Estimation of Dulling Rate and Bit Tooth Wear Using Drilling Parameters and Rock Abrasiveness

Abstract

Optimisation of the drilling operations is becoming increasingly important as it can significantly reduce the oil well development cost. One of the major objectives in oil well drilling is to increase the penetration rate by selecting the optimum drilling bit based on offset wells data, and adjust the drilling factors to keep the bit in good condition during the operation. At the same time, it is important to predict the bit wear and the time to pull out the bit out of hole to prevent fishing jobs. Numerous models have been suggested in the literature for predicting the time to pull the bit out to surface rather than predict or estimate the bit wear rate. Majority of the available models are largely empirical and can be applied for limited conditions, and do not include all the drilling parameters such as the formation abrasiveness and bit hydraulic. In this paper, a new approach is presented to improve the drill bit wear estimation that consists of a combination of both Bourgoyne and Young (BY) drilling rate model and theory of empirical relation for the effects of rotary speed (RPM), and weight on bit (WOB) on drilling arte (ROP) and rate of tooth wear. In addition to the drilling parameters, the formation abrasiveness and the effect of the jet impact force of the mud have also been accounted to estimate the bit wear. The proposed model enables estimation of the rock abrasiveness, and that lead to calculate the dynamic dulling rate of the bit while drilling that used in more accurate to assess the bit tooth wear compared with the mechanical specific energy (MSE). Then the estimated dulling rate at the depth of pulling out is used to determine the dull grade of the bit. The technique is validated in five wells located in two different oil fields in Libya. All studied wells in this showed a good agreement between the actual bit tooth wear and the estimated bit tooth wear.