Evolution of a Hybrid Roller Cone/PDC core bit

Conference · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1980

OSTI ID:5355243

Pettitt, R; Laney, R; George, D; Clemens, G

The development of the hot dry rock (HDR) geothermal resource, as presently being accomplished by the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL), requires that sufficient quantities of good quality core be obtained at a reasonable cost. The use of roller cone core bits, with tungsten carbide inserts, was initiated by the Deep Sea Drilling Program. These bits were modified for continental drilling in deep, hot, granitic rock for the LASL HDR Geothermal Site at Fenton Hill, New Mexico in 1974. After the advent of monocrystalline diamond Stratapax pads, a prototype hybrid roller cone/Stratapax core bit was fabricated by Smith Tool, and tested at Fenton Hill in 1978. During the drilling for a deeper HDR reservoir system in 1979 and 1980, six of the latest generation of these bits, now called Hybrid Roller Cone/Polycrystalline Diamond Cutter (PDC) core bits, were successfully used in granitic rock at depths below 11,000 ft.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos Scientific Lab., NM (USA); Smith (Sii) Tool, Irvine, CA (USA); NL Hycalog/NL Industries, Inc., Houston, TX (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 5355243
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-80-1487; CONF-800920-4
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
150901* -- Geothermal Engineering-- Drilling Technology & Well Hardware
CARBIDES
CARBON
CARBON COMPOUNDS
DIAMONDS
DRILL BITS
DRILL CORES
DRILLING EQUIPMENT
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
FABRICATION
GEOTHERMAL SYSTEMS
GRANITES
Geothermal Legacy
HOT-DRY-ROCK SYSTEMS
IGNEOUS ROCKS
MINERALS
NONMETALS
PLUTONIC ROCKS
ROCKS
TESTING
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
TUNGSTEN CARBIDES
TUNGSTEN COMPOUNDS