Patent Grant
12049788
This application is a national phase entry under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Patent Application PCT/US2020/016826, filed Feb. 5, 2020, designating the United States of America and published as International Patent Publication WO 2021/158215 A1 on Aug. 12, 2021.
Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to cutting elements for use on earth-boring tools during earth-boring operations. In particular, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to cutting elements having geometries for improved mechanical aggressiveness and efficiency.
Wellbores are formed in subterranean formations for various purposes including, for example, extraction of oil and gas from the subterranean formation and extraction of geothermal heat from the subterranean formation. Wellbores may be formed in a subterranean formation using earth-boring tools, such as an earth-boring rotary drill bit. The earth-boring rotary drill bit is rotated and advanced into the subterranean formation. As the earth-boring rotary drill bit rotates, the cutters or abrasive structures thereof cut, crush, shear, and/or abrade away the formation material to form the wellbore.
The earth-boring rotary drill bit is coupled, either directly or indirectly, to an end of what is referred to in the art as a “drill string,” which comprises a series of elongated tubular segments connected end-to-end that extends into the wellbore from the surface of earth above the subterranean formations being drilled. Various tools and components, including the drill bit, may be coupled together at the distal end of the drill string at the bottom of the wellbore being drilled. This assembly of tools and components is referred to in the art as a “bottom-hole assembly” (BHA).
The earth-boring rotary drill bit may be rotated within the wellbore by rotating the drill string from the surface of the formation, or the drill bit may be rotated by coupling the drill bit to a downhole motor, which is coupled to the drill string and disposed proximate the bottom of the wellbore. The downhole motor may include, for example, a hydraulic Moineau-type motor having a shaft, to which the earth-boring rotary drill bit is mounted, that may be caused to rotate by pumping fluid (e.g., drilling mud or fluid) from the surface of the formation down through the center of the drill string, through the hydraulic motor, out from nozzles in the drill bit, and back up to the surface of the formation through the annular space between the outer surface of the drill string and the exposed surface of the formation within the wellbore. The downhole motor may be operated with or without drill string rotation.
Different types of earth-boring rotary drill bits are known in the art, including fixed-cutter bits, rolling-cutter bits, and hybrid bits (which may include, for example, both fixed cutters and rolling cutters). Fixed-cutter bits, as opposed to roller cone bits, have no moving parts and are designed to be rotated about the longitudinal axis of the drill string. Most fixed-cutter bits employ Polycrystalline Diamond Compact (PDC) cutting elements. The cutting edge of a PDC cutting element drills rock formations by shearing, like the cutting action of a lathe, as opposed to roller cone bits that drill by indenting and crushing the rock. The cutting action of the cutting edge plays a major role in the amount of energy needed to drill a rock formation.
A PDC cutting element is usually composed of a thin layer (about 3.5 mm), of polycrystalline diamond bonded to a cutting element substrate at an interface. The polycrystalline diamond table is often referred to as the “diamond table.” A PDC cutting element is generally cylindrical with a diameter from about 8 mm up to about 24 mm. However, PDC cutting elements may be available in other forms such as oval or triangle-shapes and may be larger or smaller than the sizes stated above.
A PDC cutting element may be fabricated separately from the bit body and secured within cutting element pockets formed in the outer surface of a blade of the bit body. A bonding material such as an adhesive or, more typically, a braze alloy may be used to secure the PDC cutting element within the pocket. The diamond table of a PDC cutting element is formed by sintering and bonding together relatively small diamond grains under conditions of high temperature and high pressure (HTHP) in the presence of a catalyst (such as, for example, cobalt, iron, nickel, or alloys and mixtures thereof) to form a layer or “table” of polycrystalline diamond material on the cutting element substrate.
The cutting element substrate 106 may comprise a cermet material (i.e., a ceramic metal composite material) such as, for example, cobalt cemented tungsten carbide. In such instances, the cobalt (or other catalyst material) in the substrate 106 may be swept into the diamond grains during sintering and serve as the catalyst material for forming the inter-granular diamond-to-diamond bonds between the diamond grains in the diamond table 104.
Upon formation of a diamond table using the HTHP process, catalyst material may remain in interstitial spaces between the grains of the diamond table. The presence of the catalyst material in the diamond table may contribute to degradation in the diamond-to-diamond bonds between the diamond grains in diamond table when the PDC cutting element 100 gets hot during use.
Degradation of the diamond-to-diamond bonds due to heat is referred to as “thermal damage” to the diamond table 104. Therefore, it is advantageous to minimize the amount heat to which a PDC cutting element 100 is exposed. This may be accomplished by reducing the rate of penetration of the earth-boring rotary drill bit. However, reduced rate of penetration, means longer drilling time and more costs associated with drilling while PDC cutting element 100 failure means stopping the drilling process to remove the drill string in order to replace the drill bit. Therefore, there is a need for cutting elements that cut more efficiently, thus improving the rate of penetration and while minimizing heat build-up in the PDC cutting element 100. Furthermore, cutting elements need to be more durable to reduce costs associated with removing and replacing the down-hole drill bit.
One method to enhance the durability of a PDC cutting element 100 is modify the cutting edge of the PDC cutting element to reduce stress points by forming a chamfer on the cutting edge of the diamond table. Forming a chamfer on the cutting edge 102 of the PDC cutting element 100 has been found to reduce the tendency of the diamond table to spall and fracture.
Multi-chamfered Polycrystalline Diamond Compact (PDC) cutting elements are also known in the art. For example, a multi-chamfered cutting element is taught by Cooley et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,343, assigned to the assignee of the present invention. In particular, the Cooley et al. patent discloses a PDC cutting element having a diamond table having two concentric chamfers.
It is also known in the industry to modify the shape of the diamond table to improve cutting element efficiency and durability. U.S. Pat. No. 5,333,699 to Thigpin et al. is directed to a cutting element having a spherical first end opposite the cutting end. Cutting element variations, illustrated in FIGS. 22-29 of Thigpin et al., comprise channels or holes formed in the cutting face. U.S. Pat. No. 9,598,909 to Patel is directed to cutting elements with grooves on the cutting face as illustrated in FIGS. 9-13 of Patel.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,109,737 to Bovenkerk is directed toward cutting elements having a thin layer of polycrystalline diamond bonded to a free end of an elongated pin. One particular cutting element variation illustrated in FIG. 4G of Bovenkerk, comprises a generally hemispherical diamond layer having a plurality of flats formed on the outer surface thereof. Cutting elements with concave faces are typically not used in the industry, because at higher depths of cut, the sides of the cutting element push the cuttings back towards the center of the cutter causing the cuttings to merge. This is inefficient and may cause bit-balling and other flow problems.
U.S. Pat. No. 10,378,289 to Stockey and U.S. Patent Publication U.S. 2017/0234078 A1 to Patel et al. are directed towards a cutting face of a cutting element having multiple chamfers forming concentric rings on the cutting face. One particular cutting element variation, illustrated in FIG. 1 of Stockey, comprises a ring surface with a chamfer at the cutting edge surrounding an annular recess which in turn surrounds planar circle at the center of the cutting face. Another cutting element variation illustrated in FIG. 2 of Patel et al., comprises multiple raised ring surfaces and multiple annular recesses surrounding a planar circle at the center of the cutting face.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,196,340 to Jensen is directed to raised surface geometries on non-planar cutting elements. One variation, illustrated in FIG. 4a of Jensen, comprises a four-sided pyramidal shape with a planar square surface at the top.
U.S. Patent Publication 2018/0148978 A1 to Chen is directed toward a cutting element with a raised hexagonal shape. One cutting element variation, illustrated in FIG. 5A of Chen, comprises a raised hexagonal shape having chamfered edges. Another cutting element variation, illustrated in FIG. 5C of Chen, comprises a raised cutting surface having six round “teeth.”
U.S. Pat. No. 6,550,556 to Middlemiss et al. is directed to an ultra-hard material cutter with a shaped cutting surface. Middlemiss discloses a cutting element having a radially extending depression formed on the exposed cutting element's cutting layer.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,037,951 to Shen et al. is directed to a cutting element having a shaped working surface with varying edge chamfer. One cutting element variation, illustrated in FIG. 8 of Shen, comprises a shaped working surface having three depressions and a varied geometry chamfer circumferentially around a cutting edge at the intersection of the shaped working surface and a side surface. FIGS. 18-20 illustrated alternate embodiments of cutting elements having shaped working surfaces.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,783,387 to Durairajan et al. is directed to cutting elements having geometries for high Rate of Penetration (ROP). One cutting element variation, illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 of Durairajan et al., comprises a cutting element having a shaped cutting surface comprising a raised triangular shape. Another cutting element variation, illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, of Durairajan et al., comprises a cutting element with a raised triangle having a beveled or chamfered edge.
PCT Publication WO 2018/231343 to Cuillier De Maindreville et al. is directed to superabrasive bits with multiple raised cutting surfaces. One cutting element variation, illustrated in FIG. 1, of Cuillier De Maindreville et al., comprises raised triangular shapes similar to Durairaj an et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,499,688 to Dennis is directed to PDC cutting elements. Cutting element variations, illustrated in FIGS. 7-11 of Dennis, comprise cutting elements with various raised shapes including triangular and hexagonal shapes.
Cutting elements with shaped surfaces and chamfered edges are known in the industry. However, a need still exists for further improvements in reliability and durability of cutting elements.
In some embodiments, the present disclosure includes a cutting element for an earth-boring tool for forming a borehole through a subterranean formation. The cutting element comprises a substrate and a diamond table wherein the diamond table has a first end and a second end. The first end of the diamond table is affixed to the substrate at an interface. The second end of the diamond table comprises a concave surface, at least two concave indentations, and at least two cutting edges at an interface between the concave surface and an outer diameter of the diamond table. Each of the at least two concave indentations intersects the concave surface and extends radially outward from the concave surface to the outer diameter of the diamond table.
In some embodiments, the present disclosure includes a method of manufacturing an earth-boring downhole tool comprising: providing a tool body and securing to the tool body the cutting element, as recited in any one of the claims.
The illustrations presented herein are not actual views of any particular cutting assembly, tool, or drill string, but are merely idealized representations employed to describe example embodiments of the present disclosure. The following description provides specific details of embodiments of the present disclosure in order to provide a thorough description thereof. However, a person of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the embodiments of the disclosure may be practiced without employing many such specific details. Indeed, the embodiments of the disclosure may be practiced in conjunction with conventional techniques employed in the industry. In addition, the description provided below does not include all elements to form a complete structure or assembly. Only those process acts and structures necessary to understand the embodiments of the disclosure are described in detail below. Additional conventional acts and structures may be used. The drawings accompanying the application are for illustrative purposes only, and are not drawn to scale. Additionally, elements common between figures may have corresponding numerical designations.
As used herein, the terms “comprising,” “including,” “containing,” “characterized by,” and grammatical equivalents thereof are inclusive or open-ended terms that do not exclude additional, unrecited elements or method steps, but also include the more restrictive terms “consisting of” and “consisting essentially of” and grammatical equivalents thereof.
As used herein, the term “may” with respect to a material, structure, feature, or method act indicates that such is contemplated for use in implementation of an embodiment of the disclosure, and such term is used in preference to the more restrictive term “is” so as to avoid any implication that other compatible materials, structures, features and methods usable in combination therewith should or must be excluded.
As used herein, the term “configured” refers to a size, shape, material composition, and arrangement of one or more of at least one structure and at least one apparatus facilitating operation of one or more of the structure and the apparatus in a predetermined way.
As used herein, the singular forms following “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
As used herein, relational terms, such as “first,” “second,” “top,” “bottom,” etc., are generally used for clarity and convenience in understanding the disclosure and accompanying drawings and do not connote or depend on any specific preference, orientation, or order, except where the context clearly indicates otherwise.
As used herein, the term “substantially” in reference to a given parameter, property, or condition means and includes to a degree that one of ordinary skill in the art would understand that the given parameter, property, or condition is met with a degree of variance, such as within acceptable manufacturing tolerances. By way of example, depending on the particular parameter, property, or condition that is substantially met, the parameter, property, or condition may be at least 90.0% met, at least 95.0% met, at least 99.0% met, or even at least 99.9% met.
As used herein, the term “about” used in reference to a given parameter is inclusive of the stated value and has the meaning dictated by the context (e.g., it includes the degree of error associated with measurement of the given parameter).
As used herein, the term “earth-boring tool” means and includes any type of bit or tool used for drilling during the formation or enlargement of a wellbore and includes, for example, rotary drill bits, percussion bits, core bits, eccentric bits, bi-center bits, reamers, mills, drag bits, roller-cone bits, hybrid bits, and other drilling bits and tools known in the art.
Improvements in the flow characteristics of cutting elements along with improvements in the cutting element efficiency and durability of cutting elements may be achieved in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. Downhole earth-boring tools, comprising cutting elements having novel geometries for improved flow characteristics and mechanical efficiency are described in further detail hereinbelow.
The concave surface 202 forms more aggressive cutting edges 206 than the prior art planar front cutting face 108 illustrated in
In drilling a borehole, the optimal orientation for PDC cutting element 200 is to have one of the cutting edges 206 of the concave surface 202 oriented towards the formation material to be drilled. When significant wear has worn down the first of the cutting edges 206 of the PDC cutting element 200, the PDC cutting element 200 may be reoriented by removing the drill bit, and by removing, rotating, and reattaching the PDC cutting element 200 on the drill bit to orient the second of the cutting edges 206 towards the formation material.
The order in which the concave subtractions are formed does not matter. The concave indentations 216 could be formed before or after the concave surface 202, or all of the concave subtractions could be formed in a substantially simultaneous fashion.
In some embodiments, the PDC cutting element 300 comprises a diamond table 304 bonded to a substrate 306 at an interface 312. In some embodiments, the total thickness of the diamond table 304 may be between 1 mm and 10 mm, more preferably between 2 mm and 5 mm, more preferably about 3 mm to 3.5 mm.
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
As described above, the concave indentations 308 and the concave surface 302 may be formed in the diamond table 304 by grinding, machining, milling, or any other suitable method known in the art to remove polycrystalline diamond material. Furthermore, the order in which the concave subtractions are formed does not matter. The grinding, milling, or machining, etc., to form the concave subtraction surfaces may be done in any order, or the surfaces may be formed substantially simultaneously.
Computer modeling indicates that the concave surface 302 with concave indentations 308, will cut more efficiently and improve flow characteristics around the cutting element and the drill bit. It is expected that, drill bits having cutting elements with this improved geometry may require less torque and less weight on the bit than other prior art bits to achieve a similar Rate of Penetration (ROP). Therefore, it is expected that the concave cutting surface will last longer and be more durable than prior art bits.
The embodiments of the disclosure described above and illustrated in the accompanying drawing figures do not limit the scope of the invention, since these embodiments are merely examples of embodiments of the invention, which is defined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents. Any equivalent embodiments are intended to be within the scope of this disclosure. Indeed, various modifications of the present disclosure, in addition to those shown and described herein, such as alternative useful combinations of the elements described, may become apparent to those skilled in the art from the description. Such modifications and embodiments are also intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims and their legal equivalents.
In exemplary embodiments, a typical rotary-type “drag” bit made from steel and using PDC cutting elements is described. Those skilled in the art, however, will appreciate that the size, shape, and/or configuration of the bit may vary according to operational design parameters without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Further, the invention may be practiced on non-rotary drill bits, the invention having applicability to any drilling-related structure including percussion, impact or “hammer” bits. It will also be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art that one or more features of any of the illustrated embodiments may be combined with one or more features from another embodiment to form yet another combination within the scope of the invention as described and claimed herein. Thus, while certain representative embodiments and details have been shown for purposes of illustrating the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes in the invention disclosed herein may be made without departing from the scope of the invention, which is defined in the appended claims.
Additional non-limiting example embodiments of the disclosure are described below.
The embodiments of the disclosure described above and illustrated in the accompanying drawing figures do not limit the scope of the invention, since these embodiments are merely examples of embodiments of the invention, which is defined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents. Any equivalent embodiments are intended to be within the scope of this disclosure. Indeed, various modifications of the present disclosure, in addition to those shown and described herein, such as alternative useful combinations of the elements described, may become apparent to those skilled in the art from the description. Such modifications and embodiments are also intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims and their legal equivalents.
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| WO2021/158215 | 8/12/2021 | WO | A |
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