New Bit Designs

United Diamond

New cutter design drills harder, more abrasive formations consistently

The Cyclone cutter's composite material stays sharper longer and features improved abrasion resistance.

More abrasion- and impact-resistant polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) cutters have been one of the key technologies that United Diamond Ltd. has invested in over the years. The Cyclone cutter is a product of this investment. With the introduction of the Cyclone cutter, United Diamond PDC drill bits have been able to drill even harder, abrasive formations consistently.

The composite nature of the compact, applied to a nonplanar interface at the substrate, has improved the abrasive resistance of the cutter by over 300%. Since the cutter stays sharper longer, the energy stays focused at the cutting edge and is not wasted sliding on a wear flat. The cutters stay buried in the formation, resulting in a stable bit that can drill harder formations.

The company has incorporated this cutter into bits that have been optimized, using proprietary bit characterization software to increase bit stability and durability in demanding applications. This software provides the ability to characterize a bit design and determine how it will react in different drilling scenarios, and with different depths of cut. Various design properties are then tailored to provide a bit that maintains a consistent depth of cut across all the cutters. This optimizes the bit design for higher stability. Higher stability reduces vibration, which results in reduced impact damage.

With the high abrasion and improved impact resistance of the UD516NAV, these bits in the Wildhay/ Wild River area in Western Alberta have consistently drilled through the Bluesky and Gething formations. These formations have a lithology of cemented quartz sandstone, chert and coal, and have an unconfined, compressive strength of 25,000 to 35,000 psi.