Abstract: A target cylinder and a method for testing a superhard component thereon. The target cylinder includes a first end, a second end, and a sidewall extending from the first end to the second end. At least one of the second end and the sidewall is an exposed portion that makes contact with the superhard component to determine at least one property of the superhard component. The exposed portion comprises at least one synthetic material having at least one of a compressive strength raging from about 12 kpsi to about 30 kpsi, an abrasiveness ranging from about 1 Cerchars to about 6 Cerchars, and an iron content ranging from about 5 percent to about 10 percent. Optionally, the exposed portion further comprises a second material interveningly positioned between or within the synthetic material in a predetermined and repeatable pattern.

Abstract: A front face of a diamond table mounted to a substrate is processed to introduce a material which comingles with or semi-alloys with or partially displaces interstitial catalyst binder in a thermal channel to a desired depth. The material is selected to be less thermally expandable than the catalyst binder and/or more thermally conductive than the catalyst binder and/or having a lower heat capacity than the catalyst binder.

Abstract: A drill bit includes a plurality of continuous segments impregnated with diamond that are each mounted to form a corresponding blade. The regions between the blades define a plurality of fluid passages on the bit face. The blades extend radially outwardly to the gage. The continuous segments may be either straight or spiral in design. Furthermore, the design of the segments supports varying one or more of: diamond content, width, back rake angle and/or relief angle along a length of the segment.

Abstract: A drill bit includes a plurality of continuous segments impregnated with diamond that are each mounted to form a corresponding blade. The regions between the blades define a plurality of fluid passages on the bit face. The blades extend radially outwardly to the gage. The continuous segments may be either straight or spiral in design. Furthermore, the design of the segments supports varying one or more of: diamond content, width, back rake angle and/or relief angle along a length of the segment.

Abstract: A cutter is configured with a diamond table made from a thin hard facing material layer of polycrystalline diamond bonded to a backing layer made from cemented tungsten carbide. The face of the diamond table includes a concavity formed with a curved shape wherein at least a portion of the face in a center of the cutter is recessed with respect to at least some portion of the face about the perimeter of the cutter. This concave curved shape is formed in the diamond table itself such that the diamond table has a varying thickness depending on the implemented concavity.

Abstract: A drill bit includes a plurality of continuous segments impregnated with diamond that are each mounted to form a corresponding blade. The regions between the blades define a plurality of fluid passages on the bit face. The blades extend radially outwardly to the gage. The continuous segments may be either straight or spiral in design. Furthermore, the design of the segments supports varying one or more of: diamond content, width, back rake angle and/or relief angle along a length of the segment.

Abstract: A method, system and apparatus for testing properties of a rock formation surrounding a wellbore in situ. The apparatus includes a tool body, one or more indenters, and one or more acoustic sensors. The body includes an outer surface that defines one or more cavities therein. Each cavity extends into the body. Each indenter is positioned within a corresponding cavity and is positionable into an operating position and a non-operating position. The acoustic sensor is positioned within the cavity and adjacent to the indenter. The indenter is positioned at least partially beyond the outer surface when in the operating position. The acoustic sensor senses one or more acoustic events occurring when the indenter is in the operating position. The apparatus is inserted into the wellbore. Once inserted, the indenter applies a load onto the rock formation causing cracking and the sensor receives the generated acoustic transmissions. The transmissions are analyzed.

Abstract: A drill bit includes a plurality of continuous segments impregnated with diamond that are each mounted to form a corresponding blade. The regions between the blades define a plurality of fluid passages on the bit face. The blades extend radially outwardly to the gage. The continuous segments may be either straight or spiral in design. Furthermore, the design of the segments supports varying one or more of: diamond content, width, back rake angle and/or relief angle along a length of the segment.

Abstract: A drill bit includes a plurality of continuous segments impregnated with diamond that are each mounted to form a corresponding blade. The regions between the blades define a plurality of fluid passages on the bit face. The blades extend radially outwardly to the gage. The continuous segments may be either straight or spiral in design. Furthermore, the design of the segments supports varying one or more of: diamond content, width, back rake angle and/or relief angle along a length of the segment.

Abstract: A block of dense material is made up of hard particles, of the same or different nature, dispersed in a binder phase. The material has a solidus temperature Ts above which the binder phase is liquid. There is deposited on at least a portion of the surface of the block of dense material an active coating composed of a material capable of reacting chemically with the dense material when the assembly is heated to beyond a minimum reaction temperature Tr. The block coated with the active coating is subjected to a heat treatment comprising heating, then maintenance for a time tm at a maintenance temperature Tm greater than or equal to the minimum reaction temperature Tr, followed by cooling to ambient temperature.

Abstract: A target cylinder and a method for testing a superhard component thereon. The target cylinder includes a first end, a second end, and a sidewall extending from the first end to the second end. At least one of the second end and the sidewall is an exposed portion that makes contact with the superhard component to determine at least one property of the superhard component. The exposed portion comprises at least one synthetic material having at least one of a compressive strength raging from about 12 kpsi to about 30 kpsi, an abrasiveness ranging from about 1 Cerchars to about 6 Cerchars, and an iron content ranging from about 5 percent to about 10 percent. Optionally, the exposed portion further comprises a second material interveningly positioned between or within the synthetic material in a predetermined and repeatable pattern.

Abstract: A target cylinder and a method for testing a superhard component thereon. The target cylinder includes a first end, a second end, and a sidewall extending from the first end to the second end. At least one of the second end and the sidewall is an exposed portion that makes contact with the superhard component to determine at least one property of the superhard component. The exposed portion comprises at least one synthetic material having at least one of a compressive strength raging from about 12 kpsi to about 30 kpsi, an abrasiveness ranging from about 1 Cerchars to about 6 Cerchars, and an iron content ranging from about 5 percent to about 10 percent. Optionally, the exposed portion further comprises a second material interveningly positioned between or within the synthetic material in a predetermined and repeatable pattern.

Abstract: A target cylinder and a method for fabricating the target cylinder. The target cylinder includes a first end, a second end, and a sidewall extending from the first end to the second end. At least one of the second end and the sidewall is an exposed portion that makes contact with a superhard component to determine at least one property of the superhard component. The exposed portion comprises at least one soft material and at least one hard material that is interveningly positioned between or within the soft material in a predetermined and repeatable pattern. In one embodiment, the differential of the unconfined compressive strength between the hard material and the soft material ranges from about 1,000 psi to about 60,000 psi.

Abstract: A target cylinder and a method for testing a superhard component thereon. The target cylinder includes a first end, a second end, and a sidewall extending from the first end to the second end. At least one of the second end and the sidewall is an exposed portion that makes contact with the superhard component to determine at least one property of the superhard component. The exposed portion comprises at least one synthetic material having at least one of a compressive strength raging from about 12 kpsi to about 30 kpsi, an abrasiveness ranging from about 1 Cerchars to about 6 Cerchars, and an iron content ranging from about 5 percent to about 10 percent. Optionally, the exposed portion further comprises a second material interveningly positioned between or within the synthetic material in a predetermined and repeatable pattern.

Abstract: A front face of a diamond table mounted to a substrate is processed, for example through an acid leach, to remove interstitial catalyst binder and form a thermal channel. A material is then introduced to the front face of the diamond table, the introduced material backfilling the front face of the diamond table to fill interstitial voids left by removal of the catalyst binder in the thermal channel to a desired depth. The material is selected to be less thermally expandable than the catalyst binder and/or more thermally conductive than the catalyst binder and/or having a lower heat capacity than the catalyst binder.

Abstract: A cutter is configured with a diamond table made from a thin hard facing material layer of polycrystalline diamond bonded to a backing layer made from cemented tungsten carbide. The face of the diamond table includes a concavity formed with a curved shape wherein at least a portion of the face in a center of the cutter is recessed with respect to at least some portion of the face about the perimeter of the cutter. This concave curved shape is formed in the diamond table itself such that the diamond table has a varying thickness depending on the implemented concavity.

Abstract: A front face of a diamond table mounted to a substrate is processed to introduce a material which comingles with or semi-alloys with or partially displaces interstitial catalyst binder in a thermal channel to a desired depth. The material is selected to be less thermally expandable than the catalyst binder and/or more thermally conductive than the catalyst binder and/or having a lower heat capacity than the catalyst binder.

Abstract: A sectorial force balanced drill bit, including conventional and bi-center drill bits, having the true center of rotation the same as, or about the same as, the bit mass axis. The bit mass axis is a longitudinal axis located off-center to the geometric axis of the bit and comprises the center of mass point. This balancing allows a greater longevity for the cutters. Additionally, a method for sectorially force balancing drill bits is provided. The method includes dividing the drill bit into one or more sections, calculating the magnitude and direction of the resultant radial imbalance force for the cutters of each section, adjusting the cutters and/or blades until the magnitude of the resultant radial imbalance force is about the same for each section and the direction of the resultant radial imbalance force for each section is about 2?/n, where n is the number of sections, from the adjacent section.

Abstract: A drill bit includes a plurality of continuous segments impregnated with diamond that are each mounted to form a corresponding blade. The regions between the blades define a plurality of fluid passages on the bit face. The blades extend radially outwardly to the gage. The continuous segments may be either straight or spiral in design. Furthermore, the design of the segments supports varying one or more of: diamond content, width, back rake angle and/or relief angle along a length of the segment.

Abstract: In a process, a thermally stable diamond table body and a substrate are stacked on each other at an interface which includes a layer of a imbibiting material interposed between a bottom surface of the body and an upper surface of the substrate. The stack is subjected to a suitable thermal cycle, constituted by heating, temperature maintenance and cooling, which brings at least some of the imbibiting material into the liquid state for migration into the thermally stable diamond table body and substrate at and about the interface so as to join the thermally stable diamond table body to the substrate. The substrate may be produced as a block of dense material constituted by hard particles dispersed in a binder phase, wherein the dense material has been enriched locally with binder phase by imbibition.