Abstract: A completions bit for use in a wellbore includes: a shank having a coupling formed at an upper end thereof; a body mounted to a lower end of the shank; and a cutting face forming a lower end of the bit. The cutting face includes: a blade protruding from the body; a tangentially oriented leading cutter mounted to a bearing face of the blade adjacent to a leading edge of the blade at an inner portion of the cutting face; and a radially oriented leading cutter mounted to the bearing face of the blade in proximity to the leading edge thereof at an outer portion of the cutting face.

Abstract: A completions bit for use in a wellbore includes: a shank having a coupling formed at an upper end thereof; a body mounted to a lower end of the shank; and a cutting face forming a lower end of the bit. The cutting face includes: a blade protruding from the body; a tangentially oriented leading cutter mounted to a bearing face of the blade adjacent to a leading edge of the blade at an inner portion of the cutting face; and a radially oriented leading cutter mounted to the bearing face of the blade in proximity to the leading edge thereof at an outer portion of the cutting face.

Abstract: A repaired polycrystalline diamond cutter and method for fabricating the same. The cutter includes a damaged substrate that includes at least one void therein, a polycrystalline diamond table coupled to the damaged substrate, and a build-up compound disposed within the voids formed about the damaged substrate. The damaged substrate and the build-up compound collectively form a full circumference. The method includes obtaining a damaged cutter that includes a polycrystalline diamond table coupled to a damaged substrate having at least one void formed therein, bonding a build-up compound within the at least one void and forming a processed PDC cutter, and removing a portion of the build-up compound from the processed PDC cutter and forming the repaired cutter.

Abstract: A method for hardfacing a drill bit includes applying a hardfacing material to a matrix metal forming the substrate of the drill bit. The hardfacing material is applied using a plasma arc welding process. A metallurgical bond is formed between the matrix metal and the hardfacing material. The matrix metal may include tungsten carbide and a braze filler metal.

Abstract: A hardfaced infiltrated matrix downhole tool and a method for hardfacing such items. The hardfaced infiltrated matrix downhole tool includes a body, an intermediate base coat coupled to at least a portion of the surface of the body, and a hardfacing material coupled to at least a portion of the intermediate base coat. The body is composed of at least a carbide material and an infiltrating binder material. The intermediate base coat bonds to the surface of the body and to the hardfacing material. The method includes obtaining an infiltrated matrix downhole tool, applying and bonding the intermediate base coat to at least a portion of the surface of the infiltrated matrix downhole tool, and applying and bonding the hardfacing material to at least a portion of the intermediate base coat.

Abstract: A repaired polycrystalline diamond cutter and method for fabricating the same. The cutter includes a damaged substrate that includes at least one void therein, a polycrystalline diamond table coupled to the damaged substrate, and a paste compound disposed within the voids formed about the damaged substrate. The damaged substrate and the paste compound collectively form a full circumference. The method includes obtaining a damaged cutter that includes a polycrystalline diamond table coupled to a damaged substrate having at least one void formed therein, applying a paste compound within the at least one void, melting the paste compound via induction heating, bonding the paste compound to the substrate and forming a processed PDC cutter, and grinding at least a portion of the paste compound from the processed PDC cutter to form the repaired cutter.

Abstract: A method for forming pockets of a drill bit includes inserting a displacement plug in a cutter pocket defined by a substrate of a drill bit. A hardfacing material is applied to the substrate and the displacement plug using a plasma arc welding torch. The heat from the plasma arc welding torch reduces an oxide layer on the outer surface of the displacement plug, and the molten hardfacing material flows over the displacement plug and wets against the displacement plug. The displacement plug is then removed to reveal a final cutter pocket configured to receive a cutter compact. The cutter compact is secured to the final cutter pocket by brazing.

Abstract: A short matrix drill bit is disclosed along with methods of manufacturing the same. The Short drill matrix bit includes a combination shank/blank bonded to a matrix. The combination shank/blank includes a blank portion and a shank portion, which are formed as a unitary component. The combination shank and blank may also include an outer layer formed along at least a portion of the combination shank/blank. In some instances, the outer layer is nickel plating, or some other suitable material, which facilitates wetting of the binder material used to form the matrix.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for manufacturing a downhole tool. The cemented matrix material is formed from a metal powder, a shoulder powder, and a binder material, wherein the metal powder and/or the shoulder powder includes at least one of stainless steel powder, nickel powder, cobalt powder, iron powder, or powders of other suitable metals or alloys, or a combination of such mentioned powders.

Abstract: A hardfaced infiltrated matrix downhole tool and a method for hardfacing such items is provided. The hardfaced infiltrated matrix downhole tool includes a body, an intermediate base coat coupled to at least a portion of the surface of the body, and a hardfacing material coupled to at least a portion of the intermediate base coat. The body is composed of at least a carbide material and an infiltrating binder material. The intermediate base coat bonds to the surface of the body and to the hardfacing material. The method includes obtaining an infiltrated matrix downhole tool, applying and bonding the intermediate base coat to at least a portion of the surface of the infiltrated matrix downhole tool, and applying and bonding the hardfacing material to at least a portion of the intermediate base coat.

Abstract: A downhole tool and method for manufacturing such downhole tool. The downhole tool includes a bit body having a blank and a matrix bonded to and surrounding the blank, a shank having a threaded connection at one end, and a butt joint formed within a gap formed between the blank and the shank and coupling the blank to the shank. The blank includes a first planar surface while the shank includes a second planar surface opposite the one end. The butt joint is formed between the first and second planar surfaces when positioned adjacent to one another, wherein the first planar surface is positioned external to the matrix.

Abstract: A repaired polycrystalline diamond cutter and method for fabricating the same. The cutter includes a damaged substrate that includes at least one void therein, a polycrystalline diamond table coupled to the damaged substrate, and a paste compound disposed within the voids formed about the damaged substrate. The damaged substrate and the paste compound collectively form a full circumference. The method includes obtaining a damaged cutter that includes a polycrystalline diamond table coupled to a damaged substrate having at least one void formed therein, applying a paste compound within the at least one void, melting the paste compound via induction heating, bonding the paste compound to the substrate and forming a processed PDC cutter, and grinding at least a portion of the paste compound from the processed PDC cutter to form the repaired cutter.

Abstract: A method for hardfacing a drill bit includes applying a hardfacing material to a matrix metal forming the substrate of the drill bit. The hardfacing material is applied using a plasma arc welding process. A metallurgical bond is formed between the matrix metal and the hardfacing material. The matrix metal may include tungsten carbide and a braze filler metal.

Abstract: A repaired polycrystalline diamond cutter and method for fabricating the same. The cutter includes a damaged substrate that includes at least one void therein, a polycrystalline diamond table coupled to the damaged substrate, and a build-up compound disposed within the voids formed about the damaged substrate. The damaged substrate and the build-up compound collectively form a full circumference. The method includes obtaining a damaged cutter that includes a polycrystalline diamond table coupled to a damaged substrate having at least one void formed therein, bonding a build-up compound within the at least one void and forming a processed PDC cutter, and removing a portion of the build-up compound from the processed PDC cutter and forming the repaired cutter.

Abstract: A hardfaced infiltrated matrix downhole tool and a method for hardfacing such items. The hardfaced infiltrated matrix downhole tool includes a body, an intermediate base coat coupled to at least a portion of the surface of the body, and a hardfacing material coupled to at least a portion of the intermediate base coat. The body is composed of at least a carbide material and an infiltrating binder material. The intermediate base coat bonds to the surface of the body and to the hardfacing material. The method includes obtaining an infiltrated matrix downhole tool, applying and bonding the intermediate base coat to at least a portion of the surface of the infiltrated matrix downhole tool, and applying and bonding the hardfacing material to at least a portion of the intermediate base coat.

Abstract: A system, method, and article of manufacture for imaging tubular structures of the human body, such as the digestive tract of a living person, with a medical imaging device such as a computed tomography (CT) scanner and a computer workstation. The CT scanner is used to generate cross-sectional axial images of a human colon which are then transferred to the computer workstation. A colon midline is defined which follows the colon lumen. The computer workstation supports colon midline definition by generating and displaying reformatted cross-sectional images, volume rendered scouts, and interluminal views. Semi-automatic midline defining tools are also included. After the midline is defined, a montage of images is displayed for diagnostic purposes. The images include axial sections, transluminal cross section, and intraluminal volume rendered images.