STEEL-BODY PDC-BIT TECHNOLOGY IMPROVES BIT PERFORMANCE

摘要

Steel-body polycrystalline-diamond-com-pact (PDC) bits provide the necessary material design and quality properties for dramatically improved performance in specific drilling applications. Because steel has significantly greater thermal expansion and is more ductile than matrix material, steel-body bits are less likely to fail because of breakage or shearing. A new manufacturing process allows steel-body bits to incorporate more complex geometries than was possible previously. The new steel-body bits have significantly higher blade standoff than matrix bits. Higher blade standoff provides greater face volume, which, with more efficient cuttings removal, contributes to better rate of penetration (ROP). A larger, normalized open-face volume contributes to hydraulic efficiency as well as discouraging cuttings from sticking to the bit body.