few
large stones (0.75-2.0
carat)

Natura Diamon
l
d

Natural Diamonds

The size and spacing of diamonds on a

bit determine its use.

NOTE: One carat = 200 mg

precious stones

12

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
(intermediate) hardness.

varying

1/8 - 1/4 carat - diamonds, closely spaced,

used in hard and abrasive

are

formations.
13

Soft Formation Diamond bit

Larger diamonds
Fewer diamonds
Pointed nose

Hard Formation Diamond bit

Smaller diamonds
More diamonds
Flatter nose

14

15

Types of Bits
Drill
Bits

Fixed
Cutter

Fishtail

Diamond

Roller
Cone

PDC

Mill
Tooth

Roller
Bearin
g

TCI

Journal
Bearing

Cutting elements-PDC
19 mm

16 mm

13 mm

11 mm

8 mm

Types of Bits
Drill
Bits

Fixed
Cutter

Fishtail

Diamond

Roller
Cone

PDC

Mill
Tooth

Roller
Bearin
g

TCI

Journal
Bearing

Roller bit elements pic

19

20

Types of Bits
Drill
Bits

Fixed
Cutter

Fishtail

Diamond

Roller
Cone

PDC

Mill
Tooth

Roller
Bearin
g

TCI

Journal
Bearing

Cutting elements-Inserts

Tungsten Carbide Inserts

Milled /insert-Roller bearing

Drill
Bits

Fixed
Cutter

Fishtail

Diamond

Roller
Cone

PDC

Mill
Tooth

Roller
Bearin
g

TCI

Journal
Bearing

Milled /insert-journel bearing

Drill
Bits

Fixed
Cutter

Fishtail

Diamond

Roller
Cone

PDC

Mill
Tooth

Roller
Bearin
g

TCI

Journal
Bearing

Failu Mechanism
re
s
Shear
Failure

Failure
Mechani
sms

PDC BIT
CONTINU
OUS
SHEARIN
G

Compressiv
e
Failure

ROLLER CONE
BIT
CYCLIC
COMPRESSION

Drillin Mechanism
g
s

Compressive
Failure

Drillin Mechanism
g
s

Shear Failure

PDC BIT
CONTINU
OUS
SHEARIN
G

Courtesy
of

IPM

Bits and
Holemaking

Drillin Mechanism
g
s

Shear Failure

PDC BIT
CONTINU
OUS
SHEARIN
G

Drillin Mechanism vs Bi Typ

g
s
t e
Gouging & Scraping

Mill Tooth

Chipping and Crushing

Insert

Shearing

PDC

Ploughing

Natural Diamond

Grinding

Impregnated Diamond

Sof t Formations w ith

Low Compressive
Strength and High
Drillability

517G
Cutting Structure Series

Cutting Structure
Type (1 to 4)

STEEL
TOOTH
BITS

8-1/2 EHP
51

1 refers to the softest

formation in a
particular Series and
4 refers to the hardest
formation within the
Series
3

Hard Semi-Abrasive
and Abrasive
Formations
Sof t Formations w
ith
Low Compressive
Strength and High
Sof Drillability
t to Medium

INSERT
BITS

5
4

Formations w ith Low

Compressive Strength
Medium Hard
Formations w ith High
Compressive Strength
Hard Semi-Abrasive
and Abrasive
Formations
Extremely Hard and
Abrasive Formations

Medium to Medium
Hard Formations w
ith
High Compressive
Strength

7
8

Bearing/Gauge
Description
Standard
Roller
Bearing
Roller
Bearing Air
Cooled
Roller
Bearing
Gauge
Protected
Sealed
Roller
Bearing
Sealed
Roller Brg
Gauge
Protected
Sealed
Friction
Bearing
Sealed
Frction Brg
Gauge
Protected

Features
Available
(Optional
)
A - Air Application
B - Special Bearing Seal
C - Center Jet

D - Deviation Control
E - Extended Nozzles
G - Gauge/Body

3
4
5
6
7

Protection
H - Horizontal Steering
Appl.
J - Jet Deflection
L - Lug Pads
M - Motor Application
S - Standard Steel Tooth
T - Two Cone Bit
W - Enhanced Cutting
Structure
X - Predominantly Chisel
Tooth
Insert
- Conical Tooth Insert
Y
Z - Other Shape Insert

31

Tooth
Soft

1-1
1

2
3

Hard

IAD Code
C
s

1-3

2-1

Tooth
Soft

4-1

1
Insert
2
3

4
5
6
7

Hard

8-3

Soft

Tooth

IAD Code
C PDC
s

2
3

Inser
t
4
5
6
7

Hard

Tooth
Soft

IAD Code
C PDC
s

2
3

Inser
t
4
5
6

Diamon
d

7
Hard
IPM

8
Bits and
Holemaking

36