Continuous Chain Drill Bit Developments
- Key words
- Drilling; DOE; Sandia; Diamond Bits; Drilling Rate; Economics
- Conference
- Geothermal Resources Council Transactions
- Year
- 1978
- Session
- Drilling; Drill bits
- Language
- English
Abstract
Under DOE's Geothermal Well Technology Program, the Continuous Chain Drill Bit, in which fresh cutting surfaces are cycled into place without removing the bit from the hole, is under development by Sandia Laboratories. Fixed head bit testing has optimized cutting surface diamond pattern's developed adequate bit hydraulics, and solved the apex problems thru application of Stratapax cutters in the bit nose. Prototype chain drill testing has demonstrated structural integrity, indentified some hydraulic erosion and cycling mechanism problems. and confirmed superior drilling rate and lifetime performance to commercial diamond bits when drilling hard abrasive rock.
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