Smith International, Inc.

Gary Portwood

Luca Tedeschi

James Layne Larsen

Giampaolo Ferrari

Riccardo Gronchi

Peter L Wilson

Daniel W Brietzke

Bryce A Baker

Allen D White

John Clunan

Carl A Deen

Josh Gatell

A rolling cone drill bit for drilling in earthen formations having a plurality of rolling cone cutters. Each cone cutter includes a plurality of gage cutting elements, a first plurality of bottomhole cutting elements, and a second plurality of bottomhole cutter elements. Each of the first plurality of bottomhole cutting elements is staggered relative to the gage cutting elements on each cone cutter. Each of the second plurality of bottomhole cutting elements is staggered relative to the first plurality of bottomhole cutting elements on at least one cone cutter.

Rolling cone drill bit having high density cutting elements

A rolling cone drill bit comprises a bit body and a plurality of rolling cone cutters mounted on the bit body. Each cone cutter includes a plurality of gage cutting elements. Each gage cutting element has a cutting portion extending from a base portion to an extension height. Further, each gage cutting element contacts a gage curve at a gage curve contact point in a composite rotated profile view. Each gage cutting element has a cross-sectional area Ain a first offset reference plane parallel to a base reference plane and offset from the base reference plane by an offset distance dequal to 10% of the extension height. The ratio of Ato a cross-sectional area Aof the base portion of each gage cutting element is less than 11%.

Rolling cone drill bit having sharp cutting elements in a zone of interest

A drill bit for drilling through an earthen formation to form a borehole includes a bit body having a central axis, an internal plenum, and an underside. The underside includes an annular outer region. The bit body includes an outer receptacle extending from the plenum to the outer region. In addition, the drill bit comprises a first and a second cone cutter. Each cone cutter comprises an outer region distal the bit axis. Further the drill bit comprises an outer sleeve having an upstream end received by the outer sleeve receptacle and a through passage. The through passage includes an upstream section having an upstream axis and a downstream section having a downstream axis that is skewed at an angle &#x3b1; relative to the upstream axis. A projection of the downstream axis passes between the outer regions of the first and second cone cutters.

Rock bit with vectored hydraulic nozzle retention sleeves

A drill bit for drilling through an earthen formation to form a borehole with a radius R. In an embodiment, the drill bit comprises a bit body having a central bit axis and including a pin end, an internal plenum, and a dome side. The dome side includes a central dome region extending from the bit axis to about 10% of the radius R and an intermediate dome region extending from the central region to about 50% of the radius R. In addition, the drill bit comprises an intermediate receptacle having a central axis and extending through the intermediate dome region. Further, the drill bit comprises a first and a second rolling cone, each including an intermediate cone region. A projection of the central axis of the intermediate receptacle passes between the intermediate regions of the first cone and the second cone.

Rock bit with hydraulic configuration

A rolling cone drill bit comprises a plurality of bottomhole cutter elements positioned in a first circumferential row, wherein at least one of the cutter elements comprises a cutting portion extending from a base portion to a point furthermost from the base portion, defining an extension height. The ratio of the cross-sectional area of the cutter element at a point equal to ninety-four percent of the extension height to the cross-sectional area of the cutter element base is greater than 0.2. Moreover, the ratio of the extension height to the base diameter is not greater than 0.75.

Growing community of inventors

Florence, Italy

Gary Portwood