Expansion of Field Testing and Application of New Hybrid Drill Bit

摘要

Improvements in drilling performance in key applications around the world continue to focus on reducing vibrations of the system consisting of the drill bit, bottomhole assembly (BHA) and drillstring. These vibrations can take the form of whirl, stick-slip, bit bounce or combinations of these, leading to drilling inefficiencies. Many efforts are under way to control and manage these vibrations and develop tools that can withstand the higher vibrations seen in today’s drilling environment. Introduction of the most-recent design of a hybrid drill bit took place in 2009 with the presentation of IADC/SPE paper 128741. It was shown to be a viable drilling tool for potentially difficult or problem-prone applications. This paper covers the ongoing development work on the hybrid bit technology which combines elements of polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) and tungsten carbide insert (TCI) bits. Testing is now taking place on a large scale and the results confirm the potential benefits revealed in the early prototype testing. Early tests of the hybrid bits were designed to show that it is sufficiently robust to drill and hold up under normal drilling. The next 100+ runs were targeted at areas where both traditional PDC and TCI drill bits struggle and the hybrid bit proved to be both faster and more durable than the conventional bits. This was achieved through the synergy of the smooth running action of the rolling cutters with the sharp cutting elements on the fixed PDC bit blades. This paper details the knowledge gained in drilling over 167,000 feet just over 10,100 hours that has led to further design improvements and a better definition of the applications in which a hybrid bit can deliver superior performance. These applications are generally in the harder and hard-interbedded formations. The targeting of the hybrid technology is enabling problem wells to be finished sooner and at lower cost while still avoiding dynamic dysfunctions commonly seen. Results of all hybrid runs in a wide range of applications will be compared and recommendations will be made on where this technology can provide the most significant improvements.