DRILL BIT TYPES,

CLASSIFICATION AND
FEATURES
Submitted By: Muhammad Asad
Contents
Drill Bit: ......................................................................................................................................................... 3
Roller Cone Bits: ............................................................................................................................................ 3
Mill tooth bits:........................................................................................................................................... 3
Insert Tooth bits: ....................................................................................................................................... 3
Features of Tricone Bits: ............................................................................................................................... 4
Fluid courses: ............................................................................................................................................ 4
Journals: .................................................................................................................................................... 4
Bearings: ................................................................................................................................................... 4
Roller Ball Bearings: .............................................................................................................................. 4
Friction Bearings: .................................................................................................................................. 4
Non sealed bearings:............................................................................................................................. 4
Sealed bearings: .................................................................................................................................... 5
Cone Offset: .............................................................................................................................................. 5
Gauge Protection in Roller Cone Bits: ....................................................................................................... 5
IADC Code of Roller Cone Bit: ....................................................................................................................... 6
First Digit: .................................................................................................................................................. 6
Second Digit: ............................................................................................................................................. 6
Third Digit:................................................................................................................................................. 6
Fourth Digit: .............................................................................................................................................. 6
Bearing Types: ............................................................................................................................................... 7
FIXED CUTTER DRILLING BITS: ....................................................................................................................... 7
PDC Drill Bits: ................................................................................................................................................ 7
PDC bit design: .............................................................................................................................................. 8
IADC Dull Grading:......................................................................................................................................... 9
• Other dulling characteristics: .......................................................................................................... 10
• Reason pulled:................................................................................................................................. 10
Design Considerations of Bit: ...................................................................................................................... 10
Some features of Drilling Bits: .................................................................................................................... 11
Bit Nozzles: .............................................................................................................................................. 11
Junk Slot Area:......................................................................................................................................... 11
Hydraulic Horse Power (HHP) of Bit: ...................................................................................................... 11
Impact Arrestors: .................................................................................................................................... 12
Back Reaming Cutters: ............................................................................................................................ 12
Gauge Length: ......................................................................................................................................... 13
Total Flow Area: ...................................................................................................................................... 13
Torque Control Components: ................................................................................................................. 13
Anti-Balling Coating: ............................................................................................................................... 13
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Drill Bit:
Drill bit is one of the most important components in the drill string. The bit drills the rock in many
mechanisms. The drilling bit is selected according to the formation to be drilled.

There are two main types of drilling bits:

1. Roller Cone Drill Bits.

2. Fixed Cutter Bits.

Roller Cone Bits:

Roller Cone bits are further categorized into two main types

Milled tooth bits:

These types of bits have steel teeth which are milled on the cones. The size and shape of teeth vary
according to the formation to be drilled. In soft formation, the teeth are long and slender, where in hard
formation the teeth are short and broad.

Milled Tooth Bit

Insert Tooth bits:

In these types of bits, the teeth are not milled into the cones, instead of that, tungsten carbide inserts are
pressed into the cones. These technics make the bits much harder and can last longer when drilling
through hard formation. The size and shape of teeth also depend on the formation to be drilled, the teeth
can be long and chisel shapes in soft formation, and for hard formation can be short and round shapes.
 Insert Tooth Bit

Features of Tricone Bits:

Tri-cone bits have many features:

Fluid courses:

These are paths for drilling fluid to pass through the drilling bits to carry the cuttings away from the
bottom. The earliest bits were fitted with a hole in the center of the body, as wells become deeper; more
hydraulic force was needed to carry the cuttings, jet nozzles were used to increase the hydraulic force.
Nozzles can be in various sizes which can be changed to adjust the pressure and flow requirements of the
operations. The size of jet nozzles is defined in thirty-seconds of an inch (ex: 13/32 In in diameter).

Journals:

It is a shaft where the cones are mounted. The bearings are inserted on these shafts in order to allow the
cones to rotate. The angle of inclination of the shaft from the horizontal depends on the formation to be
drilled.

Bearings:

There are two types of bearings which are used in tri-cone bits.
Roller Ball Bearings:
Roller ball bearings can be used if the bit life is not a problem
Friction Bearings:
Friction bearings with a specialized metal rings can last longer and consequently enhance the
drilling performances.

Bearings have to be lubricated to withstand the pressure and temperature while drilling. Two types of
lubrication can be used:
Non sealed bearings:
In this case the drilling fluids are used to cool the bearings, but the solid content of drilling fluids
can affect the bearing's life and bearings may not last longer.
Sealed bearings:
In this type of bearings, a system of lubrication is used, graphite-type lubricant is sealed in a
container to cool the bearing. Pressure fluctuations cause the lubricant to flow around the
bearings.

Cone Offset:

As the cones rotate the teeth scrape and gauge the formation, and this is made by the off-center
alignment of the cones. The level of scrapping depends on the offset. For soft formation, ¼” to 3/8” in
offset is used. For hard formations the offset decreases till the level when no offset is applied.

Cone Offset

Gauge Protection in Roller Cone Bits:

The drilling bit has to be reinforced at its outer parts to resist against the impacts caused by the direct
contacts with hole walls. Many methods can be used to protect the bit, one method is hard facing the bit
with a tungsten carbide layer at the outer parts, also a series of tungsten carbide inserts can be pressed
at the same parts concerned by the impacts and wears.

Gauge Protection in Roller Cone Bit

IADC Code of Roller Cone Bit:
IADC Codes make it easier for drillers to describe what kind of Tricone bit they are looking for to the
supplier. In IADC bit classification system, first three digits classify the bit according to the formation it is
designed to drill and the bearing/seal design used.

First Digit:
• 1, 2, and 3 designate STEEL TOOTH BITS with 1 for soft, 2 for medium and 3 for hard formations.
• 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 designate TUNGSTEN CARBIDE INSERT BITS for varying formation hardness with 4
being the softest and 8 the hardest.

Second Digit:
1, 2, 3 and 4 are further breakdown of formation with 1 being the softest and 4 the hardest.

Third Digit:
This digit will classify the bit according to bearing/seal type and special gauge wear protection as
follows:

1. Standard open bearing roller bit

2. Standard open bearing roller bit, air-cooled
3. Standard open bearing roller bit with gauge protection which is defined as carbide
inserts in the heel of the cone
4. Sealed roller bearing bit
5. Sealed roller bearing bit with gauge protection
6. Journal sealed bearing bit
7. Journal sealed bearing bit with gauge protection

Fourth Digit:
The following letter codes are used in the fourth digit position to indicate additional features:

A. Air Application
R. Reinforced Welds
C. Center Jet
S. Standard Steel Tooth
D. Deviation Control
X. Chisel Insert
E. Extended Jet
Y. Conical Insert
G. Extra Gage Protection
Z. Other Insert Shape
J. Jet Deflection
Bearing Types:
There are primarily four types of bearing designs used in Tricone drilling bits:

1) STANDARD OPEN BEARING ROLLER BIT: On these bits the cones will spin freely. This type of bit
has a front row of ball bearings and a back row of roller bearings.

2) STANDARD OPEN BEARING ROLLER BIT FOR AIR DRILLING: Cones are similar to #1, but have
air injection directly to the cones to cool the bearings. Air flows into the cone through the passage ways
inside the pin. (Not for mud applications)

3) SEALED BEARING ROLLERS BITS: These bits have an O-Ring seal with a grease reservoir for bearing
cooling. The seals acts as a barrier against mud and cuttings to protect the bearings

4) JOURNAL BEARING ROLLER BITS: These bits are strictly oil/grease cooled with nose bearings, O-
Ring seal and a race for maximum performance.

FIXED CUTTER DRILLING BITS:

Fixed cutter bit has no moving parts; the cutting structures and bit body rotate as one part. The main
types of these bits are:
1. PDC (polycrystalline diamond compact)
2. TSP (thermally stable PDC) and
3. Diamond bits.

PDC Drill Bits:

This type of bits can be used for different formations from soft to hard. The PDC bit has cutters which
consist of a layer of artificial diamond (polycrystalline diamond). Using a high-pressure high temperature
technique, the polycrystalline diamond is bonded on layer of cementer tungsten carbide.

The polycrystalline diamond is bonded to studs of tungsten carbide, which are then pressed into holes on
the head of the bit. The cutters are placed in a helical pattern on the face of the bit. This combination
results to a cutter which has wear resistance and hardness of diamond, and also impact resistance and
strength of tungsten carbide.

The bit body is forged with same high steel used to make the cones of the tri-cone bits, and in order to
reinforce the bit against fluid erosion, the face of the bit is coated by a layer of tungsten carbide.
 PDC Drill Bits

PDC bit design:

• The PDC bit has an important advantage if it is compared with the tri-cone bit; it has no moving
parts like bearings or cones which they have to be fished in case of failure.

• The PDC bit shears the formation rather than crushing or

gauging the formation as do the tri-cone bit

• The PDC bit has longer life and extended gauge with tungsten
carbide wears pads can help to maintain hole angle.

• The concave shape of bit's face permits the cutters to drill the
rock simultaneously, and also increasing bit stabilization and
decreasing the potential for deviation.

• The cleaning action of the bottom of the hole and the cutters
are performed by the jet nozzles which vary in number and size.
They are located in such manner to increase the quality of
cleaning.
The bit performance is related to several operating parameters like: weight on bit, revolution per minute,
mud properties and hydraulic efficiency. When the bit is pulled out of the hole, the level of damage on
the bit must be carefully recorded. The system followed to evaluate the bit is called the IADC dull grading
system which is designed to facilitate the damage grading. An accurate grading can contribute effectively
in bit selection in future operations.

IADC Dull Grading:

The bit grading code was developed by the international association of drilling contractors. It is a standard
methodology to describe the used drilling bits. The information delivered in this grading are essential for
future operations which can be optimized.

The grading is consisted of an 8-character code that describes the bit after running in the hole.

• Inner cutting structure: Describe the condition of cutting structures on the inner 2/3 radius of the
bit.

• Outer cutting structure: Describe the condition of cutting structure on the outer 1/3 radius of the
bit.

Condition of cutting structures is described from 0 to 8, 0 for no wear and 8 for total wear.
• Dull Characteristics: Describe the major dull characteristics of the cutting structure. This is
represented by two letter code.

• Location: A letter is used to locate where the major wear has appeared. e.g.: A for all area.

• Bearings & seal: A scale from 0 to 8 is used to describe the bearings. 0 is used for no wear and 8
for total wear on the Bearing. In case of PDC bit X is used.

About sealing, a letter code is used to describe the level of sealing. E indicates that sealing
mechanism is still effective, while F indicates that the sealing mechanism has failed.

• Gauge: This is used for bit gauge. I for no gauge wear, that means that the bit is in gauge. If the
bit is under-gauge, it is described in sixteenths of an inch. In case of tricone bits, 2/3 rule is used:
 Roller Cone Bit Gauge Measurement

• Other dulling characteristics: This indicates any other type of wear which can appear on the
bit. It is indicated by two letter code.

• Reason pulled: This is used to mention the reason behind pulling the bit e.g. low penetration
rate, changing BHA, Casing point.

Design Considerations of Bit:

Regardless of type, drill bits must satisfy two primary design goals:
1. maximize the rate of penetration (ROP) of the formation and
2. provide a long service life.
The reason for this is a direct consequence of the rotary drilling method. Modern oilfield drilling
operations require substantial capital and operating expense. It might cost hundreds of thousands of
dollars to mobilize the equipment and manpower resources required for drilling to the site. Once the rig
is in place, substantial daily expenses are incurred regardless of whether or not a wellbore is actually being
drilled. Obviously the faster the wellbore reaches required total depth, the lower the overall cost.
Additionally, if the bit fails or wears out, it must be replaced by removing the perhaps several thousand
meters of the drill pipe to which it is attached. During this time, known as a "trip", the depth of the hole
is not advanced, but much of the operating costs are still incurred. For this reason, the effectiveness of a
bit is often measured as drilling cost per foot of hole drilled, where a lower number indicates a higher
performing bit.
Within the last couple of decades, a third design goal has become important in some cases. Many wells
today are drilled using directional technology, where the wellbore is intentionally directed from vertical.
For bits to be used in these situations, additional goal or perhaps primary goal of the design is:
• the ability of the bit to be more easily "steered" during drilling.
The ability of a bit design to satisfy the two primary goals is constrained by a number of factors, most
importantly the wellbore diameter. Other constraints are dictated by its intended use like
 • Formation type (hardness, plasticity, abrasiveness) to be drilled.
• Operating environment at depth (temperature, pressure, corrosiveness).
• The capabilities of the equipment used in the operation (rotating speed, available weight on bit,
pump horsepower) and the angle of the wellbore (vertical, directional, horizontal).
Modern drill bit designs try to balance these constraints to achieve the primary goals.

Some features of Drilling Bits:

Bit Nozzles:
Most rolling cutter and fixed cutter drill bits have internal passages to direct drilling fluid, conveyed by the
drill pipe from surface pumps, through hydraulic nozzles directed at the bottom of the wellbore to
produce high velocity fluid jets that assist in cleaning the old cuttings off the bottom before the next tooth
contacts the rock. Placement of the nozzles, particularly in rolling cutter bits, is also often done to assist
in keeping the cutting elements free of cuttings build-up in certain kinds of clay and shale formations.
Junk Slot Area:
Junk slot area (JSA) is defined as the cross-sectional area of the void region between blades. Effective
junk slot area reduces bit balling and contribute in higher rate of penetration.

Junk Slot Area

Junk Slot Area in PDC Bit

Hydraulic Horse Power (HHP) of Bit:

A measure of the energy per unit of time that is being expended across the bit nozzles. Bit manufacturers
often recommend that fluid hydraulics energy across the bit nozzles be in a particular HHP range, for
example 2.0 to 7.0 HHP, to ensure adequate bit tooth and bottom-of-hole cleaning (the minimum HHP)
and to avoid premature erosion of the bit itself (the maximum HHP).
Impact Arrestors:
High impact-resistant inserts are placed directly behind the primary cutting structures in fixed cutter bits
to protect the cutters from impact damage.

Impact
Arrestor
s

Impact Arrestors in PDC Bit

Back Reaming Cutters:

PDC cutters positioned on the back of the gauge pad or gauge back angle enable back reaming.

Back Reaming Cutters in PDC Bit

Gauge Length:
Whether the wellbore is designed to be vertical or directional, maintaining the intended trajectory of
the well is a key requirement for all drilling programs. For maintaining vertical well, PDC drill bit design
should consider gauge length, which should ideally be on the longer side—typically 3” to 4” and above.
A long gauge length provides greater stability to the drill bit and ensures that it is minimally responsive
to any side forces that may be applied.

Gauge Length

Total Flow Area:

Total Flow Area (TFA) is summation of nozzle areas which fluid can pass through. TFA is selected on the
basis of hole cleaning consideration.

Torque Control Components:

Torque Control Components are inserts placed between primary cutters to provide a predictable torque
response to applied weight on bit and reduction in torque response.

Anti-Balling Coating:
Some manufacturers apply anti balling coating on the bits for providing high rate of penetration for the
subject bit.

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