Polycrystalline Diamond Thrust Bearing Testing and Qualification for Application in Marine Hydrokinetic Machines

Author(s):  
B. A. Lingwall ◽  
C. H. Cooley ◽  
T. N. Sexton

Polycrystalline diamond (PCD) bearings are designed for use in extreme environments; this includes process-fluid-lubricated applications such as those in oil and gas drilling turbines and marine hydrokinetic (MHK) energy machines. Past uses of PCD bearings in oil and gas down-hole tool applications have proven them to be robust, long lived, and rugged [1]. To be effective in MHK machines, PCD bearings must demonstrate adequate bearing efficiency and life in a submerged marine environment not nearly as severe as an oil well bore or a gas well bore. This paper discusses the advantages PCD bearings could provide when used in underwater MHK energy machines. Laboratory test results are presented that can help predict the performance of PCD in these MHK applications. Results from three types of tests are presented including tests that measure bearing capacity, those that observe and qualify hydrodynamic properties during testing, and those that evaluate diamond wear rates through a test representing the life time of a bearing in a MHK energy application. Failure tests conducted to measure bearing capacity revealed the PCD bearing could well endure conditions found in MHK machines, and coefficient of friction (COF) tests demonstrated the PCD ability to move from a boundary lubrication regime, to mixed mode lubrication, and then become hydrodynamic. The PCD wear test was designed to simulate years in the life of a tidal stream power generator, an MHK energy machine, and showed the PCD life is more than adequate for the MHK application. Bearing capacity, COF, and wear observed during laboratory testing illustrate that PCD thrust bearings can provide a robust, long lasting, and low maintenance bearing in MHK applications.

Author(s):  
Demeng Che ◽  
Jacob Smith ◽  
Kornel F. Ehmann

The unceasing improvements of polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) cutters have pushed the limits of tool life and cutting efficiency in the oil and gas drilling industry. However, the still limited understanding of the cutting mechanics involved in rock cutting/drilling processes leads to unsatisfactory performance in the drilling of hard/abrasive rock formations. The Finite Element Method (FEM) holds the promise to advance the in-depth understanding of the interactions between rock and cutters. This paper presents a finite element (FE) model of three-dimensional face turning of rock representing one of the most frequent testing methods in the PDC cutter industry. The pressure-dependent Drucker-Prager plastic model with a plastic damage law was utilized to describe the elastic-plastic failure behavior of rock. A newly developed face turning testbed was introduced and utilized to provide experimental results for the calibration and validation of the formulated FE model. Force responses were compared between simulations and experiments. The relationship between process parameters and force responses and the mechanics of the process were discussed and a close correlation between numerical and experimental results was shown.


Author(s):  
Demeng Che ◽  
Weizhao Zhang ◽  
Kornel F. Ehmann

Polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) cutter, as a major cutting tool, has been widely applied in oil and gas drilling processes. The understanding of the complex interactions at the rock and cutter interfaces are essential for the advancement of future drilling technologies, yet, these interactions are still not fully understood. Linear cutting of rock, among all the testing methods, avoids the geometric and process complexities and offer the most straightforward way to reveal the intrinsic mechanisms of rock cutting. Therefore, this paper presents an experimental study of the cutter’s cutting performance and the rock’s failure behaviors on a newly developed linear rock cutting facility. A series of rock cutting tests were designed and performed. The acquired experimental data was analyzed to investigate the influences of process parameter and the rock’s mechanical properties on chip formation and force responses.


Author(s):  
Demeng Che ◽  
Weizhao Zhang ◽  
Kornel Ehmann

Polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) cutters, as a major cutting tool, have been widely applied in oil and gas drilling processes. The understanding of the complex interactions at the rock and cutter interfaces is essential for the advancement of future drilling technologies; yet, these interactions are still not fully understood. Linear cutting of rock, among all the testing methods, avoids the geometric and process complexities and offers the most straightforward way to reveal the intrinsic mechanisms of rock cutting. Therefore, this paper presents an experimental study of the cutter’s cutting performance and the rock’s failure behaviors on a newly developed linear rock cutting facility. A series of rock cutting tests were designed and performed. The acquired experimental data was analyzed to investigate the influences of process parameters and the rock’s mechanical properties on chip formation and force responses.


2021 ◽  
pp. 147-156
Author(s):  
Ali M. Hadi ◽  
Ayad A. Al-Haleem

Cement is a major component in oil and gas drilling operations that is used to maintain the integrity of boreholes by preventing the movement of formation fluids through the annular space and outside the casing. In 2019, Iraq National Oil Company ordered all international oil and gas companies which are working in Iraq to use Iraqi cement (made in Iraq) in all Iraqi oil fields; however, the X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and compressive strength results in this study show that this cement is not matching with American Petroleum Institute (API) standards. During this study, barolift was used to improve the properties of Iraqi cement used in oil wells at high pressure and high temperature (HPHT). Barolift (1 g) was added to cement admixture to evaluate its influence on improving the performance of cement, mainly related to the property of toughness.  Primarily, the quality and quantity of cement contents were determined using X-ray fluorescence. Experiments were conducted to examine the characteristics of the base cement and the cement system containing 1g of barolift, such as thickening time, free water, compressive strength, and porosity. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) were conducted for analyzing the microstructure of cement powder. The experimental results showed that barolift acted as a retarder and improved the thickening time, slightly increased the free water, enhanced the mechanical properties, reduced the porosity, and aided in scheming new cement slurry to withstand the HPHT conditions. Microstructure analysis showed that barolift particles blocked the capillaries by filling cement spaces and, thus, a denser and stricter cement network was achieved.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 168781401989445
Author(s):  
Yachao Ma ◽  
Zhanghua Lian ◽  
Zhiqiang Huang ◽  
Wenlin Zhang ◽  
Dou Xie

Polycrystalline diamond compact bits are one of the most widely used oil and gas drilling tools in the world. With wear, a large unbalanced lateral force and bending moment exist. These force and moment contribute not only to bit lateral vibration and whirl but also to wellbore tilt and enlargement, which will then cause early bit failure and low drilling efficiency. In this article, considering wear condition, a single cutter force model is proposed. Lateral force and bending moment models are constructed based on space-force theory. An optimal cutter layout model considering cutter wear is established. The matching approach for the optimal model is discussed based on Kriging surrogate model and genetic algorithm. Then, an optimization case is presented. The results show that the bit force models are in line with the actual drilling condition. The optimal approach is efficient. After optimization, the lateral force to weight on bit ratio is reduced by 10.99%, and the bending moment to torque on bit ratio is reduced by 30.43%. This result is a significant improvement in the force condition and stability of the polycrystalline diamond compact bit; ultimately, the whirl and tilt motion can be reduced, and the drilling efficiency can be improved.


2020 ◽  
Vol 103 (3) ◽  
pp. 003685042093097
Author(s):  
Dou Xie ◽  
Zhiqiang Huang ◽  
Yuqi Yan ◽  
Yachao Ma ◽  
Yuan Yuan

Polycrystalline diamond compact bits have been widely used in the Oil and Gas drilling industry, despite the fact that they may introduce undesired vibration into the drilling process, for example, stick-slip and bit bounce, which accelerate the failure rate and lead to higher drilling costs. First, we develop an innovative ridge-ladder-shaped polycrystalline diamond compact cutter, which has ridge-shaped cutting faces and multiple cutting edges with stepped distribution, in the hope of reducing vibration and improving drilling speed. Then, the scrape tests of ridge-ladder-shaped and general polycrystalline diamond compact cutters are carried out in a laboratory, indicating that the cutting, lateral, and longitudinal forces on ridge-ladder-shaped polycrystalline diamond compact cutters are smaller and with minor fluctuations. Due to different rock-breaking mechanisms, ridge-ladder-shaped polycrystalline diamond compact cutters have higher cutting efficiency compared to general polycrystalline diamond compact cutters, which is also verified experimentally. Finally, the drilling characteristics of a new polycrystalline diamond compact bit fitted with some ridge-ladder-shaped polycrystalline diamond compact cutters are compared to those of a general polycrystalline diamond compact bit by means of finite element simulation. The results show that introducing ridge-ladder-shaped polycrystalline diamond compact cutters can not only reduce the stick-slip vibration, bit bounce, and backward rotation of drill bits effectively, but also improve their rate of penetration.


2021 ◽  
Vol 250 ◽  
pp. 06014
Author(s):  
Robin C Laurence ◽  
Richard I Todd ◽  
Clive R Siviour

Polycrystalline Diamond (PCD) Cutters are ultra-hard tools used for oil and gas drilling. These tools can fail in the form of spalling due to impact. In this paper, direct impact and quasi-static loading are used to investigate the failure force for leached PCD cutters when loaded at an angle on the edge of their chamfer with a PCD striker or platen. Impact experiments were performed using an impedance match system which ensures the sample is only loaded once; this allows subsequent analysis of the failure surfaces. The failure force at high deformation rate is around 8 kN and at low deformation rate 6.3−+2.3 kN. The failure force required for spalling increases with increasing deformation rate. High speed imaging is also used to explore the failure history of the cutters.


2017 ◽  
pp. 30-36
Author(s):  
R. V. Urvantsev ◽  
S. E. Cheban

The 21st century witnessed the development of the oil extraction industry in Russia due to the intensifica- tion of its production at the existing traditional fields of Western Siberia, the Volga region and other oil-extracting regions, and due discovering new oil and gas provinces. At that time the path to the development of fields in Eastern Siberia was already paved. The large-scale discoveries of a number of fields made here in the 70s-80s of the 20th century are only being developed now. The process of development itself is rather slow in view of a number of reasons. Create a problem of high cost value of oil extraction in the region. One of the major tasks is obtaining the maximum oil recovery factor while reducing the development costs. The carbonate layer lying within the Katangsky suite is low-permeability, and its inventories are categorised as hard to recover. Now, the object is at a stage of trial development,which foregrounds researches on selecting the effective methods of oil extraction.


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