Roller Cone Drill Bit Disk Heel for Wellbore Stability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing earth-boring rotary drill bits are often aggressive, causing damage to wellbore components and experiencing instability and vibrations that reduce cutting efficiency.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates a roller cone drill bit with a reduced-aggressiveness disk heel portion, which is continuous and located further from the axis of rotation than the cutting elements, reducing the likelihood of damaging wellbore equipment and enhancing drilling stability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If traditional aggressive drill bit design is used, then cutting efficiency is improved, but damage to wellbore components increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecutting efficiencyVSAvoiddamage to wellbore components

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The drill bit applies different properties to different parts: the gauge section has a continuous disk heel with reduced aggressiveness to protect wellbore components, while the heel section maintains aggressive cutting elements for effective rock breaking. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between cutting efficiency and component protection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Speed

If aggressive cutting elements are used, then drilling speed is improved, but stability and vibrations increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrilling speedVSAvoiddrilling stability

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The continuous disk heel at the gauge section provides stability and reduces vibrations by creating a smoother contact surface, while the aggressive cutting elements at the heel maintain high drilling speed. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between drilling speed and stability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The drill bit is segmented into functional zones: the gauge section with continuous disk heel for stability and the heel section with aggressive cutters for speed. This segmentation allows each zone to optimize its local function, resolving the overall contradiction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Object-affected harmful factors

If continuous disk heel is used, then protection of wellbore equipment is improved, but cutting aggressiveness is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection of wellbore equipmentVSAvoidcutting aggressiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The continuous disk heel is applied locally at the gauge section where equipment protection is needed, while aggressive cutting elements are maintained at the heel section for cutting effectiveness. This localized application resolves the contradiction between protection and aggressiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS10689911B2Roller cone earth-boring rotary drill bits including disk heels and related systems and methods

Publication Date: 2020.06.23 BAKER HUGHES CO

AI summary

Earth-boring rotary drill bits include heel portions exhibiting reduced aggressiveness. Earth-boring rotary drill bits may comprise a bit body and a plurality of roller cones coupled to the bit body. Each roller cone comprises a plurality of rows of cutting elements, and a continuous disk heel located further from an axis of rotation of the roller cone than the at least one row of cutting elements, the continuous disk heel exhibiting a reduced amount of aggressiveness compared to the at least one row of cutting elements.