Ulterra Drilling Technologies, L.p.

Esco Group LLC

Neal Alan Bowden

Andrew David Murdock

William Henry Dubose

Matthew Douglas Mumma

John Martin Clegg

Alfred Harold Skinner

Ryan J Nelson

Calvin William Collins

Jon V Owen

A polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC), which is attached or bonded to a substrate to form a cutter for a drill bit, is comprised of sintered polycrystalline diamond interspersed with a seed material which has a hexagonal close packed (HCP) crystalline structure. A region of the sintered polycrystalline diamond structure, near one or more of its working surfaces, which has been seeded with an HCP seed material prior to sintering, is leached to remove catalyst. Selectively seeding portions or regions of a sintered polycrystalline diamond structure permits differing leach rates to form leached regions with differing distances or depths and geometries.

Diamond cutting elements for drill bits seeded with HCP crystalline material

Producing a drag bit includes creating a mold corresponding to the surface of the bit and inserting a core in the mold corresponding to the plenum of the bit. A preliminary shaped bit is cast in the mold. Excess material is removed from the casting to produce a final shaped bit.

Downhole tool and method of manufacturing a tool

The rate of leaching of a polycrystalline diamond (PCD) cutting layer for cutting elements or other wear parts is varied by introduction into the PCD of an additive prior to leaching. Selective introduction of the additive into one or more regions of a PCD cutting structure allows controlling leaching rates of selective leaching of parts of the PCD structure, which allows for creating of a boundary between the leached and non-leached regions of a PCD structure to be made so that is not parallel to the surface or surfaces exposed to the leaching solution. The additive is comprised of a material that increases the permeability of the PCD or acceptance of the PCD to the leaching solution, such as a hydrophile.

Selectively leached, polycrystalline structures for cutting elements of drill bits

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Mansfield, TX, United States of America

Neal Alan Bowden