PDC Bit Articles

5X Increase in ROP with Ulterra’s Drill Bits During 2020-2021 Drilling Campaign

Drilling Objectives

Ulterra was awarded the primary bit supplier for three sections of an operator’s drilling campaign for offshore Malaysia in 2020-21. The drilling campaign consisted of 6 wells, two oil producers and four water injectors. The formation consists of claystone interbedded with siltstone and sandstone. Proceeding the completion of their first drilling campaign, the primary goal was to achieve directional control with an RSS tool, as well as improved bit durability and increased ROP.

Manti Tarka Permian Drills Fastest 12.25” Section in the Southern Delaware Basin with Ulterra’s SPL616

Manti Tarka Permian (MTP) set a new standard for drilling in the Permian Basin while drilling in Ward County, Texas. MTP is an exploration company that focuses on the development of the Permian Basin’s Southern Delaware Basin. MTP recently teamed up with Ulterra while targeting a Bone Springs well.

Pertamina Hulu Mahakam Sets Two New Records in East Kalimantan with Ulterra’s 8.5” SPL616 “Thanos” Bit

Increased Stability

In the Marvel Universe, Thanos takes the lead as the most powerful character whose main objective was to bring stability to the entire universe. In the oil and gas industry, Ulterra takes the lead on designing drill bits to help operators achieve their drilling objective; whether that is to bring stability, speed, or durability to their drilling operation.

DET Consulting Drills Fastest 12.25″ Surface Hole in Wilson County, Texas with Ulterra’s U616S

Unleashed Speed

DET Consulting recently required a surface bit for their drilling operation targeting the Austin Chalk formation in Wilson County, Texas. Partnering with Ulterra, DET Consulting drilled 3,895 ft. at an impressive ROP of 556 ft/hr to set the fastest ever 12.25″ surface hole drilled in this county.

Major Operator in the Delaware Basin Drills Lateral at Record Speed with Ulterra’s New RipSaw™ Technology

In the southern Delaware Basin, operators are faced with the challenge of drilling through transitional formations in the intermediate sections. While drilling the horizontals, laminated sections are often encountered, bringing unexpected challenges from well to well.

An Operator in Egypt’s Western Desert Drills their Longest Interval in the Meleiha West Deep Area

An operator in Egypt recently partnered with Ulterra to drill their longest interval in the Meleiha West Deep field. While encountering the lower Alam El Bueib (AEB) formation, the formation transitions into highly interbedded lithology containing high abrasive sandstone and siltstone. Typical performance in this field requires at least two bits to drill the interval, especially due to challenges faced in the AEB formation.

An Operator in Canada Partners with Ulterra to Combat Challenges in Briar Ridge Field

Recently, an operator targeting the Montney formation in Canada, an extensive resource play that reaches across northwest Alberta and into northeast British Columbia, was challenged with a particular pad in the Briar Ridge field. Specifically, this operator experienced several instances of bit balling while drilling the upper formations with 6-bladed bit designs. This resulted in a significant loss in ROP and instances where a trip was required as the bit was unable to be fully cleaned to the point where drilling could not continue.

SM Energy Teams up with Crescent Directional and Ulterra to Drill Longest Known Austin Chalk Well

A recent performance in the Austin Chalk formation helped set a higher standard for drilling in this formation. SM Energy, a leading oil and gas exploration company servicing Texas and the Rocky Mountains, recently teamed up with Crescent Directional and Ulterra while targeting this resource. Although durability was a major concern, SM Energy had a goal of reducing the number of trips in the lateral section while pushing the limits on ROP.

An Operator in Lea County, NM Drills Their Longest Leonard Lateral While Saving 6 Days Downhole

Recently, an operator in Lea County, New Mexico was targeting the Leonard formation, a sub-unit of the Bone Spring formation located within the Delaware Basin with a goal of drilling their longest 8.5” lateral while saving time downhole. Typically, drilling a well of this length in this formation could take over 4 weeks to drill, with challenges faced especially in the lateral section demanding multiple bits to be employed to reach total depth.

An Operator in the Southern Delaware Basin Drills their Most Efficient Well in Just ~16 Days, Utilizing Ulterra’s SplitBlade™ & CounterForce™ Technology

Ulterra has been afforded the opportunity to supply drill bits for the 12.25” section for a customer drilling in the Greater Permian Basin. The Ulterra team has commonly proposed their SplitBlade™ technology for this application, and it has proven to be an effective solution for this customer. Since running Ulterra, performance for this operator has been significantly boosted – saving time and money downhole.
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