Roller Cone Bit

History

Before Roller Cone Bits

Until internal combustion engines

came in the late 19th century, the
main method for drilling rock was
muscle power of man or animal.
Rods were turned by hand, using
clamps attached to the rod. The
Ancient Drilling Rigs in Zigong, China
rope and drop method invented in
Zigong, China used a steel rod or
piston raised and dropped vertically
via a rope. Percussion bits

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 Before Roller Cone Bits

1845 - Fauvelle invented the rotary drilling

system. It was used in the early years of
the oil industry in some of the oil-producing
countries in Europe. The rotary drilling
system was in general use in Texas in the
early 1900s

Fish tail Bit

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A Little History

1859: Edwin Drake’s Well - Titusville, PA

 The first successful oil well that was drilled for the sole
purpose of finding oil
 Struck oil at 70 feet
 Peak production was 20 barrels/day
 Sold for $20/barrel

Slide 5
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 First Roller Cone Bit Patent

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First Roller Cone Bit Patent

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 Roller Cone History

1909 - Howard Hughes patented the

roller cone rock bit (two cones)
1910 - Howard Hughes patented the
three-cone roller cone rock bit
1925 - Cutting structures with Intermesh
invented

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No intermesh vs. Intermesh

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 No intermesh vs. Intermesh

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Roller Cone History

1928 - Use of tungsten carbide

hardfacing on bits begins

1939 - Offset roller cone bits first used

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 Roller Cone History

1951 - Tungsten carbide inserts first used in roller cone bits

1963 - Sealed bearing roller cone bits first used

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Roller Cone History

1996 - Bullet Seal introduced

1996 - Twin seals (Gemini) were introduced to improve bearing

life in roller cone bits

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 Roller Cone History

1996 - Fully diamond enhanced inserts first

used in roller cone bits

1999 - Bits optimized through computer

drilling simulations introduced

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Roller Cone History

2000 – Tungsten Carbide Inserts with different grades and

geometries to drill calcareous formations (SMITH BITS)
High Impact Resistance TCI
Bruntal 1014

Sample ID5H90 K1c 1500X Sample ID5H91 812

wear 1500X G-1018 916 1500X
“Dogbone” Insert

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 Roller Cone History

2004 – New generation of Two-Cone Bits. Using IDEAS® to

reduce vibration signature that was presented in old designs

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Roller Cone History

2008 – Combination of carbide grades and insert geometries

with improved hydraulics to drill large holes (≥16”) in hard
calcareous formations (Smith Bits)

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