CHAPTER-4

DRILLING BITS

Drilling Bits
How well the bit drills depends on several factors, such as the condition
of the bit, the weight applied to it, and the rate at which it is rotated. Also
important for a bit performance is the effectiveness of the drilling fluid in
clearing cuttings, produced by the bit away from the bottom.
The aim of drilling is to i) make hole as fast as possible by selecting bits
which produce good penetration rates, ii) run bits with a long working life to
reduce trip time, iii) use bits which drill a full-size or full-gauge hole during the
entire time they are on bottom.
The choice of bit depends on several factors. One is the type of
formation to be drilled, whether it is it hard, soft, medium hard or medium soft.
A second factor is the cost of the bit. Getting the highest possible footage
from the bit cuts down bit costs and minimizes the number of trips needed for
bit changes. It should be stated, however, that continuing to use a bit that is
still drilling but slowly is false economy.
In the shallower part of the hole only one or two bits are needed before
pipe is pulled for logging or running casing and often one bit is sufficient to make
the hole in which the conductor is to be set. As formations near the surface are
usually very soft, one bit may prove sufficient for several wells. But in the
deeper part or the hole, several bits often have to be drilled before casing
depth is reached.
It is normal that the bit used to drill the cement left in the casing is also
used to drill the formation, although in some instances a separate bit is run to
drill the cement and thereafter changed for a more suitable one for the
formation expected deeper down.

Formations vary a lot in hardness and abrasiveness and have a

considerable effect on bit performance. If there were no difference in rock
formations, one type of bit only would be needed which requires standard bit
weight, rotary speed and pump pressure to drill at the maximum rate.
Unfortunately, such a situation does not exist and several bits are required for
the alternating layers of soft material, hard rocks and abrasive sections.
Changing the bit every time as the formation changes is, however, impracticable.
Therefore a compromise has to be made and a bit that performs reasonably well
in all conditions is selected. The choice of bit for a well in a field where the
formations are familiar is obviously easier than for a wildcat.
Bits can generally be classified into two categories; i) roller bits and ii)
drag bits. The following is a description of both.

Roller Cone Bits

The cutting elements of roller cone bits are arranged on conical
structures that are attached to a bit body. Typically three cones are used and
the teeth (cutters) may be tungsten carbide that is inserted into pre-drilled
holes into the steel cone shell or steel teeth that are formed by milling directly
on the cone shell as it is manufactured. The length, spacing, shape, and tooth
material are tailored for drilling a particular rock.Insert types used as teeth on
roller-cone bits.
The IADC has developed a standard classification code that is used to
classify bits made by different manufactures according to the rock hardness
that they are designed to drill including the particular design features of the
bit. Each roller bit cone contains a bearing and lubrication system. In some cases
the drilling mud is used as the lubricant (open bearing) and in other cases a
special lubricant is confined inside the case (sealed bearing). The apes bearing

system is used almost exclusively with roller bearings. The sealed bearing
system may be used with either roller or journal bearings. The rock cutting
process of the roller cone bit is either by gauging (digging and shoveling) in soft
formation or by chiseling in hard formation.
A hydraulic cuttings removal system is incorporated in each bit to remove
the cuttings from around the teeth. Typically, a nozzle is placed between each
cone to direct mud at the bottom of the hole and cutters. These nozzles are
usually located at a height approximately equal to the top of the cone, but in
some cases are extended towards the arms where the cutters contact the rock.
The drilling fluid is pumped through the nozzles at relatively high velocity in
order to remove the drilled cuttings.
The three-cone rolling cutter bit is by far the most common bit type
currently used in rotary drilling operations. This general bit type is available
with a large variety of tooth design and bearing types and, thus, is suited for a
wide variety of formation characteristics. The three cones rotate about their
axis as the bit is rotated on bottom. The shape of the bit teeth also has a large
effect on the drilling action- of a rolling cutter bit. Long, widely spaced, steel
teeth are used for drilling soft formations. As the rock type gets harder, the
tooth length and cone offset must be reduced to prevent tooth breakage; the
drilling action of a bit with zero cone offset is essentially a crushing action. The
smaller teeth also allow more room for the construction of stronger bearings.
The metallurgy requirements of the bit teeth also depend on the formation
characteristics. The two primary types used arc (1) milled tooth cutters and (2)

tungsten carbide insert cutters. The milled tooth cutters arc manufactured by
milling the teeth out of a steel cone while the tungsten carbide insert bits arc
manufactured by pressing a tungsten carbide cylinder into accurately machined
holes in the cone. The milled tooth bits designed for soft formations usually are
faced with a wear-resistant material, such as tungsten carbide, on one side of

the tooth. The milled tooth bits designed to drill harder formations are usually
case hardened by special processing and heat treating the cutter during
manufacturing. The tungsten carbide teeth designed for drilling soft formations
are long and have a chisel-shaped end. Rolling cutter bits with the most advanced
bearing assembly are the journal bearing bits In this type bit, the roller
bearings are eliminated and the cone rotates in contact with the journal bearing
pin. This type bearing has the advantage of greatly increasing the contact area
through which the weight on the bit is transmitted to the cone.

Drag Bits
There are two general types of drag bits that are in common usage. The
oldest is the natural diamond matrix bit in which industrial grade diamonds are
set into a bit head that is manufactured by a powdered metallurgy technique.
The size, shape, quantity, quality, and exposure of the diamonds are tailored to
provide the best performance for a particular formation. Each bit is designed
and manufactured for a particular job rather than being mass produced as roller
cone bits are. The cuttings are removed by mud that flows through a series of
water courses. The design of these water courses is aimed at forcing fluid
around each individual diamond. The matrix diamond bit cuts rock by grinding
and thus a primary function of the fluid is to conduct heat away from the
diamonds.
The other type of drag bit is the polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC)
bit that is constructed with cutters comprised of a man made diamond material.
The cutters are generally much larger than natural diamonds and are designed to
cut the rock by shearing, similar to metal machining. PDC bits have proven very
successful in homogeneous and, soft to moderate strength formations. In
formations where they are successful, they can drill two to three times faster
then a roller cone bit and may have an equally long life.

Classification of Bits
A large variety of bits designs are available from several manufacturers.
The IADC (International Association of Drilling Contractors) approved a
standard classification system for identifying similar bit types available from
various manufacturers. The classification system adopted is the three digit
code.
The first digit in the bit classification scheme is called the bit series
number. The letter D precedes the first digit if the bit is diamond or PDC drag
bit. Series D1 through D2 are reserved for diamond bits and PDC bits in the
soft, medium-soft, medium, medium-hard and hard formation categories,
respectively. Series D7 through D9 are reserved for diamond core bits in the
soft, medium and hard formation categories. Series 1,2 and 3 are reserved for
milled tooth bits in the soft, medium and hard formation categories,
respectively. Series 5, 6, 7 and 8 are for insert bits in the soft, medium, hard,
and extremely hard formation categories, respectively. Series 4 is reserved for
future use with special categories such as a universal bit.
The second digit is called the type number. Type 0 is reserved for PDC
drag bits. Types 1 through 4 designate a formation hardness sub classification
from the softest to the hardest formation within each category. The feature
numbers are interpreted differently, depending on the general type of bit being
described. Feature numbers are defined for diamond and PDC drag bits, diamond
and PDC drag-type core-cutting bits, and rolling cutter bits.
Eight standard diamond and PDC drag bits features are 1, step-type
profile, 2, long-taper profile, 3, short-taper profile, 4, nontaper profile,
5, downhole-motor type, 6, sidetrack type, 7, oil-base type, and 8, coreejector type. The remaining feature, 9, is reserved for special features selected
by the bit manufacturer.

There are two standard feature numbers for diamond and PDC drag-type
core-cutting bits. These bits are used to recover a length of formation sample
cored from the central portion of the borehole. The two features are 1,
conventional core-barrel type, and 2, face-discharge type. As in the previous
case, feature 9 is reserved for special features selected by the bit
manufacturer.
There are eight standard feature numbers for rolling-cutter bits. The
standard feature numbers are 1, standard rolling cutter bit (jet bit or
regular), 2, T-shaped heel teeth for gauge protection, 3, extra insert teeth
for gauge protection, 4, sealed roller bearings, 5, combination of 3 and 4,
6, sealed friction bearing, and 7, combination of 3 and 6. The remaining
features, 8 and 9 were reserved for special features selected by the bit
manufacturer. Feature 8 is often used to designate bits designed for
directional drilling. Some of the main design features of the various rollingcutter bit types include some of the tooth design features of the various bit
types and classes. As the class number increases, the cone offset, tooth height,
and amount of tooth hardfacing decreases while the number of teeth and
amount of tooth case hardening increases. An increase in bearing capacity is
possible for the bits with a higher class number. This is possible shorter length
of bit teeth at higher bit class numbers.

Example-1
IADC classification 124E refers to what kind of a bit?

Solution:
1 = Soft formation milled tooth ;2 = Soft to medium within group
4 = Sealed roller bearings ; E = Extended jets (nozzles)

Bit Selection
Bit selection is based on using the bit that provides the lowest cost per
foot of hole drilled. This cost is expressed by the following cost-pet-foot
equation;
Drilling Cost Formula:
The most common application of a drilling cost formula is in evaluating the
efficiency of a bit run. A large fraction of the time required to complete a well
is spent either drilling or making a trip to replace the bit. The total time
required to drill a given depth, D, can be expressed as the sum of the total
rotating time during the bit run, tb, the non-rotating time during the bit run, tc,
and trip time tt. The drilling cost formula is;
Cf = (Cb + Cr ( tb + tc + tt)] / D
where; Cf is drilled cost per unit depth, Cb is the cost of bit, and Cr is the fixed
operating cost of the rig per unit time independent of the alternatives being
evaluated.
Example-2. A recommended bit program is being prepared for a new well using
bit performance records from nearby wells. Drilling performance records for
three bits are shown for a thick limestone formation at 9,000 ft. Determine
which bit gives the lowest drilling cost if the operating cost of the rig is
$400/hr, the trip time is 7 hours, and connection time is 1 minute per
connection. Assume that each of the bits was operated at near the minimum cost
per foot attainable for that bit.

Bit

Bit Cost ($)

Rota. Time (hr)

Conn. Time (hr)

Penetration Rate (ft/hr)

A
B
C

800
4900
4500

14.8
57.7
95.8

0.1
0.4
0.5

13.8
12.6
10.2

Solution:
The cost per foot drilled for each bit type can be computed using above
equation. For Bit A, the cost per foot is;
Cf = (Cb + Cr ( tb + tc + tt)] / D
Cf = (800 + 400 ( 14.8 + 0.1 + 7)] / 13.8 (14.8) = $ 46.81 / ft.
For Bit B, the cost per foot is;
Cf = (4900 + 400 ( 57.7 + 0.4 + 7)] / 12.6 (57.7) = $ 42.56 / ft.
For Bit C, the cost per foot is;
Cf = (4500 + 400 ( 95.8 + 0.5 + 7)] / 10.2 (95.8) = $ 46.89 / ft.
The lowest drilling cost was obtained using Bit B.
Drilling Cost Predictions:
Drilling cost depends primarily on well location and well depth. The
location of the well will govern the cost of preparing the well-site, moving the
rig to the location, and the daily operating cost of the drilling operation. For
example, an operator may find from experience that operating a rig on a given
lease offshore Louisiana requires expenditures that will average about
S30,000/day. Included in this daily operating cost are such things as rig
rentals, crew boat rentals, work boat rentals, helicopter rentals, well
monitoring services, crew housing, routine maintenance of drilling equipment,

drilling fluid treatment, rig supervision, etc. The depth of the well will govern
the lithology that must be penetrated and, thus, the time required completing
the well.
Drilling costs tend to increase exponentially with depth. Thus, when curvefitting drilling cost data, it is often convenient to assume a relationship between
cost, C, and depth, D, given by;
C = a ebD
where; the constants a and b depend primarily on the well location. When a more
accurate drilling cost prediction is needed, a cost analysis based on a detailed
well plan must be made. The cost of tangible well equipment (such as casing) and
the cost of preparing the surface location usually can be predicted accurately.
The cost per day of the drilling operations can be estimated from considerations
of rig rental costs, other equipment rentals, transportation

costs, rig

supervision costs, and others. The time required to drill and complete the well is
estimated on the basis of rig-up time, drilling time, trip lime, casing placement

time, formation evaluation and borehole survey time, completion time and trouble
time. Trouble time includes time spent on hole problems such as stuck pipe, well
control operations, formation fracture, etc. Major time expenditures always are
required for drilling and tripping operations. An estimate of drilling time can be
based on historical penetration rate data from the area of interest. The
penetration rate in a given formation varies inversely with both compressive
strength and shear strength of the rock. Also, rock strength tends to increase
with depth of burial because of the higher confining pressure caused by the
weight of the overburden.

When major unconformities are not present in the sub-surface lithology,

the penetration rate usually decreases exponentially with depth. Under these
conditions, the penetration rate can be related to depth, D, by;
dD / dt = K e-2.303a2D
where K and a2 are constants. The drilling time, td, required to drill to a given
depth can be obtained by separating variables and integrating.

Separating

variables gives;
K dt = e2.303a2D dD
Integrating and solving for td yields;
td = ( 1 / 2.303 a2 K ) (e2.303a2D 1)
Example-3: The bit records for a well drilled in the South China Sea are shown
in the following table. Make plots of depth vs. penetration rate and depth vs.

rotating time for this area using semi-log paper. Also, predict drilling time in
this area.

Solution:
The plots obtained using the bit records are shown in the following
figure. The constants K and a2 can be determined using the plot of depth vs.

penetration rate on semi-log paper. The value of 2.303 a2 is 2.303 divided by

the change in depth per log cycle.
2.303a2 = (2.303 / 6770) = 0.00034
The constant 2.303 is a convenient scaling factor since semi-log paper is
based on common logarithms. The value of K is equal to the value of penetration
rate at the surface. From depth vs. penetration rate plot, K = 280. Substitution
of these values of a2 and K in above equation;
td = 10.504 (e0.00034 D 1)

Bit Evaluation
It is important to maintain careful written records of the performance of
each bit for future references. Bits are worn by abrasion and shocks while
drilling. The wear pattern is important, it should be inspected once the bit has
been pulled and its grading should be recorded. Such records indicate the
working life of the bit and aid the selection of the type of bit which may provide
most efficient in a particular formation. The amount of wear on teeth, bearings
andgauge is recorded according to a special coding system.

Wear on Teeth
Teeth wear is graded in eighths of the original tooth height. Using the
letter T to denote teeth, T8 means that the teeth is completely worn out, and
T3 means that 3/8 of the original height has been worn away. If the majority of
the teeth in any row are broken, BT is added.

Bearing Wear
Grading a used bearing is the most difficult part of grading dull bits,
because the condition of the bearings can be determined only by touch.
Bearing wear is expressed in eighths of bearing life expended. Using the letter
B to denote bearings, B8 means that the bearing is completely worn out, and B6
means that 6/8 of the estimated life has been used. For sealed bearing bits, the
condition of the seal is a better means of grading the bearing life. For
sealedbearings, only three codes are used; B3 means the seal is effective, B5
means the seal is questionable, and B8 means the seal failed.

Gauge Wear
This can be determined by using a ring gauge and ruler. There are two
methods used to measure the wear. In the first and most popular, the ring gauge
is pulled against the gauge points of two cones, and the space between the ring
and third cone is measured. Usually, this measurement is used for the amount of
wear. However, to be exact, the measurement should be multiplied by 2/3. In

the second method, the bit is centered in the gauge ring and the ruler is used to
measure thedistance from the ring to the outermost cutting surface (gauge
surface). This measurement must be multiplied by two to give the loss in
diameter and, thus, the total amount of wear. Using the letter G for gauge, G0
means in gauge, and G5 means bit diameter is 0.625 in. under gauge.

Degree of Tooth Dullness

Tooth Dullness
T1
T2
T3
T4
T5
T6
T7
T8
Bearing Conditions
B1
B2
B3
B4
B5
B6
B7
B8

Tooth height 1/8 gone

Tooth height 1/4 gone
Tooth height 3/8 gone
Tooth height 1/ 2 gone
Tooth height 5/8 gone
Tooth height 3/4 gone
Tooth height 7/8 gone
Tooth height all gone

Bearing life used : 1/8

Bearing life used : 1/4 (tight)
Bearing life used : 3/8
Bearing life used : 1/2 (medium)
Bearing life used : 5/8
Bearing life used : 3/4 (loose)
Bearing life used : 7/8
Bearing life used : all gone

BT : broken teeth; I = in gauge; 0 = out of gauge

Example-3: T2-B4-I; (Teeth 1/4 gone, bearing medium, bit in gauge)

Example-4: T6 BT B6- 0 1/2 (teeth 3/4 gone, broken teeth, bearing loose,
bit out of gage of 1/2 inch)
Example-5: T5 BT B2- 0 5/8 (teeth 5/8 gone, broken teeth, bearing tight,
bit out of gage of 5/8 inch)

Drill-off Tests
The drill-off test is performed in order to ascertain combination of
weight on bit (WOB) and rotary speed to maximise penetration rate (PR). Drilloff tests should be done:
1- at the start of the bit run,
2- on encountering a new formation,
3- if a reduction in rate of penetration (ROP) occurs.

Drill-off Test Procedure

1- Maintain a constant rpm. Select a WOB (near to maximum allowable).
2- Record the time to drill off a weight increment (5000 lb)
3- Record length of pipe drilled during step-2.
4- From step 2-3, the drill rate in ft/hr may be found.
5- Repeat step 2 and 3 at least four times. The last test should be at the same
value as the first test. This will determine if the formation has changed or not.
6- Select the bit weight which produced the faster ROP. Maintain this WOB
constant and repeat the above procedure for varying RPM values.

Example-6: Find the optimum WOB and RPM values with the given Drill-off test
data.

Solution:
Bit Weight (lbs)
50000
45000

Time (sec)
59
62

Footage (ft)
0.50
0.50

Drill Rate (ft/hr)

40000

68

0.60

31.8

0.48
0.45
0.50

23.4
20.8
30.0

35000
74
30000
78
50000
60
Drill Rate = (Footage x 3600) / Time
RPM

30.5
29.0

Drill Rate (ft/hr)

100
90

Time to Drill -1/2 ft(sec)

70
65

80

60

30.0

70
60
100

64
69
72

23.1
26.1
25.0

25.7
27.7

Drill Rate = (Footage x 3600) / Time

Optimum WOB = 40000 lbs
Optimum RPM = 80 rpm
Factors Affecting Tooth Wear
One purpose for evaluating the condition of dull bit is to provide insight
about the selection of a more suitable time interval of bit use. If the dull bit
evaluation indicates that the bit was pulled green, expensive rig time may have
been wasted on unnecessary trip time. However, if the time interval of bit use is
increased too much, the bit may break apart leaving junk in the hole. This will
require an additional trip to fish the junk from the hole or may reduce greatly
the efficiency of the next bit if an attempt is made to drill past the junk. Thus,

knowledge of the instantaneous rate of bit wear is needed to determine how

much the time interval of bit use can be increased safely. Since drilling
practices are not always the same for the new and old bit runs, knowledge of
how the various drilling parameters affect the instantaneous rate of bit wear
also is needed. The rate of tooth wear depends primarily on:
formation abrasiveness, tooth geometry, bit weight, rotary speed, and

the

cleaning and cooling action of the drilling fluid.

Tooth Wear Equation
A composite tooth wear equation can be obtained by combining the
relations approximating the effect of tooth geometry, bit weight and rotary
speed on the rate of tooth wear. Thus the instantaneous rate of tooth wear is
given:
dh / dt = 1 / H (N / 60)H1 {[(W/db)m 4] / [(W/db)m (W/db)]} [(1 + H2 /
2) / (1 + H2 h)]
where; h = fractional tooth height that has been worn away, t = time, hours ,W =
bit weight, 1000 lbf units, N = rotary speed, H = formation abrasiveness
constant, hours
H1, H2 and (W/db)m = constants

Table 3-3 Recommended values of H1, H2 and (W/db)m are given in the following
table for the various rolling-cutter bit classes.
Bit Class
1-1 to 1-2
1-3 to 1-4
2-1 to 2-2
2-3
3-1
3-2
3-3
4-1

H1
1.90
1.84
1.80
1.76
1.70
1.65
1.60
1.50

H2
7
6
5
4
3
2
2
2

(W/db)m
7.0
8.0
8.5
9.0
10.0
10.0
10.0
10.0

The tooth wear rate formula given above has been normalised so that the
abrasiveness constant, H, is numerically equal to the time in hours required to
completely dull the bit teeth of the given bit type when operated at a constant
bit weight of 40000 lbf/inch and a constant rotary speed of 60 rpm. The
average formation abrasiveness encountered during a bit runs can be evaluated
using the above equation and the final tooth wear, hf, observed after pulling the
bit. If we define the tooth wear parameter, J2,
J2 = {[(W/db)m (W/db)] / [(W/db)m 4 ]} x (60 / N)H1 x [1 / (1 + H2 /2)]
and the abrasiveness constant, H, gives;
H = tb / [J2 (hf + H2 Hf2 / 2)]

Example-7: An 8.5 inch Class 1-3-1 bit drilled from depth of 8179 to 8404 ft in
10.5 hours. The average bit weight and rotary speed was 45000 lbf and 90 rpm,
respectively. When the bit was pulled, it was graded as T5-B4-I. Compute the
average formation abrasiveness for this depth interval. Also, estimate the time
required dulling the teeth completely using the same bit weight and rotary
speed.

Solution:
From the above table, H1 = 1.84 and H2 = 6 and (W/db)m = 8.0
J2 = {[(W/db)m (W/db)] / [(W/db)m 4 ]} x (60 / N)H1 x [1 / (1 + H2 /2)]
J2 = {[8 (45 / 8.5)] / (8 4)} (60 / 90)1.84 [1 / [1 + (6/2)]] = 0.08
Solving for the abrasiveness constant using a final fractional tooth dullness of
5/8 (T5-0.625-) gives;
H = tb / [J2 (hf + H2 Hf2 / 2)]
H = 10.5 / [0.080 (0.625+ 6 (0.6252)/ 2)] = 73 hours
The time required to dull the teeth completely ( hf = 1.0);
tb = {J2 (H) [hf+ H2 (hf)2 / 2]}
tb = {0.08 (73.0) [1+ 6 (1)2 / 2]}= 23.4 hours

Bearing Wear Equation

A bearing wear formula frequently used to estimate baring life is given by:
db / dt = 1 / H (N / 60)B1 (W / 4 db)B2
where: b = fractional bearing life that has been consumed, t = time, hours, N =
rotary speed, rpm, W = bit weight, 1000 lbf, db = bit diameter, inch, B1,B2 =
bearing wear exponent, H = bearing constant
Table 3-4 Recommended values of bearing wear exponents are given below
Bearing Type
Non sealed
Non sealed
Non sealed
Non sealed
Non sealed
Sealed roller bearings
Sealed journal bearings

Drilling Fluid Type

Barite mud
Sulfide mud
Water
Clay/water mud
Oil-base mud
-

B1
1.0
1.0
1.0
1.0
1.0
0.70
1.60

B2
1.0
1.0
1.2
1.5
2.0
0.85
1.00

Bearing constant, , is numerically equal to the life of bearings if the bit is

operated at 40000 lbf and 60 rpm. If we define a bearing wear parameter,J3,
J3 = (60 / N)B1 (4 db / W)B2
The time required to dull the bearing completely ( bf = 1.0);
tb = J3 (B) bf
and, bearing constant is equal to;
B = tb / J3 bf
Example-8: Compute the bearing constant for a 7.875 inch, Class 6-1-6 (sealed
journal bearings) bit that was graded T5-B6-I after drilling 64 hours at 30000
lbf and 70 rpm.

Solution:
From the above table, B1 = 1.6 and B2 = 1.0
J3 = (60 / N)B1 (4 db / W)B2
J3 = (60 / 70)1.6 (4 (7.875) / 30)1.0 = 0.82
For the bearing constant of B6 ( bf = 6/8),
B = tb / J3 bf = [64 / 0.82 (0.75)] = 104 hours

Penetration Rate Equations

Penetration rate equations for rolling cutter bits have been proposed by
various authors. The approach usually taken is to assume that the effects of bit
weight, rotary speed, tooth wear, etc., on penetration rate arc all independent
of one another and that the composite effect can be computed using an equation
of the form:
R = (f1) (f2) (f3) (f4)..(fn)
where, f1, f2, f3, f4 , etc, represent the functional relations between penetration
rate and various drilling variables. The functional relations chosen usually are
based on trends observed in either laboratory or field studies. Some authors
have chosen to define the functional relation graphically, while others have used
curve-fitting techniques to obtain empirical mathematical expressions. Some
relatively simple mathematical equations have been used that model only two or
three of the drilling variables. Perhaps the most complete mathematical drilling
model that has been used for rolling cutter bits is the model proposed by
Bourgoyne and Young. They proposed using eight functions to model the effect
of most of the drilling variables. The Bourgoyne-Young drilling model can be
defined by the above with the following functional relations.
f1 = e

2.303a

f2 = e

2.303a

f3 = e

2.303a

f4 = e

2.303a

D = true vertical depth- ft

1
2
3
4

(10000 D)

gp = pore pressure gradient, lbm/gal

D0.69 (gp 9.0)

c = equivalent circulating density, lbm/gal

D (gp c)

h = fractional tooth dullness

f5 = {[(W/db) (W/db)t] / (4 - (W/db)t)]}a5

f6 = ( N / 60)
f7 = e

a
6

Fj = hydraulic impact force beneath the bit, lbf

a h
7

f8 = (Fj / 1000)

(W/db)t = threshold bit weight per inch

a
8

a1 to a8 = constants

Example-9: A 9.875-in. milled tooth bit operated at 40,000 lbf/in, and 80 rpm
is drilling in a shale formation at a depth or 12,000 ft at u penetration rate of 15
ft/hr. The formation pore pressure gradient is equivalent to a 12.0 lbm/gal mud
and the equivalent mud density on bottom is 12.5 lbm/gal. The computed jet
impact force beneath the bit is 1,200 lbf and the computed fractional tooth
wear is 0.3. Compute the apparent formation drillability, f1, using a threshold bit
weight of zero and the following values of a1 through a8.
a2
0.00007

a3
a4
0.000005 0.00003

a5
1.0

a6
0.5

a7
0.5

a8
0.5

Solution:
-The multiplier f2 accounts for the normal decrease in penetration rate with
depth from a reference depth of 10000 ft.
f2 = e

2.303a2 (10000 D)

f2 = e

2.303 (0.00007) (10000 12000)

= 0.724

-The multiplier f3 accounts for the increase in penetration rate due to undercompaction.
f3 = e

2.303a

f3 = e

D 0.69 (gp 9.0)

2.303 (0.000005)

120000.69 (12 9.0) = 1.023

-The multiplier f4 accounts for the change in penetration rate with overbalance
assuming a reference overbalance of zero.
f4 = e

2.303a

f4 = e

D (gp c)

2.303 (0.00003)

12000 (12 12.5)

= 0.6606

-The multiplier f5 accounts for the change in penetration rate with bit weight
assuming a reference bit weight of 4000 lbf/inch.
f5 = {[(W/db) (W/db)t] / (4 - (W/db)t)]}a5
f5 = {[(40 / 9.875] / 4]

1.0

= 1.013

-The multiplier f6 accounts for the change in penetration rate with rotary speed
assuming a reference rotary speed of 60 rpm.
f6 = ( N / 60) a6
f6 = ( 80 / 60)

0.5

= 1.155

-The multiplier f7 accounts for the change in penetration rate with tooth
dullness assuming a zero tooth wear as a reference.
f7 = e a7h
f7 = e

-0.5 (0.3)

= 0.861

-The multiplier f8 accounts for the change in penetration rate with jet impact
force using an impact force of 1000 lbf as a reference.
f8 = (Fj / 1000) a8
f8 = (1200 / 1000)

0.5

= 1.095

Substituting the values of f2 to f8 into penetration rate equation and solving for
formation drillability yields;
R = (f1) (f2) (f3) (f4)..(fn)
15 = f1 (0.724) (1.023) (0.6606) (1.013) (1.155) (0.861) (1.095) f1 = 15 /
0.54 =

f1 = 27.8 ft/hr