Drill Blade Gauge Edge Profile for Vibration Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional drilling assembly components experience vibrational instabilities and excessive wear during wellbore formation, leading to reduced operational life and efficiency.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating blades with gauge regions featuring a rotationally leading edge engagement profile comprising chamfered and radiused surfaces, which provide a smooth and non-aggressive lead into the bearing face, reducing the likelihood of whirl and stick slip vibrations and enhancing wear resistance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If conventional sharp and aggressive rotationally leading edge engagement profiles are used on gauge regions, then the drilling assembly can effectively cut and engage the formation, but vibrational instabilities (whirl and stick slip vibrations) occur during operation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrilling efficiencyVSAvoiddrilling assembly stability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different engagement profiles to different regions of the blade. The gauge region has a non-aggressive, rounded engagement profile to reduce vibrations, while other regions of the blade may have different profiles optimized for their specific functions. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by allowing the gauge region to stabilize the assembly without compromising overall drilling effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of using sharp, aggressive leading edges that conventional design employs for maximum cutting efficiency, the patent inverts the approach by using rounded, non-aggressive engagement profiles. This inversion reduces the tendency to dig into the borehole wall and induces vibrations, while maintaining formation engagement capability through the bearing face design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Productivity

If conventional sharp and aggressive rotationally leading edge engagement profiles are used on gauge regions, then the drilling assembly can effectively engage the formation, but excessive wear occurs on the formation-engaging surfaces

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrilling efficiencyVSAvoidwear on formation-engaging surfaces

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies a non-aggressive, rounded engagement profile specifically to the gauge region where vibrations and wear are most problematic, while other regions of the blade can maintain profiles optimized for cutting efficiency. This localized approach reduces wear on the formation-engaging surfaces of the gauge region without sacrificing overall drilling productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The rounded engagement profile is designed to lead the blade into the formation in a controlled manner, preventing sudden impacts and excessive stress concentrations that cause wear. This preliminary smoothing action at the leading edge reduces the severity of engagement and minimizes wear on the formation-engaging surfaces throughout operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Stability of the object's composition

If gauge regions with non-aggressive engagement profiles are used, then vibrational instabilities are reduced, but the ability to effectively cut and engage the formation may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrilling assembly stabilityVSAvoiddrilling efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The blade is segmented into different functional regions with different engagement profiles. The gauge region has a non-aggressive profile for stability, while other regions maintain profiles optimized for cutting. This segmentation allows each region to perform its specific function effectively, resolving the contradiction between stability and cutting efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The engagement profile parameters (radius of curvature, leading edge angle) are specifically optimized for the gauge region to reduce vibrations while maintaining formation engagement. The bearing face geometry is also adjusted to compensate for the non-aggressive leading edge, ensuring effective cutting and formation engagement is maintained despite the rounded profile.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS9677344B2Components of drilling assemblies, drilling assemblies, and methods of stabilizing drilling assemblies in wellbores in subterranean formations

Publication Date: 2017.06.13 BAKER HUGHES CO

AI summary

A component of a drilling assembly comprises at least one blade having a gauge region comprising a bearing face for engaging a sidewall of a wellbore in a subterranean formation during rotation of the drilling assembly, and a rotationally leading edge rotationally preceding the bearing face and comprising an engagement profile comprising at least one of at least one chamfered surface and at least one radiused surface, the engagement profile different than another engagement profile of another rotationally leading edge of another region of the at least one blade. A drilling assembly, and a method for stabilizing a drilling assembly in a wellbore in a subterranean formation are also provided.