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May 2006

Selecting the Right Drill Bit for Any Rotary

Steerable System and Application
Astonishing advancements have been made in directional drilling
during the past few years allowing drillers greater control in
reaching a specified target zone. However, the goal of every
driller is also to achieve a high rate of penetration (ROP) because

Jeff Crockett

high ROPs shorten drilling times and therefore, reduce overall

Global Product Champion Directional/Performance

Drilling

drilling costs.
To achieve higher ROPs,
technologies involving every
aspect of the drilling operation
are continually being
examined and refined. One of
these technologies involves
the selection of drill bits for
rotary steerable systems
(RSS). Security DBS Drill Bits
now offers a full line of RSS
bits through its FullDrift and
HyperSteer product lines.
Rotary steerable systems allow operators to plan complex
wellbore geometries, including horizontal and extended-reach
wells, which could not be drilled efficiently or effectively with
conventional drilling methods. RSS accomplish this by enabling
full directional drilling control in three dimensions while drilling
with continuous drillstring rotation from the surface. This
capability requires a special bottomhole assembly (BHA) to be
installed above the bit. This BHA directs the wellpath in the
desired direction while keeping the orientation of the drilling
trajectory separate from its rotation and the rotation of the
drillpipe above it.
Point vs. Push
Currently, rotary steerable systems can be divided into two
groups, "push-the-bit" systems and "point-the-bit" systems. Both
systems utilize complex working mechanisms to accomplish the
desired independent 3D directional control. Push-the-bit systems
steer the bit by applying a side load that forces the bit laterally in
the direction of the desired curve. Point-the-bit systems steer the
bit by tilting the bit in the direction of the desired curve.

Push-the-Bit and Point-the-bit systems. (Click to enlarge).

No matter which type rotary steerable system is selected by the
operator, the drill bit selection must be matched to the operating
methodology of the RSS for maximum drilling optimization. By
matching the most capable bit with both the RSS and the
formation, key drilling factors such as efficiency, steerability and
stability can be obtained. And, by obtaining these desirable
factors, directional control, hole quality and vibration can be
maximized as well.
After the decision has been made on which type RSS will
economically meet the objectives of the drilling program, the
focus shifts to the drill bit that will make reaching the target zone
possible. Considerations for bit selection include factors such as
lateral and axial drilling efficiency, gauge pad length, cutting
structure aggressiveness and durability. Depending on the
system chosen, matching the bit with the system becomes a
balancing act to achieve the desired deviation without introducing
factors that disallow optimal bit performance.

Image shows various Gauge Pad lengths. (Click to enlarge).

Bits Properties for Push Systems
Push-the-bit rotary steerable systems generally require a bit
design that is more laterally aggressive. Because it is a rotary

application, there is usually less concern about bit-induced torque

and typically, there is plenty of power for a more aggressive
design. However, features used to make the bit laterally
aggressive can also make it somewhat less stable and more
susceptible to vibration damage. Depending on the directional
objectives, push-the-bit systems may require bits with varying
degrees of lateral aggressiveness to achieve the desired build
rate. Bit designs can be tailored specifically for applications
requiring:
Laterally aggressive bits with little or no passive gauge

area in high steerability applications to yield the highest

degree of dogleg severity,
Laterally passive bit designs with increased passive gauge

area in low steerability well designs where wellbore quality

is of highest importance,
A combination of these features to reach a given set of

designer well objectives.

Therefore, it is necessary to balance what is needed from a
directional standpoint with what is needed for optimal bit
performance. For example, a bit can be designed with optimized
impact arrestors to minimize gauge cutter damage caused by
side loading. Once the bit has been designed for the application,
system-induced vibration will not cause impact damage to the
cutting structure.
While laterally aggressive PDC bit designs may be required to
enable push-the-bit tools to steer, the side cutting capabilities of
the bit must be tailored to achieve the desired deviation without
introducing unnecessary tortuosity to the well path or creating
excessive bit-induced lateral vibration (whirl). Particular attention
should be paid to choosing the right amount of active/passive
gauge in deviated and high-angle applications. Otherwise, microtortuosity could be introduced. This condition can result from an
unwanted natural drop tendency that can occur while trying to
hold a tangent or allowing the weight on bit to drill off. It is
especially likely to develop during controlled drilling situations.
A further challenge for modern rotary steerable systems is the
destructive, low-frequency vibrations caused by stick-slip
conditions which are common to straight rotary applications. The
cutting structure layout's design features and blade geometry can
limit the bit's contribution to this phenomenon.
Bit Properties for Point Systems
Today, several different point-the-bit systems are being utilized.
Unlike push-the-bit systems, point-the-bit systems generally do
not rely upon lateral aggressiveness.
Typically, point-the-bit systems increase the gauge length for

stability and utilize "bit tilt" for directional changes. While the
objectives are similar, the bit design requirements can be quite
different. Not only does the particular application influence the bit
requirements, but so does the working mechanism of the system.
Lateral and axial drilling efficiency for the cutting structure,
gauge pad length and aggressiveness, and cutting structure
durability must all be matched to the particular application and
the specific system being utilized.
Systems such as Halliburton's Geo-Pilot system from Sperry
Drilling Services with a Security DBS FullDrift bit can be ideal for
applications where excessive torque and drag can inhibit drilling
operations. Due to the system's ability to accurately place the
well bore through multiple drilling targets, it can greatly improve
production from a single well. It can also improve overall drilling
efficiency by eliminating aggressive, side-cutting, unstabilized
short-gauge bits that cause spiraling. As a result, this system
enhances hole cleaning, bit life and downhole tool reliability while
yielding more efficient casing and logging tool running
operations.
Drilling-by-Design - Custom Matched Solutions
Matching the bit to the drilling system and the formation
represents the key to optimizing directional drilling success.
Three factors that influence drilling system performance are
drilling efficiency, stability and steerability. Bits must be designed
with these factors in mind because when they are achieved,
directional control, vibration control and hole quality are assured.
To realize the full potential of bit design, Security DBS employs
the unique process of Design at the Customer InterfaceSM
(DatCI) which uses a global network of application design and
evaluation specialists who work directly with customers to affect
bit designs for specific applications. Using proprietary well
planning software, these specialists match bit designs to
applications to fully optimize bit characteristics and features.
Later, during actual drilling, the software is utilized again to
model the specific drilling environment in order to determine the
optimum parameters and bit usage in real time. As a result, from
initial application analysis to optimizing and evaluating bit
performance, a continuous improvement loop produces
significant performance results.
This process has resulted in innovative bit technology utilizing the
proven FM3000 series platform that matches bit designs to
specific rotary steerable systems. Each steerable bit is custom
designed to optimize directional control, vibration and bore hole
quality. These rotary steerable bit design solutions have been
applied successfully in a variety of geographical areas of the
world to produce results that include:

 In a push-the-bit application, the HyperSteer FMR3663Z

bit drilled the longest rotary steerable run in the Viosca

Knoll area, Gulf of Mexico, drilling to 14,200' with an
average ROP of 65.6 ft/hr.
In Offshore Brunei, a Geo-Pilot 9600 point-the-bit rotary

steerable system with a 12-1/4" FMF3653Z FullDrift bit

drilled the entire section in a single run while a
competitor's product required four trips and two bits in a
similar, adjacent section.
Completion of three open-hole sidetracks with a point-the-

bit offshore, Qatar drilling a total of 16,894' in 242.1

hrs. The HyperSteer FMR3755ZR bit was pulled in rerunnable condition, and all directional objectives were
achieved.
And in Saudi Arabia, an FMR3661 bit drilled 4055 feet at

45.1 ft/hr in the Arab D Formation, completing the

interval in one bit run on a push-the-bit RSS.

Conclusion
The matching of an optimal bit design to a rotary steerable
system is critical to the performance of that system in a drilling
application. The result is increased efficiency, ROP and costeffectiveness.

Whether a push-the-bit or point-the-bit system is selected, the

bit must be designed and matched to the system. For push-thebit systems, the bit should generally feature laterally aggressive
design, with a shallow cone profile and short makeup length. For
point-the-bit systems, which steer by tilting the bit, bit designs
may feature longer gauge lengths.
Powerful bit design tools are now available to optimize bit and

drilling performance through in-depth planning, bit design and

post-well evaluation. Such tools are the result of new
technologies, such as the FM3000 bit design platform, that are
creating new highly successful RSS bits for operator drilling
programs.

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