Bits ‘n Pieces – The Driller’s Blog

It’s been a while since we’ve done a blog on matrix troubleshooting. Core bits play an integral role in getting great drilling performance and many things can cause a bit to underperform. One of the best ways to determine what is off is to examine the wear profile of your bit crown and change drilling parameters if necessary. Today, we’ll look at burnt core bits, some of the causes and some of the solutions.

I’m often going on about how choosing the equipment for the type of ground you will be drilling in is the first step to success and good drilling performance. Choosing the right drilling fluid additive to match the ground you will be drilling in beforehand, will make a world of difference. This is certainly the case in ground with clay or shale. Swelling clay can have disastrous results on your drilling operation.

Losing equipment in a bore hole and having to go retrieve it is called fishing and no diamond driller wants go fishing. The equipment has become stuck, lost, or broken off but either way it is obstructing the bore hole.

INTRODUCTION:

As you spend more and more time on a drill site, you start to recognize certain similar behaviours in fellow drillers. You can start to see types of drillers that are different from each other. I was asked the other day, what type of driller am I, and that got me thinking about how to describe the different types of drillers that I spend time with and have been. Here’s what I came up with.

Many of our previous blogs are about the importance of choosing the right core bit and the right core bit configuration. Recently I started discussing some of the reasons that core bits underperform, even if you have chosen the right ones. Some of the reasons involve changes in ground conditions or not using the best drilling parameters for the drilling project. One of the best ways to determine what is off is to examine the wear profile of your bit crown and change drilling parameters if necessary. An earlier blog looked at the problem of over exposed diamonds and this time we will look at core bits that are polished.

Drilling parameters play a large role in helping drillers achieve a good ROP (rate of penetration), superior drilling performance and long bit life. They are basic recommendations that help guide a driller avoid burning bits or damaging other drilling equipment. Keep in mind that there is a relationship between the drilling parameters and all others factors in drilling, such as the diameter of the equipment of you’re using, rock hardness or ground variability. Understanding how to adjust drilling parameters can help drillers improve performance in difficult drilling situations. We’ll look at a few of them here.

Sometimes I like to write about how a customer may have solved a particular drilling problem. Like a brainstorm, learning about one company’s ideas can inspire others to find different solutions. So today’s blog is about how we helped a customer in the USA come up with a solution to their drilling challenge.

We’ve talked a lot in previous blogs about the importance of choosing the right core bit and the right core bit configuration, so I think it is time we talk about getting the most out of your core bit. There are many variables that can cause a really good core bit to underperform. It can be a change in ground conditions, drilling parameter or simply lack of experience.  One of the best ways to determine what is off is to examine the wear profile of your bit crown and change drilling parameters if necessary.

Even diamond drillers like to think about the perfect gift, fantasize about the perfect tool, something that will rock their world.

In diamond drilling, your bore hole plays an important role and will have a large impact on your drilling performance.  A bore hole is like a road – it must be maintained. If you want the road that transports your equipment to be even, smooth and durable, you need to perform regular maintenance. Large trucks and equipment that run over it hourly can be damaged if the surface is crumbly, and full of pot holes. Your bore hole needs the same kind of care. Your bore hole is like a road that transports your drilling equipment.