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Research Papers: Petroleum Wells-Drilling/Production/Construction

# Drilling Action of Roller-Cone Bits: Modeling and Experimental Validation

[+] Author and Article Information
Luiz F. P. Franca

CSIRO CESRE, Drilling Mechanics Group, 26 Dick Perry Avenue, Kensington, Western Australia 6151, Australialuiz.franca@csiro.au

The first three cone bit and the name Tricone were introduced by Hughes Tool Co. in 1933 (6).

J. Energy Resour. Technol 132(4), 043101 (Jan 11, 2011) (9 pages) doi:10.1115/1.4003168 History: Received August 02, 2009; Revised November 09, 2010; Published January 11, 2011; Online January 11, 2011

## Abstract

This paper presents a new model of the drilling response of roller-cone bits. First, a set of relations between the weight-on-bit $W$, the torque-on-bit $T$, the rate of penetration $V$, and the angular velocity $Ω$ is established in the spirit of the model developed for polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) bits. In contrast to models that depend on a precise description of the bit, the drilling response is investigated by lumping the effect of the bit geometry into a few parameters and on averaging the drilling quantities $(W,T,V,Ω)$ over at least one revolution of the bit. Within the framework of the model, quantitative information from drilling data related to rock properties, bit conditions, and drilling efficiency can be extracted. Finally, a series of laboratory tests at atmospheric pressure conducted with an in-house designed drilling rig, together with published experimental data, is used to evaluate the proposed model. The good match between the experimental results and the theoretical predictions are promising in regard to the potential use of this model to investigate the drilling response of roller-cone bits.

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## Figures

Figure 1

(a) Roller-cone bits used in softer and shallower formations (noninsert bits); (b) roller-cone bits used in deeper and harder formations (insert bits)—Hughes Christensen product catalog (6)

Figure 2

Drilling data conducted in Savonnière limestone at atmospheric pressure under kinematic control at a constant penetration per revolution, d=1 mm/rev

Figure 3

Conceptual drilling response for roller-cone bits in the W-d or T-d spaces

Figure 4

Forces acting on an inverted V shape tooth

Figure 5

Sketch of the equivalent bit geometry after, where a is the bit radius (9)

Figure 6

Conceptual sketch of the E-S diagram (4)

Figure 7

Isometric perspective of the drilling rig, referred to as Frank

Figure 8

Experiments conducted in Castlegate and Mountain Gold sandstone with insert bit (IADC 531 of 2 1/2 in.): (a) the τ-d diagram; (b) the ϖ-d diagram

Figure 9

Experiments conducted in Castlegate and Mountain Gold sandstone with insert bit (IADC 531 of 2 1/2 in.): (a) the τ-ϖ diagram; (b) the E-S diagram

Figure 10

Experiments conducted in Savonnière and Tuffeau limestone with noninsert bit (IADC 321 of 2 15/16 in.): (a) the τ-d diagram; (b) the ϖ-d diagram

Figure 11

Experiments conducted in Savonnière and Tuffeau limestone with noninsert bit (IADC 321 of 2 15/16 in.): (a) the τ-ϖ diagram; (b) the E-S diagram

Figure 12

Experimental data conducted in Savonnière and Tuffeau limestone with both bits (insert and noninsert) represented in the τ-ϖ diagram

Figure 13

Experimental data illustrated in the E-S diagram with three noninsert bits: T0, T4, and T7: (a) Kimachi sandstone; (b) Shinkomatsu andesite

Figure 14

Experimental data illustrated in the E-S diagram for Sori granite (A) with three insert bits: T0, T2, and T4

Figure 15

Laboratory drilling data reported by Warren (9) and Karasawa (15): (a) ϖ-d space; (b) τ-d space

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