Drill Bits With a Fluid Cushion For Reduced Friction and Methods of Making and Using Same
AssigneeBaker Hughes Incorporated
InventorsThorsten Schwefe, Chad J. Beuershausen, Britney E. Meckfessel, Trung Huynh
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A drill bit is disclosed that in one configuration may include at least one cutter on a face section of the bit and at least one opening proximate the at least one cutter configured to discharge fluid under pressure onto the formation to create a fluid cushion between the drill bit and the formation during a drilling operation. An actuation device associated with the drill bit may be utilized to provide fluid under pressure to the at least one opening.
Claims20
A drill bit, comprising:
- a face section that includes one or more cutters thereon configured to penetrate into a formation;
- at least one opening in the drill bit configured to discharge fluid under pressure onto the formation;
- and
- an actuation unit configured to supply the fluid under pressure to the at least one opening when the drill bit is engaged for cutting the formation.
A method of drilling a wellbore, comprising:
- conveying a drill bit attached to a bottomhole assembly into the wellbore, the drill bit having at least one cutter on a face section of the drill bit and at least one opening proximate to at least one cutter, the at least one opening configured to discharge a fluid under pressure onto a formation when the drill bit is engaged in cutting the formation;
- drilling the wellbore by rotating the drill bit;
- and
- supplying the fluid under pressure to the at least one opening to create a fluid cushion between the face section of the drill bit and the formation.
A method of manufacturing a drill bit, comprising:
- providing a drill bit having at least one cutter on a face section of the drill bit;
- and
- forming at least one opening proximate the at least one cutter configured to discharge a fluid under pressure onto a formation when the drill bit is engaged in cutting the formation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.