Offshore staff
HOUSTON– Baker Hughes has made the commercial release of its line of Kymera XTreme hybrid drill bits, which are designed to lower well construction costs through faster and more durable drilling performance.
The bits—which combine the strengths of PDC and tricone bit technology—offer the smooth, consistent performance of previous generations of hybrid bits, while improving penetration rates and run life. Kymera XT drill bits are available in a variety of designs, each capable of addressing specific challenges in numerous applications, formation types and hole sizes.
The company says the Kymera XT bits drill faster thanprevious generation hybrid bits and offer a dynamic-balanced design that reduces torque fluctuations to minimize damage to the bit and, deliver efficient, effective performance in both vertical and curve sections. They also offer steerability and control in difficult environments, including carbonates and interbedded formations.
The new bits’ sharper, more durable cutting structures incorporate enhanced shapes and carbide grades for improved aggressiveness and accelerated penetration rates. These designs, the company claims, provide added tool face control, enabling the drilling of longer distances at higher buildup rates than was previously possible, while maintaining a high-quality borehole throughout extended runs.
Blade and roller cone designs can be optimized based on the operator’s application to deliver a variety of benefits that include long, section-to-section runs and enhanced durability during transitions between formations.
In the Middle East, the new hybrid drill bit demonstrated durability by drilling 2,721 ft (829 m) of extremely hard and abrasive series of limestone, sandstone, and shale formations in one fast run—improving rate of penetration by 138% over the field average and reducing the operator’s cost-per-foot by 50%. As a result, the operator finished the section 2.3 days ahead of schedule, saving nearly $100,000.
Scott Schmidt, vice president, Drill Bits at Baker Hughes, said: “Kymera XTreme hybrid bits combine the control and rock-crushing strength of a tricone bit with the speed and shearing action of a PDC bit and, in almost every case, are more durable than either of the alternatives.
“This combination delivers a bit capable of drilling longer vertical and curve sections at higher speeds and in a variety of challenging formations – an extremely valuable tool to help our customers effectively manage their well construction costs in this challenging business environment.”
09/27/2016
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