CUTTING ELEMENT INCLUDING ONE OR MORE ASYMMETRIC RELIEF SURFACES

Abstract

Provided is a cutting element, a drill bit, and a well system. The cutting element, in one aspect, includes a cutting section, the cutting section including a cutting section thickness (tc) and an exposed cutting face having a CenterPoint (Cp). The cutting element, in another aspect, includes one or more relief surfaces extending into the cutting section from proximate the CenterPoint (Cp), wherein opposing portions of the one or more relief surfaces are asymmetric as taken about an axis defined between the CenterPoint (Cp) and an edge CenterPoint (CE) of a line wherein the ones of the one or more relief surfaces meet an edge of the cutting section.

Description

BACKGROUND

Various types of tools are used to form wellbores in subterranean formations for recovering hydrocarbons, such as oil and gas lying beneath the surface. Examples of such tools include rotary drill bits, hole openers, reamers, and coring bits. One common type of drill bit used to drill wellbores is known as a “fixed cutter” or “drag” bit. Rotary drill bits include fixed cutter drill bits, such as polycrystalline diamond (“PDC”) cutters.

In conventional wellbore drilling, a drill bit is mounted on the end of a drill string, which may be several miles long. In practice, at the surface of the wellbore, a rotary table or top drive may turn the drill string, including the drill bit arranged at the bottom of the hole to increasingly penetrate the subterranean formation, while drilling fluid is pumped through the drill string. As the drill bit operates and comes into contact with the ground formation, material cut by the drill bit (generally referred to as cuttings, formation cuttings, or chips) is removed from the face of the drill bit and sent up the wellbore via the drilling fluid.

On occasion, however, cuttings may become clogged in the system, which may result in partial or full blockage of hydraulic operations. It follows that blockage may lead to delays in drilling operations, while remedial measures are undertaken to remove the blockage. Such delays are often costly, time consuming, and hamper the efficiency of drilling operations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a side elevation, partial cross sectional view of a well system including a drilling assembly designed, manufactured and/or operated in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of a drill bit (e.g., fixed-cutter drill bit) designed, manufactured and/or operated according to one or more embodiments of the disclosure, as could be used with the well system of FIG. 1, and having one or more cutting elements, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIGS. 3A through 3F illustrate various different views of a cutting element designed, manufactured and/or operated according to one or more embodiments of the disclosure;

FIGS. 4A through 4D illustrate various different views of a cutting element designed, manufactured and/or operated according to one or more alternative embodiments of the disclosure;

FIG. 5 illustrates a top view of a cutting element designed, manufactured and/or operated according to one or more alternative embodiments of the disclosure; and

FIG. 6 illustrates a top view of a cutting element designed, manufactured and/or operated according to one or more alternative embodiments of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the drawings and descriptions that follow, like parts are typically marked throughout the specification and drawings with the same reference numerals, respectively. The drawn figures are not necessarily, but may be, to scale. Certain features of the disclosure may be shown exaggerated in scale or in somewhat schematic form and some details of certain elements may not be shown in the interest of clarity and conciseness. The present disclosure may be implemented in embodiments of different forms.

Specific embodiments are described in detail and are shown in the drawings, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the principles of the disclosure, and is not intended to limit the disclosure to that illustrated and described herein. It is to be fully recognized that the different teachings of the embodiments discussed herein may be employed separately or in any suitable combination to produce desired results. Moreover, all statements herein reciting principles and aspects of the disclosure, as well as specific examples thereof, are intended to encompass equivalents thereof. Additionally, the term, “or,” as used herein, refers to a non-exclusive or, unless otherwise indicated.

Unless otherwise specified, use of the terms “connect,” “engage,” “couple,” “attach,” or any other like term describing an interaction between elements is not meant to limit the interaction to a direct interaction between the elements and may also include an indirect interaction between the elements described.

Unless otherwise specified, use of the terms “up,” “upper,” “upward,” “uphole,” “upstream,” or other like terms shall be construed as generally away from the bottom, terminal end of a well, regardless of the wellbore orientation; likewise, use of the terms “down,” “lower,” “downward,” “downhole,” “downstream,” or other like terms shall be construed as generally toward the bottom, terminal end of a well, regardless of the wellbore orientation. Use of any one or more of the foregoing terms shall not be construed as denoting positions along a perfectly vertical or horizontal axis. Unless otherwise specified, use of the term “subterranean formation” shall be construed as encompassing both areas below exposed earth and areas below earth covered by water, such as ocean or fresh water.

Various values and/or ranges may be explicitly disclosed in certain embodiments herein. However, values/ranges from any lower limit may be combined with any upper limit to recite a range not explicitly recited. Similarly, values/ranges from any lower limit may be combined with any other lower limit to recite a range not explicitly recited. In the same way, values/ranges from any upper limit may be combined with any other upper limit to recite a range not explicitly recited. Additionally, whenever a numerical range with a lower limit and an upper limit is disclosed, any number and any included range falling within the numerical range are specifically disclosed. In particular, every range of values (of the form, “from about a to about b,” or, equivalently, “from approximately a to b,” or, equivalently, “from approximately a-b”) disclosed herein is to be understood to set forth every number and range encompassed within the broader range of values even if not explicitly recited. Thus, every point or individual value may serve as its own lower or upper limit combined with any other point or individual value or any other lower or upper limit, to recite a range not explicitly recited. Similarly, an individual value disclosed herein may be combined with another individual value or range disclosed herein to form another range.

Provided are systems and methods for wellbore drilling and, more particularly, example embodiments may use one or more cutting elements including an exposed cutting face with one or more specifically shaped relief surfaces capable of steering chip cuttings in an intended direction off of the exposed cutting face of the cutting element for drilling operations. As set forth in greater detail below, the one or more relief surfaces extend from a CenterPoint (C_p) or plateau of the exposed cutting face. Further to one or more embodiments of the disclosure, the one or more relief surfaces, are asymmetric as disclosed below. It should be noted that the plateau need not be a flat plateau, but could be a rough plateau, a contoured plateau (e.g., concave or convex), an angled plateau, a peaked plateau, or many other suitable shapes. The phrase “asymmetric,” unless otherwise required, means that the two portions of the relief surface as taken about an axis defined between the CenterPoint (C_P) and an edge CenterPoint (C_E) of a line wherein the ones of the one or more relief surfaces meet an edge of the cutting section, are asymmetric.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side elevation, partial cross sectional view of a well system 100 including a drilling assembly 105 designed, manufactured and/or operated in accordance with one or more embodiments of the disclosure. It should be noted that while FIG. 1 generally depicts a land-based drilling assembly 105, those skilled in the art will readily recognize that the principles described herein are equally applicable to subsea drilling operations that employ floating or sea-based platforms and rigs without departing from the scope of the disclosure. As illustrated, the drilling assembly 105 may include a drilling platform 110 that supports a derrick 115 having a traveling block (not shown) for raising and lowering a drill string 125. The drill string 125 may include, but is not limited to, drill pipe and/or coiled tubing, as generally known to those skilled in the art. A kelly 130 supports the drill string 125 as it is lowered through a rotary table 135. A drill bit 140 is attached to the distal end of the drill string 125 and is driven either by a downhole motor and/or via rotation of the drill string 125 from the well surface, among other methods. As the drill bit 140 rotates, it creates a wellbore 145 that penetrates one or more subterranean formations 150.

The drill bit 140 may be a fixed-cutter bit. However, the drill bit 140 may comprise any suitable drill bit (e.g., a roller cone bit, a hybrid bit, etc.) and remain within the scope of the disclosure. The drill bit 140 may employ one or more cutting elements (e.g., as shown in FIGS. 3A through 6). As set forth in greater detail below, the cutting elements may include one or more features that facilitate a flow of cuttings and other drilling debris away therefrom. Further, while a drill bit 140 is shown, the drilling assembly may additionally be used to operate hole openers, reamers, and coring bits.

A pump 155 (e.g., a mud pump) may be used to circulate drilling fluid 160 through a feed pipe 165 and to the kelly 130, which conveys the drilling fluid 160 downhole through the interior of the drill string 125 and through one or more orifices in the drill bit 140. The drilling fluid 160 may then be circulated back to the surface via an annulus 170 defined between the drill string 125 and the walls of the wellbore 145. At the surface, the recirculated or spent drilling fluid 160 exits the annulus 170 and may be conveyed to one or more fluid processing unit(s) 175 via an interconnecting flow line 180. After passing through the fluid processing unit(s) 175, “cleaned” drilling fluid 160 is deposited into a nearby retention pit 185 (e.g., a mud pit). While illustrated as being arranged at the outlet of the wellbore 145 via the annulus 170, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the fluid processing unit(s) 175 may be arranged at any other location in the drilling assembly 105 to facilitate its proper function, without departing from the scope of the scope of the disclosure.

It is also to be recognized that the drilling fluid 160 may also directly or indirectly affect the various downhole equipment and tools that it may come into contact during operation. Such equipment and tools may include, but are not limited to, wellbore casing, wellbore liner, completion string, insert strings, drill string, coiled tubing, slickline, wireline, drill pipe, drill collars, mud motors, downhole motors and/or pumps, surface-mounted motors and/or pumps, centralizers, turbolizers, scratchers, floats (e.g., shoes, collars, valves, etc.), logging tools and related telemetry equipment, actuators (e.g., electromechanical devices, hydromechanical devices, etc.), sliding sleeves, production sleeves, plugs, screens, filters, flow control devices (e.g., inflow control devices, autonomous inflow control devices, outflow control devices, etc.), couplings (e.g., electro-hydraulic wet connect, dry connect, inductive coupler, etc.), control lines (e.g., electrical, fiber optic, hydraulic, etc.), surveillance lines, drill bits and reamers, sensors or distributed sensors, downhole heat exchangers, valves and corresponding actuation devices, tool seals, packers, cement plugs, bridge plugs, and other wellbore isolation devices, or components, and the like. Any of these components, among others, may be included in the systems generally described above and depicted in FIG. 1.

FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of a drill bit 200 (e.g., fixed-cutter drill bit) designed, manufactured and/or operated according to one or more embodiments of the disclosure, as could be used with the well system 100 of FIG. 1, and having one or more cutting elements 250 designed, manufactured and/or placed in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. The drill bit 200 may have a bit body 225. In some embodiments, the bit body 225 may be formed by steel, a metal-matrix composite (e.g., tungsten carbide reinforcing particles dispersed in a binder alloy), or another acceptable material. As used herein, the term “drill bit” encompasses rotary drag bits, drag bits, fixed-cutter drill bits, and any other drill bit having a bit body and capable of incorporating the teachings of the present disclosure. A plurality of indentations or pockets 245 may be formed in the bit body 225 and are shaped or otherwise configured to receive corresponding cutting elements 250 as described herein. As illustrated, the bit body 225 includes a plurality of the cutting elements 250. The one or more of the cutting elements 250 may be the same as or similar to the cutting element 300 of FIGS. 3A through 3F, cutting element 400 of FIGS. 4A through 4D, cutting element 500 of FIG. 5, and cutting element 600 of FIG. 6, among others. It will be appreciated that cutting elements 250 may be comprised of any number of suitable materials, including a PDC composition.

Moreover, the drill bit 200 may include a metal shank 205 with a mandrel or metal blank 215 securely attached thereto (e.g., at weld location 220). The metal blank 215 extends into bit body 225. The metal shank 205, in certain embodiments, includes a threaded connection 210 distal to the metal blank 215. The bit body 225 may include a plurality of cutter blades 230 formed on the exterior of the bit body 225. Further, the cutter blades 230 may be spaced from each other on the exterior of the bit body 225 to form fluid flow paths or junk slots 255 therebetween.

As illustrated, the plurality of pockets 245 may be formed in the cutter blades 230 in predetermined positions. The cutting elements 250 may each be securely mounted (e.g., via brazing) in corresponding pockets 245 to engage and remove portions of a subterranean formation during drilling operations. That is, each cutting element 250 may be configured to scrape and gouge formation materials from the bottom and sides of a wellbore during rotation of the drill bit 200 by an attached drill string.

A nozzle 240 may be positioned in each nozzle opening 235 and positioned to clear cuttings/chips of formation material from cutting elements 250 through evacuation features of the drill bit 200, including junk slots 255. The bit body 225 may further include the plurality of cutter blades 230 that are separated by the junk slots 255. As the drill bit 200 operates and comes into contact with the ground formation, cuttings are removed from the face of the drill bit 200 and sent up the wellbore via drilling fluid. However, as set forth above, cuttings may generally become clogged in the system, which may result in partial or full blockage of hydraulic operations.

Accordingly, during drilling operations, cuttings may be directed toward higher fluid velocities, via the plurality of cutting elements, to accelerate cuttings removal. Generally, the center of the drill bit 200 may experience low fluid velocities which may cause poor cutting removal. Accordingly, each cutting element 250 may include one or more features that facilitate cutting removal by directing cuttings toward the annulus of the wellbore. In particular, each cutting element 250 may include one or more relief surfaces that are asymmetric (e.g., as discussed herein).

Turning now to FIGS. 3A through 3F, illustrated are various different views of a cutting element 300 designed, manufactured and/or operated according to one or more embodiments of the disclosure. The cutting element 300, in one or more embodiments, includes a base section 310 (e.g., a carbide base section), and a cutting section 320 (e.g., a PDC cutting section) coupled to the base section 310. In one or more embodiments, as shown, the base section 310 includes a base section thickness (t_b), and the cutting section 320 includes a cutting section thickness (t_c).

The cutting section 320, in one or more embodiments, includes an exposed cutting face 325 having a CenterPoint (C_P). In at least one embodiment, one or more relief surfaces 330 (e.g., 330a, 330b, 330c) extend into the cutting section 320 from proximate the CenterPoint (C_p). The term proximate, as used in this context, means that the one or more relief surfaces 330 (e.g., 330a, 330b, 330c) extend into the cutting section 320 directly from the CenterPoint (C_p), or alternatively from a plateau encompassing the CenterPoint (C_P). In accordance with at least one embodiment, opposing portions 340a, 340b of the one or more relief surfaces 330 (e.g., 330a, 330b, 330c) are asymmetric as taken about an axis 350 defined between the CenterPoint (C_p) and an edge CenterPoint (C_E) of a line wherein the ones of the one or more relief surfaces 330 (e.g., 330a, 330b, 330c) meet an edge of the cutting section 320.

In at least one embodiment, the cutting element 300 additionally includes a plateau 360 located at and encompassing the CenterPoint (C_p). In at least this one embodiment, as shown, the one or more relief surfaces 330 (e.g., 330a, 330b, 330c) extend into the cutting section 320 from the plateau 360. In another embodiment, not shown, the exposed cutting face 325 does not include the plateau 360, and thus the one or more relief surfaces 330 (e.g., 330a, 330b, 330c) come together to a point, for example at the CenterPoint (C_P). The plateau 360, in one or more embodiments, is a remaining portion of the original datum plane of the exposed cutting face 325, for example before other regions (e.g., the one or more relief surfaces 330 (e.g., 330a, 330b, 330c)) are removed therefrom. In yet another embodiment, the plateau 360 is formed using an ablation process, such as a laser ablation process. Thus, in this embodiment, the plateau 360 would not retain much, if any, of the original datum plane of the exposed cutting face 325. In the illustrated embodiment, the one or more relief surfaces 330 (e.g., 330a, 330b, 330c) extend into the cutting section 320 toward the base section 310 from the plateau 360 (e.g., from the original datum plane of the cutting section 320). In at least this one embodiment, the one or more relief surfaces 330 (e.g., 330a, 330b, 330c) are formed using the ablation process, such as the laser ablation process. Nevertheless, the present disclosure is not limited to any specific process, ablation or otherwise, for creating the plateau 360 or the one or more relief surfaces 330 (e.g., 330a, 330b, 330c).

In at least one embodiment, the cutting section 320 includes the plateau 360 (e.g., a single plateau) and only one relief surface 330. In yet another embodiment, the cutting section 320 includes the plateau 360 (e.g., a single plateau) and only two relief surfaces 330. In yet another embodiment, such as shown in FIGS. 3A through 3F, the cutting section 320 includes the plateau 360 (e.g., a single plateau) and only three relief surfaces 330a, 330b, 330c. In even yet another embodiment, the cutting section 320 includes the plateau 360 (e.g., a single plateau) and only four relief surfaces 330. Nevertheless, the present disclosure should not be limited to any specific number of relief surfaces 330, as one or more relief surfaces 330 (e.g., one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, etc.) could also be used and remain within the scope of the disclosure. Again, as shown in the embodiment of FIGS. 3A through 3F, the one or more relief surfaces 330 (e.g., 330a, 330b, 330c) may include the opposing portions 340a, 340b. For example, as shown in FIGS. 3A through 3F, the opposing portions 340a, 340b of the relief surfaces 330 (e.g., relief surface 330a), as taken about the axis 350 defined between the CenterPoint (C_p) and the edge CenterPoint (C_E) of a line wherein the ones of the one or more relief surfaces 330 meet an edge of the cutting section 320, are asymmetric.

In at least one embodiment, the one or more relief surfaces 330 (e.g., 330a, 330b, 330c) form a first plane of longer arc length 370 at one end of the one or more relief surfaces 330 (e.g., 330a, 330b, 330c) proximate an edge of the cutting element 300, and a second plane of shorter arc length 375 at an opposing end of the one or more relief surfaces 330 (e.g., 330a, 330b, 330c) proximate an edge of the cutting element 300. In at least one embodiment, the first plane of longer arc length 370 is at the leading end 380 of the one or more relief surfaces 330 (e.g., 330a, 330b, 330c), and the second plane of shorter arc length 375 is at the trailing end 385 of the one or more relief surfaces 330 (e.g., 330a, 330b, 330c). Accordingly, the one or more relief surfaces 330 (e.g., 330a, 330b, 330c) are designed to direct any failed portions of the subterranean formation away from the plateau 360 (e.g., a central region of the plateau 360). As shown, in one or more embodiments, the one or more relief surfaces 330 (e.g., 330a, 330b, 330c) are concave relief surfaces that are also asymmetric.

In at least one other embodiment, the one or more relief surfaces 330 (e.g., 330a, 330b, 330c) form a first smaller angle (α) at one end of the one or more relief surfaces 330 (e.g., 330a, 330b, 330c) proximate an edge of the cutting element 300, and a second greater angle (θ) at an opposing end of the one or more relief surfaces 330 (e.g., 330a, 330b, 330c) proximate an edge of the cutting element 300. In at least one embodiment, the first smaller angle (α) is at the leading end 380 of the one or more relief surfaces 330 (e.g., 330a, 330b, 330c), and the second greater angle (θ) is at the trailing end 385 of the one or more relief surfaces 330 (e.g., 330a, 330b, 330c). Accordingly, the one or more relief surfaces 330 are designed to direct any failed portions of the subterranean formation away from the plateau 360 (e.g., a central region of the plateau 360).

In one or more embodiments, the one or more relief surfaces 330 (e.g., 330a, 330b, 330c) extend less than 80 percent into the cutting section 320 thickness (t_c). In one or more other embodiments, the one or more relief surfaces 330 (e.g., 330a, 330b, 330c) extend less than 65 percent into the cutting section 320 thickness (t_c), if not less than 50 percent. In yet one other embodiment, the one or more relief surfaces 330 (e.g., 330a, 330b, 330c) extend less than 40 percent into the cutting section 320 thickness (t_c).

In at least one embodiment, a surface area of the plateau 360 ranges from 2 percent to 50 percent of a total surface area of the exposed cutting face 325 (e.g., a combined surface area of the plateau and the one or more relief surfaces). In at least one other embodiment, a surface area of the plateau 360 ranges from 4 percent to 30 percent of a total surface area of the exposed cutting face 325. In yet another embodiment, a surface area of the plateau 360 ranges from 5 percent to 20 percent of a total surface area of the exposed cutting face 325. In accordance with one embodiment, smaller surface areas for the plateau 360 may be desirable for harder (e.g., more difficult) formations to drill through, whereas larger surface areas for the plateau 360 may be desirable for softer (e.g., easier) formations to drill through.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 3A through 3F, the one or more relief surfaces 330 (e.g., 330a, 330b, 330c) sharply transition (e.g., form a sharp ridge) between each other and the plateau 360. In yet other embodiments, as disclosed below, the one or more relief surfaces 330 (e.g., 330a, 330b, 330c) gradually transition (e.g., form a curved ridge) between each other and the plateau 360.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 3A through 3F, the exposed cutting face 325 may include a chamfered surface 390, for example between the exposed cutting face 325 and the edge of the cutting section 320. However, in yet other embodiments, the exposed cutting face 325 may not include the chamfered surface 390. Furthermore, while not shown, a chamfered surface may (e.g., as shown) or may not (e.g., as not shown) also be located at a lower end of the base section 310.

In at least one embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 3E and 3F, arc lengths of the cutting element 300 are independent. Moreover, in at least one embodiment, the arc lengths are joined at the tangent relative to the defined relief depth, for example from the plateau 360.

Turning now to FIGS. 4A through 4D, illustrated are various different views of a cutting element 400 designed, manufactured and/or operated according to one or more alternative embodiments of the disclosure. The cutting element 400 of FIGS. 4A through 4D is similar in many respects to the cutting element 300 of FIGS. 3A through 3F. Accordingly, like reference numbers have been used to indicate similar, if not identical, features. The cutting element 400 of FIGS. 4A through 4D differs, for the most part, from the cutting element 300 of FIGS. 3A through 3F, in that the cutting element 400 includes gradual transitions between each of the one or more relief surfaces 330 (e.g., 330a, 330b, 330c) and the plateau 360. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the cutting element 400 employs curved surfaces 410 for the gradual transitions.

Turning to FIGS. 5 and 6, illustrated are top views of two different cutting elements 500, 600, designed, manufactured and/or operated according to one or more alternative embodiments of the disclosure. The cutting elements 500, 600 of FIGS. 5 and 6 are similar in many respects to the cutting element 300 of FIGS. 3A through 3F. Accordingly, like reference numbers have been used to indicate similar, if not identical, features. FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate that the surface area of the plateau 560, 660 may vary based upon the desires of the user. For example, the surface area of the plateau 560 is smaller than the surface area of the plateau 660. Thus, as discussed above, the cutting element 500 having the smaller surface area for its plateau 560 may be desirable for harder (e.g., more difficult) formations to drill through, whereas the cutting element 600 having the larger surface area for its plateau 660 may be desirable for softer (e.g., easier) formations to drill through. In at least one embodiment, the surface areas of the plateaus 560, 660 may be in the ranges discussed above.

Aspects disclosed herein include:

A. A cutting element, the cutting element including: 1) a cutting section, the cutting section including a cutting section thickness (t_c) and an exposed cutting face having a CenterPoint (C_p); and 2) one or more relief surfaces extending into the cutting section from proximate the CenterPoint (C_p), wherein opposing halves of the one or more relief surfaces are asymmetric as taken about an axis defined between the CenterPoint (C_p) and an edge CenterPoint (C_E) of a line wherein the ones of the one or more relief surfaces meet an edge of the cutting section.

B. A drill bit, the drill bit including: 1) a bit body; 2) one or more blades attached to the bit body; 3) one or more pockets formed in the one or more blades; and 4) one or more cutting elements fixed in the one or more pockets, wherein each cutting element includes: a) a cutting section, the cutting section including a cutting section thickness (t_c) and an exposed cutting face having a CenterPoint (C_p); and b) one or more relief surfaces extending into the cutting section from proximate the CenterPoint (C_p), wherein opposing halves of the one or more relief surfaces are asymmetric as taken about an axis defined between the CenterPoint (C_P) and an edge CenterPoint (C_E) of a line wherein the ones of the one or more relief surfaces meet an edge of the cutting section.

C. A well system, the well system including: 1) a wellbore formed through one or more subterranean formations; and 2) a drill bit located in the wellbore, the drill bit including: a) a bit body; b) one or more blades attached to the bit body; c) one or more pockets formed in the one or more blades; and d) one or more cutting elements fixed in the one or more pockets, wherein each cutting element includes: i) a cutting section, the cutting section including a cutting section thickness (t_c) and an exposed cutting face having a CenterPoint (C_p); and ii) one or more relief surfaces extending into the cutting section from proximate the CenterPoint (C_P), wherein opposing halves of the one or more relief surfaces are asymmetric as taken about an axis defined between the CenterPoint (C_p) and an edge CenterPoint (C_E) of a line wherein the ones of the one or more relief surfaces meet an edge of the cutting section.

Aspects A, B, and C may have one or more of the following additional elements in combination: Element 1: further including a plateau located at the CenterPoint (C_p), wherein the one or more relief surfaces extend into the cutting section from the plateau. Element 2: wherein the one or more relief surfaces are only one relief surface. Element 3: wherein the one or more relief surfaces are only two relief surfaces. Element 4: wherein the one or more relief surfaces are only three relief surfaces. Element 5: wherein the one or more relief surfaces are only four relief surfaces. Element 6: wherein the one or more relief surfaces each forms a first plane of longer arc length at one end of the relief surfaces proximate an edge of the cutting element, and each forms a second plane of shorter arc length at an opposing end of the relief surfaces proximate the edge of the cutting element. Element 7: wherein each of the first planes of longer arc length are at a leading end of ones of the one or more relief surfaces, and each of the second planes of shorter arc length are at a trailing end of ones of the one or more relief surfaces. Element 8: wherein the one or more relief surfaces each forms a first smaller angle (α) at one end of the relief surfaces proximate an edge of the cutting element, and each forms a second greater angle (θ) at an opposing end of the relief surfaces proximate the edge of the cutting element. Element 9: wherein each of the first smaller angles (α) are at a leading end of ones of the one or more relief surfaces, and the second greater angles (θ) are at a trailing end of ones of the one or more relief surfaces.

Those skilled in the art to which this application relates will appreciate that other and further additions, deletions, substitutions and modifications may be made to the described embodiments.

Claims

1. A cutting element, comprising: a cutting section, the cutting section including a cutting section thickness (tc) and an exposed cutting face having a CenterPoint (Cp); andone or more relief surfaces extending into the cutting section from proximate the CenterPoint (Cp), wherein opposing portions of the one or more relief surfaces are asymmetric as taken about an axis defined between the CenterPoint (Cp) and an edge CenterPoint (CE) of a line wherein ones of the one or more relief surfaces meet an edge of the cutting section.

2. The cutting element as recited in claim 1, further including a plateau located at the CenterPoint (Cp), wherein the one or more relief surfaces extend into the cutting section from the plateau.

3. The cutting element as recited in claim 2, wherein the one or more relief surfaces are only one relief surface.

4. The cutting element as recited in claim 2, wherein the one or more relief surfaces are only two relief surfaces.

5. The cutting element as recited in claim 2, wherein the one or more relief surfaces are only three relief surfaces.

6. The cutting element as recited in claim 2, wherein the one or more relief surfaces are only four relief surfaces.

7. The cutting element as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more relief surfaces each forms a first plane of longer arc length at one end of the relief surfaces proximate an edge of the cutting element, and each forms a second plane of shorter arc length at an opposing end of the relief surfaces proximate the edge of the cutting element.

8. The cutting element as recited in claim 7, wherein the first plane of longer arc length is at a leading end of ones of the one or more relief surfaces, and the second plane of shorter arc length is at a trailing end of ones of the one or more relief surfaces.

9. The cutting element as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more relief surfaces each forms a first smaller angle (α) at one end of the relief surfaces proximate an edge of the cutting element, and each forms a second greater angle (θ) at an opposing end of the relief surfaces proximate the edge of the cutting element.

10. The cutting element as recited in claim 9, wherein the first smaller angle (α) is at a leading end of ones of the one or more relief surfaces, and the second greater angle (θ) is at a trailing end of ones of the one or more relief surfaces.

11. A drill bit, comprising: a bit body;one or more blades attached to the bit body;one or more pockets formed in the one or more blades; andone or more cutting elements fixed in the one or more pockets, wherein each cutting element includes: a cutting section, the cutting section including a cutting section thickness (tc) and an exposed cutting face having a CenterPoint (CP); andone or more relief surfaces extending into the cutting section from proximate the CenterPoint (Cp), wherein opposing portions of the one or more relief surfaces are asymmetric as taken about an axis defined between the CenterPoint (Cp) and an edge CenterPoint (CE) of a line wherein ones of the one or more relief surfaces meet an edge of the cutting section.

12. The drill bit as recited in claim 11, further including a plateau located at the CenterPoint (Cp), wherein the one or more relief surfaces extend into the cutting section from the plateau.

13. The drill bit as recited in claim 12, wherein the one or more relief surfaces are only one relief surface.

14. The drill bit as recited in claim 12, wherein the one or more relief surfaces are only two relief surfaces.

15. The drill bit as recited in claim 12, wherein the one or more relief surfaces are only three relief surfaces.

16. The drill bit as recited in claim 12, wherein the one or more relief surfaces are only four relief surfaces.

17. The drill bit as recited in claim 11, wherein the one or more relief surfaces each forms a first plane of longer arc length at one end of the relief surfaces proximate an edge of the cutting element, and each forms a second plane of shorter arc length at an opposing end of the relief surfaces proximate the edge of the cutting element.

18. The drill bit as recited in claim 17, wherein the first plane of longer arc length is at a leading end of ones of the one or more relief surfaces, and the second plane of shorter arc length is at a trailing end of ones of the one or more relief surfaces.

19. The drill bit as recited in claim 11, wherein the one or more relief surfaces each forms a first smaller angle (α) at one end of the relief surfaces proximate an edge of the cutting element, and each forms a second greater angle (θ) at an opposing end of the relief surfaces proximate the edge of the cutting element.

20. The drill bit as recited in claim 19, wherein the first smaller angle (α) is at a leading end of ones of the one or more relief surfaces, and the second greater angle (θ) is at a trailing end of ones of the one or more relief surfaces.

21. A well system, comprising: a wellbore formed through one or more subterranean formations; anda drill bit located in the wellbore, the drill bit including: a bit body;one or more blades attached to the bit body;one or more pockets formed in the one or more blades; andone or more cutting elements fixed in the one or more pockets, wherein each cutting element includes: a cutting section, the cutting section including a cutting section thickness (tc) and an exposed cutting face having a CenterPoint (CP); andone or more relief surfaces extending into the cutting section from proximate the CenterPoint (Cp), wherein opposing portions of the one or more relief surfaces are asymmetric as taken about an axis defined between the CenterPoint (Cp) and an edge CenterPoint (CE) of a line wherein ones of the one or more relief surfaces meet an edge of the cutting section.