Abstract: A cutting element design that includes a base portion designed to be brazed, pressed or otherwise attached into a drill bit or reaming tool where the design of the cutting element is such that forward drilling force is concentrated in a small area to improve piercement of and/or impingement into the rock to enhance shear and rupture when the element is rotated into the rock on a drill bit. The cutting element is further enabled by the use of a thick, unitary hardened surface coating on an everted working surface to dissipate heat.

Abstract: A low friction stabilizer having a body and a plurality of small contact pads configured to function with the effectiveness of a single, larger contact pad is described. The assemblage and configuration of the small contact pads enable the performance of stabilization while reducing rotational drag and while allowing high annular flow around the stabilizer.

Abstract: A drill bit having fixed Polycrystalline Diamond Compact cutters is used to drill a borehole having a core stump therein. A plurality of additional fixed Polycrystalline Diamond Compact cutters are disposed in the dome of the bit and are usable to concentrate stresses in the top end of the core stump to facilitate the cutting down of the core stump.

Abstract: A drill collar formed substantially entirely from a metal matrix material and one or more metal alloys, the drill collar being produced through a molding process. The metal matrix material of the drill collar minimizes lateral movement and vibration during drilling operations, while providing a weight greater than that of conventional drill collar materials, thereby enabling construction of drill collars and bottom hole assemblies having a reduced length.

Abstract: Data associated with drilling operations, downhole components, wellbores, or well formations can be acquired by providing one or more data acquisition modules having one or more sensors into one or more recessed chambers formed within a drill bit, stabilizer reamer, or other downhole tool, enabling direct rather than inferential data to be obtained for analysis. The modules can be programmed with pre-selected trigger thresholds, such that data acquisition is initiated when certain conditions are met, and can be interchanged with other types of modules at the surface.

Abstract: A drill bit is described herein, having a first bit face with a first plurality of cutters oriented to bore in a first direction, and a second bit face with a second plurality of cutters oriented to bore in one or more second directions. The pluralities of cutters enable functional articulation of the drill bit, such that the drill bit can change direction within a borehole without requiring removal of the drill bit. The drill bit can thereby drill in a downhole direction and lateral directions, can back ream through the borehole, and can provide the borehole with one or more oversized regions, as desired.

Abstract: A drill collar formed substantially entirely from a metal matrix material and one or more metal alloys is provided, the drill collar being produced through a molding process. The metal matrix material of the drill collar minimizes lateral movement and vibration during drilling operations, while providing a weight greater than that of conventional drill collar materials, thereby enabling construction of drill collars and bottom hole assemblies having a reduced length.

Abstract: Reamer elements for use with roller reamers and other types of reamer apparatuses, methods for forming such reamer elements, and methods for performing drilling operations using such reamer elements are disclosed. The reamer element includes a body formed from a matrix of tungsten carbide and at least one binding metal, and can include a tube disposed therethrough. In use, the body resists compressive forces, while the tube resists tensile forces, thereby preventing deformation of the reamer element. The matrix material of the body provides increased wear resistance, decreased magnetic interference, decreased yield, and increased weight on a drill bit when compared to conventional steel components.

Abstract: A central cutting structure for use with a drill bit includes a plurality of cutters, of which at least one overlaps the center of a supporting member from which the cutters extend. Each cutter has a side rake angle that provides an overlapping relationship with at least one other cutter to provide an aggressive cutting surface for penetrating hard formations.

Abstract: A drilling stabilizer having a body and a plurality of blades integrally cast from tungsten carbide particles bound together with a heated metal binder, for use in drilling oil and gas wells, has a first box end and a second pin end at the distal end of the stabilizer. A plurality a PDC cutters are mounted on the top end of the stabilizer to allow the stabilizer to be used as a reamer when pulling the stabilizer out of the borehole. A steel tube is formed within the interior of the stabilizer in the molding process and which allows the pin end to have steel threads and the box end to also have steel threads to facilitate the makeup of the stabilizer with either the steel threads of a drill bit or the steel threads of joints of drill pipe.

Abstract: A drill bit having a plurality of cutters on its lower surface, each of which can having a plurality of PDC cutter elements disposed thereon. The cutting surface on each of the cutters is mounted in in an orientation that allows drilling of oversize boreholes which enables the drill bit to be turned more easily to facilitate the boreholes being drilled on a smaller radius. The placement of the cutters on each of the blades enables the drill bit to drill both vertically and laterally.

Abstract: A drill bit, insert and method useful for subterranean drilling, or forming boreholes in subterranean formations is provided. More particularly, a more efficient cutting structure and method is provided in the central portion of a PDC drill bit. The present invention provides a drill bit, insert and method having a central cutting portion with a more normalized angle of attack. The drill bit of the present invention provides for various attack angles much closer to the optimum side rake.

Abstract: A polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) drill bit having a plurality of PDC cutters, each having a body of diamond crystals containing catalyzing material, is coated with a material which is impervious to a given acid. After the coating is dried, a segment of the coating is removed and acid is supplied to the body of diamond crystals to leach out the catalyzing material contained within the exposed portion of the body.

Abstract: A drilling stabilizer having a body and a plurality of blades integrally cast from tungsten carbide particles bound together with a heated metal binder, for use in drilling oil and gas wells, has a first box end and a second pin end at the distal end of the stabilizer. A plurality of PDC cutters are mounted on the top end of the stabilizer to allow the stabilizer to be used as a reamer when pulling the stabilizer out of the borehole. A steel tube is formed within the interior of the stabilizer in the molding process and which allows the pin end to have steel threads and the box end to also have steel threads to facilitate the makeup of the stabilizer with either the steel threads of a drill bit or the steel threads of joints of drill pipe.

Abstract: A polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) cutter having a body of diamond crystals containing a catalyzing material is coated with a material impervious to a given acid. After the coating has dried, a segment of the coating is removed and acid is supplied to the diamond crystal body through the template in the coating to leach out the catalyzing material contained within the body of diamond crystals.

Abstract: A drill bit having fixed Polycrystalline Diamond Compact cutters is used to drill a borehole having a core stump therein. A plurality of additional fixed Polycrystalline Diamond Compact cutters are disposed in the dome of the bit and are usable to concentrate stresses in the top end of the core stump to facilitate the cutting down of the core stump.

Abstract: A polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) cutter having a body of diamond crystals containing cobalt is coated with Teflon which is impervious to hydrofluoric acid. After the Teflon coating is dried, a segment of the Teflon coating is removed and a mixture of 50% hydrofluoric acid and 50% nitric acid is supplied to the diamond crystal body through the template in the Teflon coating to leach out the cobalt catalyzing material contained within the body of diamond crystals. In an alternative embodiment, a similar process is used to coat a PDC drill bit and the PDC cutters mounted in the PDC drill bit. After the Teflon dries, a segment of the coating is removed and the acid mix is applied through the templates in the cutters to leach out the cobalt in each of the bodies of diamond crystals. In another alternative embodiment, a tube is placed over the PDC cutter, the tube having one or more templates exposing only the segment or segments of the cutting surface to the acid mix.

Abstract: A drill bit, insert and method useful for subterranean drilling, or forming boreholes in subterranean formations is provided. More particularly, a more efficient cutting structure and method is provided in the central portion of a PDC drill bit. The present invention provides a drill bit, insert and method having a central cutting portion with a more normalized angle of attack. The drill bit of the present invention provides for various attack angles much closer to the optimum side rake.

Abstract: A polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) cutter having a body of diamond crystals containing cobalt is coated with Teflon which is impervious to hydrofluoric acid. After the Teflon coating is dried, a segment of the Teflon coating is removed and a mixture of 50% hydrofluoric acid and 50% nitric acid is supplied to the diamond crystal body through the template in the Teflon coating to leach out the cobalt catalyzing material contained within the body of diamond crystals. In an alternative embodiment, a similar process is used to coat a PDC drill bit and the PDC cutters mounted in the PDC drill bit. After the Teflon dries, a segment of the coating is removed and the acid mix is applied through the templates in the cutters to leach out the cobalt in each of the bodies of diamond crystals. In another alternative embodiment, a tube is placed over the PDC cutter, the tube having one or more templates exposing only the segment or segments of the cutting surface to the acid mix.

Abstract: A polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) cutter having a body of diamond crystals containing cobalt is coated with Teflon which is impervious to hydrofluoric acid. After the Teflon coating is dried, a segment of the Teflon coating is removed and a mixture of 50% hydrofluoric acid and 50% nitric acid is supplied to the diamond crystal body through the template in the Teflon coating to leach out the cobalt catalyzing material contained within the body of diamond crystals. In an alternative embodiment, a similar process is used to coat a PDC drill bit and the PDC cutters mounted in the PDC drill bit. After the Teflon dries, a segment of the coating is removed and the acid mix is applied through the templates in the cutters to leach out the cobalt in each of the bodies of diamond crystals. In another alternative embodiment, a tube is placed over the PDC cutter, the tube having one or more templates exposing only the segment or segments of the cutting surface to the acid mix.