Baker Hughes Corporation

Terratek, Inc.

Leroy William Ledgerwood, Iii

David Alexander Curry

Craig Hodges Cooley

Danny Eugene Scott

Anthony Albert DiGiovanni

Suresh G Patel

Jayesh Rameshlal Jain

David A Stockey

Alejandro Flores

Rocco DiFoggio

Thorsten Schwefe

Gregory L Ricks

Sidney J Green

Timothy King Marvel

Ronald Gene Bland

Hatem Oueslati

Sean K Berzas

Brian Andrew Baker

Danielle M Fuselier

Brian Christopher Wiesner

Thomas M Harris

Nigel Charles Meany

Homer A Robertson

Olivier J-m Hoffmann

Greg Ricks

Arnis Judzis

Alan D Black

A cutting element for an earth-boring tool includes a substrate and volume of superabrasive material positioned on the substrate. The volume of superabrasive material includes a cutting face having at least one recess extending into the volume of superabrasive material and/or at least one protrusion extending outward from the volume of superabrasive material. The volume of superabrasive material includes a first chamfer surface having a peripheral edge and a radially innermost edge. The peripheral edge of the first chamfer surface is located proximate a cutting edge of the volume of superabrasive material. A radial width of the first chamfer surface is between about 0.002 inch and about 0.045 inch. The volume of superabrasive material also includes a second chamfer surface having a peripheral edge and a radially innermost edge. The peripheral edge of the second chamfer surface is located adjacent the radially innermost edge of the first chamfer surface.

Structures for drilling a subterranean formation

Multi-chamfer cutting elements having a shaped cutting face and earth-boring tools including such cutting elements

In one aspect, a method of determining the presence of whirl for a rotating tool is disclosed that in one embodiment includes obtaining measurements (a) of a parameter relating to the whirl of the tool along a first axis and measurements (a) of the parameter along a second axis of the tool, determining a first whirl in a time domain for the tool using aand ameasurements, determining a second whirl rate for the tool in a frequency domain from aand ameasurements and determining the presence of the whirl from the first whirl rate and second whirl rate. The method further quantifies the whirl of the tool from the first and second whirl rates.

Apparatus and methods for determining whirl of a rotating tool

A method of designing an earth-boring rotary drill bit includes designing a bit body and cutting elements of the drill bit such that features of the drill bit other than cutting elements engage and rub against a subterranean formation being drilled by the drill bit at depths-of-cut beyond, but close to, an intended median depth-of-cut, and such that the amount of rubbing area between such features and the formation increases at a relatively rapid rate as the depth-of-cut increases beyond the intended median depth-of-cut. Such methods may be employed to mitigate the occurrence of the 'stick-slip' phenomenon during drilling. A method of fabricating a drill bit includes configuring a bit body and cutting elements in accordance with such a design. Earth-boring drill bits include a bit body and cutting elements so configured.

Drill bit design for mitigation of stick slip

Rock detritus created by a drag bit cutter shearing subterranean formation material may flow under the cutter and attach itself to the side surface of the cutter barrel by differential pressure-induced sticking, and dilate. This attached material, confined by hydrostatic pressure, can create and strengthen a barrier between the cutter and the virgin rock being cut. The detritus barrier absorbs bit weight and reduces cutter efficiency by impairing contact of the cutter with the virgin rock formation. Increasing friction between the rock detritus and a side surface of the cutter barrel inhibits detritus flow, reduces build up, and allows hydrostatic pressure to contribute to, rather than inhibit, the cutting process. Similar beneficial results may be obtained when hydrostatic pressure drilling fluid is permitted to communicate through holes in the side surface of the cutter, or through an otherwise permeable side surface alleviating detritus sticking due to differential pressure effects.

Detritus flow management features for drag bit cutters and bits so equipped

Discrete Element Modeling (DEM) of rock subject to high confining pressures, such as in a subterranean drilling environment, may be used to predict performance of cutting structures used in drill bits and other drilling tools, as well as of the tools themselves. DEM may also be used to create 'virtual' rock exhibiting specific drillability characteristics with or without specific reference to any actual rock, for purposes of assessing cutting efficiency of various cutting structure configurations and orientations, as well as of drilling tools incorporating same.

Discrete element modeling of rock destruction under high pressure conditions

Rock detritus created by a drag bit cutter shearing subterranean formation material may flow under a cutter and attach itself to a side surface of a cutter barrel by differential pressure-induced sticking, and dilate. This attached material, confined by hydrostatic pressure, can create and strengthen a barrier between the cutter and virgin rock being cut. The detritus barrier absorbs bit weight and reduces cutter efficiency by impairing contact of the cutter with the virgin rock formation. Increasing friction between the rock detritus and the side surface of the cutter barrel inhibits detritus flow, reduces build up, and allows hydrostatic pressure to contribute to, rather than inhibit, the cutting process. Similar beneficial results may be obtained when hydrostatic pressure drilling fluid is permitted to communicate through holes in the side surface of the cutter, or through an otherwise permeable side surface alleviating detritus sticking due to differential pressure effects.

Embodiments of a system, method, and apparatus for predicting and reducing tracking by roller cone bits by adjusting compact spacing are disclosed. Different pitches between adjacent compacts or teeth provide a cone row that is substantially less likely to track. A given row on a cone may include compacts that are arrayed at a single pitch in a contiguous group for approximately half of the row. The remaining approximately half of the row includes alternating pitches. This configuration enables anti-tracking behavior without very wide spaces and consequent breakage and wear seen in prior art anti-tracking pitch schemes.

System, method, and apparatus for predicting tracking by roller cone bits and anti-tracking cutting element spacing

To improve drilling performance, a drilling fluid is selected based on one or more criteria and to have at least one target characteristic. Drilling equipment is used to drill a wellbore, and the selected drilling fluid is provided into the wellbore during drilling with the drilling equipment. The at least one target characteristic of the drilling fluid includes an ability of the drilling fluid to penetrate into formation cuttings during drilling to weaken the formation cuttings.

Optimizing drilling performance using a selected drilling fluid

In one embodiment an apparatus is disclosed that includes a tool in a wellbore. A probe is extendable from the tool to contact a wall of a formation surrounding the wellbore. A tube substantially surrounds the probe wherein the tube is extendable into the formation surrounding the wellbore. In another embodiment a method for reducing contamination of a sample of a formation fluid is disclosed that includes extending a probe to contact a wall of a formation. A barrier tube that substantially surrounds the probe is extended into the formation thereby restricting a flow of a contaminated reservoir fluid that would otherwise come from near-wellbore regions above and below the probe from going toward the probe.

Method and apparatus for collecting fluid samples downhole

An earth boring bit has rolling cones rotatably mounted to the bit legs. Each cone has conical bands extending around the exterior. Holes are formed in each of the bands. Compacts are press-fitted into the holes, each having a cutting tip that projects from the conical band. Flats are formed in the conical bands, each flat extending between adjacent compacts.

Increased projection for compacts of a rolling cone drill bit

A method is provided for generating an indicator of potential bit abrasion in a particular wellbore. Forensic wellbore data is obtained from at least one previously drilled wellbore which is determined to be comparable to the particular target wellbore. Typically, the comparable wellbore comprises an &ldquo;offset&rdquo; wellbore which is proximate the target wellbore, and which has similar geologic features. An inference engine computer program is provided which consists of executable program instructions. It is adapted to utilize a plurality of wellbore parameters, including the forensic wellbore data. The inference engine includes at least one rule matrix which defines a plurality of fuzzy sets. These fuzzy sets establish correspondence between the plurality of wellbore parameters and the indictor of potential bit abrasion. The inference engine computer program is loaded onto a data processing system. At least the forensic wellbore data is supplied as an input to the inference engine computer program. The data processing system is utilized to execute the program instructions of the inference engine computer program. This causes the application of the inputs to the inference engine computer program. The inference engine computer program produces as an output an indication of potential bit abrasion in the particular target wellbore.

Method and apparatus for determining potential abrasivity in a wellbore

A tri-cone earth-boring bit has nozzles oriented for improved cone cleaning, bottom cleaning and cuttings evacuation. Each of the nozzles is oriented to discharge across a trailing side of a cone at a point considerably inboard of the borehole wall. Each nozzle has an outlet located radially outward from the bit axis a distance that is at least equal to a distance from a top dead center of the heel row of each of the cones to the bit axis. Also, each of the nozzles is oriented to discharge drilling fluid along a line that contacts the borehole bottom at a distance that is no greater than a distance from a bottom dead center of an outermost of the inner rows of the cone to the bit axis. A portion of the drilling fluid discharged from each nozzle will pass by more than one of the rows of the cones.

Nozzle orientation for roller cone rock bit

A method and apparatus are provided for generating an indicator of potential for abrupt changes in rock strength in a particular wellbore. Forensic wellbore data is obtained from at least one previously drilled wellbore which is determined to be comparable to the target wellbore. An interfacial severity computer program is provided. The program consists of executable program instructions. It is adapted to utilize a plurality of wellbore parameters, including at least one forensic wellbore data element. The interfacial severity computer program is loaded onto a data processing system. At least the forensic wellbore data, and possibly other wellbore parameter data elements, are supplied as an input to the interfacial severity computer program. The data processing system is utilized to execute program instructions of the interfacial severity computer program. This applies the inputs to the interfacial severity computer program which produces an output and indicator of the potential for abrupt changes in rock strength in the particular target wellbore.

Method and apparatus for determining potential interfacial severity for a formation

A method is provided for generating an indicator of potential bit performance in a particular wellbore. Forensic wellbore data is obtained from at least one previously drilled wellbore which is determined to be comparable to the particular target wellbore. Typically, the comparable wellbore comprises an &ldquo;offset&rdquo; wellbore which is proximate the target wellbore, and which has similar geologic features. An inference engine computer program is provided which consists of executable program instructions. It is adapted to utilize a plurality of wellbore parameters, including the forensic wellbore data. The inference engine includes at least one rule matrix which defines a plurality of fuzzy sets. These fuzzy sets establish correspondence between the plurality of wellbore parameters and the indictor of potential bit performance. The inference engine computer program is loaded onto a data processing system. The forensic wellbore data and at least one other of the plurality of wellbore parameters is supplied as an input to the inference engine computer program. The data processing system is utilized to execute the program instructions of the inference engine computer program. This causes the application of the inputs to the inference engine computer program. The inference engine computer program produces as an output an indication of potential bit performance in the particular target wellbore.

Growing community of inventors

Cypress, TX, United States of America

Leroy William Ledgerwood, Iii