Factors Affecting the Rate of Penetration of Rock Bitst

W. J. BIELSTEIN*AND GEXIRGE E. CANNON*

ABSTRACT
Preliminary t e s t s to determine the effect of vario u s factors afiecting the rate of penetration of rock
b i t s are recorded. T h e importance of the number and
design of cutting elements in rate of penetration is
established in the limited tests. Findings a l s o indicate that the magnitude of tbe various effects on
the rate of penetration varies with changes in the
type of formation drilled.
T h e effect of hydraulic factors affecting the rate
of penetration is explored with definite advantages
determined for increased circulation rate, high
fluid-velocity nozzles directed to the bottom of the

hole, and the utilization of these nozzles to produce high nozzle-fluid velocities at the bit.
A nozzle design for increasing the efficiency of
nozzles h a s been established to provide for allocating more of the available hydraulic horsepower
to increasing penetration rates.
Effects of rotary speed and bit weight were investigated, and i t was found that Ule rate of penetration increased with increasing rotary speed and
bit weight, with the rate of change in the two factors being principally a function of the formation
being drilled.

I n a s e r i e s of papers11213presented by members
of the staR of the Petroleuni Engineering Division
of the Humble Oil and Hefining Co. during 1948 and
1949, it was shown that the rate ~f penetration with
two-way drag-type bits was related to certain hyclraulic factors. i\ mathematical analysis of these
hydraulic factors showed that their effects on drill-,
ing rate could be reduced to generalized equations.
Several excellent articles4" on the factors affecting
the rate of penetration of rock bits have been presented during the past Few years. In general, however, the data presented were based on laboratory 1
studies, using either full-scale or miniature bits to
drill either a few inches or a few feet of hole.

T h i s investigation of the factors affecting the

rate of penetration of rock bits was divided into
three parts: 1, the effect of bit design from the
standpoint of number of cutting elenients and distributionof fluid with respect to the cutting elements
and the bottom of the hole; 2, the evaluation of the
hydraulic factors affecting the rate of penetration:
and 3, the effect of rotary speed and bit weight on
the rate of penetration. T o date tests, have been
confined to forniations which might be classified a s
the softer rocks which, in most cases, cannot be
economically drilled with drag bits, and to formations classed a s niediuni hard and nonabrasive. In
t e s t s where other factors were investigated, the
tooth design of the bit cutting elements was the
same a s for conventional bits used in drilling the
particular t p e s of forniations.

The t e s t s described herein were conducted in

drilling wells. Every effort was made to select formations of uniform drillability and to evaluate only
one variable at a time. Because of the wide variation in the hardness or drillability of the fornlations
nornlally drilled with rock bits, it probably will be
impossible to reduce the factors affecting the rate
nf penetration to one s e t of generalized equations.
Ilowever, laboratory data published in the p a s t 4 1 5
and the data in this paper show that the operator
can take advantage of numerous physical and hydraulic factors to increase the rate of penetration
obtained with rock bits.

BIT DESIGN
Investigations of 'bit design were confined essentially to bits having various numbers of cutting
elements and to modifications to change the distribution of circulating fluid a t the bit. Several tooth
designs of the cutting elements were investigated
to determine their relative merits.
,

Peg-leg Rock B i t s

* Humble

011 and R e f i n ~ n gCo., Hoyston.

+ p r e s e n t e d by George E. Cannon at the sprlng rneetlng, Southwestern Dlstrlct! Dlvlslon of P r o d u c t ~ o n ,Dallas. March 1950.
' R e f e r e n c e s a r e at the end of the paper.

The peg-leg bit, Fig. 1 and 2, i s essentially a

conventional rock bit with one of the cutting elements removed. On jet-type peg-leg bits the cutting
element was replaced with a high fluid-velocity
nozzle for the purpose of changing the direction and
flow cliaracteristics of the circulating fluid at the

62

Fig.

W. J. BIELSTEIN AND GEORGE E. CANNON

Peg-leg Conventional Rock B i t with T w o

Cutting Elements

bit. Two types of peg-leg bits were tested, viz.,

two- and three-cutting-element bits. In each case
either a peg-leg bit with conventional water courses
or a conventional bit was run within the same test
section. Typical t e s t results are graphically -illustratetl i n Fig. 11 and 12. It will be noted that the
two-cutting-element peg-leg bit, with a high fluidvelocity nozzle directed to the bottom of the hole,
drilled the \lidway shale ( a medium-hard formation)
in the Slallalieu Field, klississippi, from 7,500 to
8,215 ft 53 percent faster at 10,000 lb bit weight,
and 36 percent faster at 20,000 Ib bit weight than
did the conventional peg-leg bit with conventional
water courses and fluid distributed on the cutting
element. TI-te three-cutting-element peg-leg bit with
a single high fluid-velocity nozzle directed to the
bottom of the hole consistently drilled the Taylor
shale (a soft formation) in the Pickton and Yantis
Fields,?'exas, from 3,000 to 3,710 ft at a lower rate
than did the conventional fourcutting-element bit
with the fluid directed against the cutting eleinent.

formation to be drilled. The two-element bits, as

designed, had smaller bearing areas than did the
three- and four-element rock bits; and, therefore,
generally were tested using lighter bit loads. T e s t
results on. the two-element rock bits are graphically illustrated in Fig. 11, 12, and 13. The conventional design of Bit A , illustrated in Fig. 3,
was modified to change the direction and characteri s t i c s of fluid discharge by installation of two high
fluid-velocity nozzles directed to the. bottom of the
hole, a s shown in Fig. 4. In the Midway shale (a
medium-hard formation) in the \lallalieu Field,
hlississippi, the two-element jet bit drilled 32 percent slower a t 10,000 Ib bit weight than did the
conventional bit; whereas, at 20,000 Ib bit weight,
the jet-type bit drilled 16.1 percent faster than did
the conventional bit. In the Anahuac shale in the
Danbury Field and Taylor shale in the Pickton
Field, both comparatively soft formations, Bit A,
with high fluid-velocity nozzles directed to the
bottom of the hole, drilled at greater rates of penetration under most conditions than did the conventional bit. On the first s e r i e s of t e s t s , Bit A drilled
from 7 percent slower to 27 percent faster than the
conventional bit at bit weights varying from 8,000
to 30,000 lb. Only at 8,000 Ib did the drilling rate
of the conventional bit exceed the drilling rate of
the bit equipped with high fluid-velocity nozzles.
On a second s e r i e s of tests, the rate of penetration

Two-cutting-element Rock Bits

Four types of two-cutting-element rock bits, a s
illustrated in Fig. 3, 4, 5, and 6, were used on controlled t e s t s to determine the comparative drilling
characteristics of tile two-element rock bits with
respect to fluid distribution. On each type of bit,
the tooth design was selected on the basis of the

Fig.

Peg-leg J e t Rock B i t with Three Cutting

Elements

F A C T O R S A F F E C T I N G THE R A T E O F PENETRATION O F ROCK BITS

Fig. 3

- Conventional

Rock B i t w i t h T w o
Cutting Elements
Bit A

Fig. 5

of the jet bit exceeded the rate ofpenetration of the

conventional bit from 69 percent to 122 percent a t
bit weights varying from 8,000 to 30,000 Ib. The

Fig. 4

- Jet

R o c k B i t with T w o Cutting Elements

Bit A

- Jet

63

Rock B i t with T w o Cutting Elements

Bit B

lower percentage was a t the lowest bit weight, indicating that directing high-velocity fluid to the
bottom of the hole increases the efficiency of the
bit at conditions producing higher rates of penetration.

Fig. 6

- Jet

Rock B i t w i t h T w o Cutting Elements

Bit C

W. J. BIELSTEIN AND GEORGE E. CANNON

Bit B, illustrated in Fig. 5, i s a two-element
rock bit similar to Bit A except for tooth design
and cutting-element diameter, and w a s made for,
r e s e a r c h purposes only. On competitive t e s t s , the
penetration r a t e s of B i t B were c o n s i s t e n t l y l e s s
than t h o s e obtained with n i t A, which had t h e high
fluid-velocity nozzles directed t o the bottom of t h e
hole, and were comparable only t o t h e drilling r a t e s
of the conventional'design of B i t A.
Bit C , illustrated in Fig. 6, i s a two-element rock
bit which h a s a n off-center bridge and high fluidvelocity n o z z l e s between t h e bit cutting e l e m e n t s
directed to the bottom of the hole. T h i s i s the
initial design for t h i s type of bit; and on controlled
t e s t s in s o f t formations the penetration r a t e s obtained with B i t C were far below those obtained
with B i t A. At bit weights from 8,000 t o 24,000 Ib,
t h e drilling r a t e of Bit C varied from 58 percent to
73 percent l e s s than the drilling rate of Bit A.
Three-cutting-element Rock B i t s
Rock bits with three cutting elements have been
modified principally from the standpoint of changing
the fluid direction and other c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s a t t h e
bit. B i t s having conventional tooth d e s i g n s have
been changed by u s e of shrouds or baffles welded
between the l e g s for the purpose of forcing a l l of
the fluid through the t e e t h of t h e cutting element,
and by directing the fluid through high floid-velocity
n o z z l e s between the bit legs t o the bottom of the

Fig.

Fig.

Jet Rock B i t with Three Cutting Elements

and Jet Adaptor Sub

hole.
T h e shrouded rock bit, a s shown in Fig. 7, i s
e s s e n t i a l l y a three-element rock bit which h a s
baffles welded between the bit l e g s to direct a l l of
the fluid between the teeth on the cutting e l e n ~ e n t s
t o the bottom of the hole. T h e r e s u l t s of controlled
t e s t s conducted on the shrouded rock bit a r e pres e n t e d in Fig. 11. At 10,000 Ib bit weight, the r a t e
of penetration of the shrouded bit w a s 8 percent
l e s s than the conventional bit; however, a t 20,000
Ib bit weight, the shrouded bit drilled 43 percent
faster than did the conventional bit; and a t 30,000
Ib, 16 percent faster. Apparently forcing the fluid
through the teeth of t h e rock bit to t h e bottom of
t h e hole improved the drilling c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s of
the bit, e s p e c i a l l y a s conditions producing higher
r a t e s of penetration were employed.
High fluid-velocity nozzles directed to the bottom
o f the hole were incorporated in the conventional
three-element bit d e s i g n by u s e of an adaptor s u b ,
a s shown in Fig. 8, and in some of the larger s i z e s
by extending t u b e s from within the bit body out the
s i d e between the bit l e g s to near bottom. T h i s latter
design proved unsatisfactory because of fluid cutting
out t h e tubes. T w o d e s i g n s of j e t adaptor s u b s
were u s e d in adapting the high fluid-velocity n o z z l e s
directed t o the bottom of the hole on conventional
three-element rock bits. One design, a s shown in
Fig. 9, had a p a s s a g e For the return of mud through
t h e center of the bit and out t h e s i d e of the sub.
L,

Shrouded Rock B i t with 'Three Cutting

Elements

FACTORS AFFECTING THE RATE O F PENETRATION O F ROCK BITS

The other design did not have the mud-return passage. A modification of the first design (Fig. 10)
provided for field installation of bits on the subs;
however, this proved unsatisfactory because of
failures of the O-ring packing between the nozzle
adaptor sleeve and bit s u b .
Data on controlled t e s t s of three-elenlent bits
are presented in Fig. 11, J3, and 14. The threeelement bit equipped with the jet adaptor s u b and
high fluid-velocity nozzles consistently drilled a t
higher rates of penetration than did the conventional three-cutting-element rock bit. In the first of
two s e r i e s of t e s t s in medium-hard formations, the
three-element jet rock bit drilletl 118 percent, 68
percent, and 96 percent faster lhan did the conventional bit at 10,000, 20,000, and 30,000 Ib bit
weight, respectively. In the second s e r i e s of t e s t s ,
the three-elenlent jet rock bit drilled at 1 8 percent,
38 percent, and 4 percent faster rates than did the
conventional bit at 10,000, 20,000, and 30,000 Ib
bit weight, respectively. T e s t s run in conjunction
with the second series used a jet adaptor s u b with
a mud-return passage, and resulted in the jet rock
bit drilling 190 percent faster than the conventional
rock bit with 20,000 Ib bit weight. The results of
this test indicated that the mud-return passage in
the jet adaptor s u b affected the rate of penetration;
however, later t e s t s proved that little, if any, increase in penetration rate was effected by using
the niud-return passage in the jet adaptor sub.
I n soft formations, the three-element jet rock bit
drilled 7 percent, 37 percent, and 30 percent faster
than the three-elenlent conventional rock bit at
5,000,10,000, and 20,000 Ib bit weight,respectively.
A s nlay be noted from the graphical presentations, the rock bits having two and three cutting
elements consistently drilled a t higher rates of
penetration than did the conventjonal bits of the
same design. I n addition, the rates of penetration
obtained with two-elenient rock bits were equal to
or higher than those obtained with three-element
jet rock bits in soft formations. In medinrn-hard
formations this trend was reversed, the two-cuttingelement jet rock bit failing to equal the three-element jet rock bit. These trends were later substantiated during an investigation of the hydraulic
factors affecting the rate ofpenetration of rock bits.
The controlled t e s t s on special bits such a s the
peg-leg rock bit,with and without high fluid-ve locity
nozzles, revealed that each cutting element should
be serviced by a nozzle when using the high Ruidvelocity nozzles directed to the hottom of the hole.

65

In addition, the tooth design on the cutting elements

i s a major factor in the final analysis of the factors
afiecting the rate of penetration of rock bits.
On the basis of the controlled t e s t s and because
the two-element rock bits provided the most practi-cable design for incorporating high fluid-velocity

Fig. 9
Sub to Adapt High Nozzle-fluid Velocity
and Center Mud-return Passage to Conventional
Rock B i t

nozzles directed to the bottom of the hole, the investigation of the major factors affecting the rate of
penetration has been confined to two-element jet
rock bits in sott and medium-hard formations.

66

W. J. BIELSTEIN AND GEORGE E. CANNON

TOP VIEW OF INNER SUB

Apart

Fig.

10

Sleeve to Adapt High Nozzle-fluid Velocity and Center-mud Passage to Conventional Rock B i t

10
B I T WEIGHT

.
1000 LBS

20

30

Fig. 11
Relation of B i t Design and F l u i d Distribution t o Rate of
Penetration i n Medium-hard Formation at Various B i t Weights and
Constant Rotary Speed
Mallal ieu Field, Mississippi

---a
SHROUD

CONVENTIONAL
C U T T I N G ELEMENTS

. .

-4 CONVENT 1 ON AL
T T I N G ELEMENTS
PEG LEG

lo

10

2L

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

I0

C-0 CONVENTIONAL
THREE C U n I N G ELEhlENT5
L - d J E T

FOUR ( U T T I N G ELEMENTS
-CONVENTIONAL
lWO CUTTING ELEMENTS

B I T WFli*T

20
I 0 0 0 L85

30

Fig. 12
Relation of B i t Design and F l u i d Distribution to Rate of
Penetration i n Soft Formation at Various B i t Weights and Constant
Rotary Speed
Pickton Field, Texas

LI:

C
u

,-

5-

:I 0 0

I
rn

120

130

Id0

150

160

170

PIT WEIGHT

20
1000 L B 5
30

Fig. 13
Relation of B i t Design to Rate of
Penetration in Soft Formation at Various B i t
Weights and Constant Rotary Speed
Danbury Field, Texas

I0

40

P I T WEIGHT

15
IOOO LPS

20

Fig. 14
Relation of F l u i d Distribution to Rate of Penetration of
Rock B i t s Having Three Cutting-Elements at Various Bit Weights
and Constant Rotary Speed i n Soft and Medium-hard Formations

10

HARD FORMATION
JET 8 1 1
hlEDlUM HARD FORtAATlON
CONVENTIONAL B I T
SOFT FORMATION
JET B I T
c-~50FTFOAMATlON.CONVENTIONALBIT}~~~C~T~~DR1LL1NG

o--

-MEDIUM

F A C T O R S A F F E C T I N G T H E R A T E O F P E N E T R A T I O N O F ROCK BITS

Fig.

15

- Relation of Circulating Rate to Rate of Penetration Using Two-cutting-element

69

Jet Rock Bits at

Constant Rotary Speed, B i t Weight, and Nozzle-fluid Velocity

HYDRAULIC FACTORS

Circulating Rate
Typical test results for soft-formation drilling
are presented in Fig. 15. In drilling the Taylor
shale between the depths of 3,000 ft and 3,700 f t
in the E a s t T e x a s area, tlie general trend established w a s that the drilling rate increased a s the

circulating rate increased. On the first s e r i e s of

t e s t s , the drilling rate increased 25 percent with
a 132-percent increase in circulation rate and a
350-percent increase in hydraulic horsepower. On
the second s e r i e s of tests, the drilling rate was increased 46 percent by increasing the circulation
rate 120 percent and the hydraulic horsepower 296

70

W. J. BIELSTEm AND GEORGE E. CANNON

percent. A third series of tests, run in soft formations, resulted in an &percent increase in drilling
rate for a 49-percent increase in circulation rate
anda 181-percent increase in hydraulic horsepower.
The general trend established for the effect of
circulation rate on rate of penetration i s that an
increase in drilling rate accompanies each increase
in circulating rate; however, the rate of change of
this variation has not been established. It i s apparent that the increase in penetration rate t o be
expected by increasing the circulation rate i s small
a s compared to the increase in hydraulic horsepower required to effect the change.

44 percent on two series of tests when the nozzlefluid velocity was increased 143 and 156 percent,
respectively. These percentage increases are based
on basic nozzle-fluid velocities of l e s s than 150 ft
per second. At nozzle-fluid velocities of l e s s than
150 f t per second, the usual experience was that
the penetration rates of jet rock bits fell below the
penetration rates of conventional rock bits, and any
change below this basic nozzle-fluid velocity resulted in little, if any, change in the penetration
rate. At some nozzle-fluid velocity between 150
and 200 ft per second, a sharp increase in drilling
rate usually resulted, with the rate of increase in
penetration rate from this point on decreasing a s
the nozzle-fluid velocity increased.
In medium-hard Iormations, i.e., the Austin chalk
formation in the Jourdanton Field, Texas, hom
6,480 to 6,600 ft a 50 percent increase in rate of
penetration was effected by increasing the nozzlefluid velocity 158 percent. However, this percentage
increase i s based on a low nozzle-fluid velocity of
95 ft per second and a high nozzle-fluid velocity of
245 ft per second. Intermediate increases of 18 percent and 28 percent for respective increases in
nozzle-fluid velocities of 79 and 44 percent were
obtained. Within the limits of the nozzle-fluid veloc-

Nozzle-fluid Velocity
T e s t s to determine the effect of nozzle-fluid velocity on rate of penetration of two-element jet rock
bits were run in soft and medium-hard formations.
Typical test results are presented in Fig. 16. The
trend established i s that the rate of penetration increases a s the nozzle-fluid velocity i s increased;
however, this rate of increase has been somewhat
erratic, based on actual test results. In drilling the
Taylor shale between the depths of 2,900 ft and
3,600 f t in the Picton and Yantis Fields, Texas,
the penetration rate was increased 53 percent and
260

24 0

2 20

3 THREE CUTTING ELEMENT J E T ROCK E l T

I L L I N G RATE X 1 0
SOFT FORHATION

.'

230

a
I

180
Z

;I 6 0
Q
+
a

140

0
LL

I20

a
100

80

60

l
l
100

200

NOZZLE V E L O C I T Y

Fig.

1-6

I
300

- FT/SEC

- Relation or Nozile-fluid Velocity to Rate of Penetration Using 4Two-cutting-element Jet Rock

Bits at Constant Rotary Speed, Bit Weight, and Circulation Rate

4ry)

FACTORS AFFECTING TFE RATE O F PENETRATION O F ROCK BITS

Fig.

17

71

Relation of Nozzle Power Factor to Rate of Penetration of Two-cutting-element Jet Rock Bits
in Soft Formation

ities used the results in medium-hard formations

were similar to those in soft formations, in that a t
low nozzle-fluid velocities little change in drilling
rate was effected.
Based on the rate of increase in penetration for
nozzle-fluid velocities between 170 and 245 ft per
second and on performance of the conventional bit,
it appears that a basic nozzle-fluid velocity greater
than 200 f t per second i s required to effect a significant increase in drilling rate.
Evaluation of the circulation rate and nozzlefluid velocity from the standpoint of the nozzle
power factor, which i s the product of the two, indicates that a definite increase in the rate of penetration accompanies an increase in the nozzle
power factor. Fig. 17 and 18 present graphically
data on the relation of the nozzle power factor to
rate of penetration of jet rock bits in soft and
medium-hard formations. Based on data presented
in Fig. 15 and 16, the trend in the drilling rate i s
the same for the nozzle power factor a s that e s tablished for nozzle-fluid velocity in soft formations. Based on minimum nozzle-fluid velocities of

l e s s than 150 ft per second and maximum nozzlefluid velocities varying from 306 to 323 ft per s e c ond, the ratio of the percent increase in the nozzle
power factor to the increase in rate of penetration
was approximately 3 : l ; whereas, at intermediate
values for nozzle-fluid velocity the ratio of the two
percentage increases was approximately 2:l. At
higher basic values for the nozzle-fluid velocity,
the ratio of the percentage increase in the nozzle
power factor to percentage increase in drilling rate
ranged from 4 : l to 6:l. In some instances these
latter ratios were less; however, more often than
not the ratios were higher.
In medium-hard formations, the drilling rates a t
nozzle-fluid velocities of 200 ft per second or l e s s
were erratic, even with substantial increases in
the nozzle power factor. On the two s e r i e s of t e s t s ,
the only tentative trend established was that an
increase in penetration rate can be expected when
the nozzle power factor i s increased and the nozzlefluid velocity i s greater than 200 ft per second.
An investigation to determine the relationship of
the nozzle power factor to rate of penetration of

W. J . BIELSTEIN AND GEORGE E. CANNON

72

,+

N O Z Z L E POWER FACTOR ( O V X

Fig.

18

10

1I

12

13

10")

- Relation of N o z z l e Power Factor to Rate of'penetration of Two-cutting-element

Jet Rock B i t s i n

Medium-hard Formation

Fig.

19

- Relation of N o z z l e Power Factor to Rate of Penetration of Three-cutting-element

in Soft Formation

Jet Rock B i t s

FACTORS AFFECTING THE RATE OF PENETRATION OF ROCK BITS

three-element jet rock bits revealed that the latter
i s a function of the nozzle power factor; however,
the rate of increase in penetration rate with increased nozzle power factor w a s not established.
Fig. 1 9 presents graphically t e s t results run in the
Pickton Field, T e x a s , between the depths of 3,230
ft and 3,385 ft. In the first s e r i e s of t e s t s , the
nozzle powei factor was increased 102 percent; and
the drilling-rate was increased 37 percent. In the
second series of t e s t s , slightly harder formations
were drilled and a 236-percent increase in nozzle
power factor resulted in a 30-percent increase in
drilling rate. The basic nozzle power factor in the
latter t e s t s was much lower than in the first series.
Disregarding the lowest value of the nozzle power
factor obtained on the second s e r i e s of t e s t s , the
penetration rate was increased 24 percent when the
nozzle power factor was increased 89 percent. In
addition to establishing this relationship between
the nozzle power factor and rate f penetration of
three-element jet rock bits, the t e s t s a l s o indicated
that a higher basic nozzle-fluid velocity i s required
to effect an appreciable increase in penetration rate
with three-element jet rock bits than with two-element jet rock bits, because the sharp increase in
the rate of penetration occurred only, ,after the
nozzle-fluid velocity had increased to 267 ..ft per
second. The latter i s only a tentative observation,
inasmuch as the same bit was used and both nozzlefluid velocity and circulating rate were changed to
effect a change in the nozzle power factor.

73

An analysis of the data on the hydraulic factors

affecting'the rate of penetration indicates that the
penetration rates of rock bits are improved by directing the fluid to the bottom of the hole and by
maintaining high nozzle-fluid velocities and circulation rates. It i s a l s o apparent that the type of
formation being drilled will necessarily govern the
minimum nozzle-fluid velocity required to effect an
appreciable increase in penetration rate. It may be
anticipated -that, a s the hardness of the formation
increases, the advantages derived from high nozzlefluid velocities will diminish until the major factor
contributing to increasing the penetration rate will
be the cleaning action of the fluid directed to the
bottom of the hole which eliminates regrinding of
cuttings. T o date these anticipated results have
not been proved and field application of the jettype rock bits has been limited principally because of the problem of bit supply. The use of
three-element rock bits to drill formations to 8,000
ft in the Pickton Field, E a s t T e x a s area, and to
3,400 ft in the Bronte Field, West T e x a s area, has
resr~ltedin appreciable savings in drilling time and
bits. Drilling data on wells using conventional and
jet rock bits are presented in Table 1. In the E a s t
Texas area, the drilling time on the fastest well
drilled with jet rock bits was approximately 28 percent l e s s than the best drilling time on conventionally drilled wells and 14 percent l e s s than the time
on the one well drilled using conventional bits and
s e r i e s operation of slush pumps. In addition, 10
I

Table 1
Comparative D a t a on Wells D r i l l e d with Conventional and Jet Rock B i t s

Depth, F e e t
7

We 11

Number and Type

of Bits

Feet
per Bit

Total

Conventional
Jet
Jet
Conventional

143
170
195
142

628.50
467.50
445.25
517.75

16 Conventional
18 Conventional
14 J e t

161
151
190

206.00
212.25
181.75

From

To

2,646
2,645
2,688
2,655

7,937
7,905
'7,950
7,925

37
31
27
37

1,'792
1,690
~ 1,705

4,370
4,410
4,370

Hours

East T e x a s Division a

Pickton Field

H. R. Folmar 1
A.

K. Jackson 1

T. S. Gibson 13-2
C. kl. Stephenson l b
West T e x a s Division

Bronte Field

R. E. Hickman 3'
Nannie Ash 4'
0. \I. Keeney ~ -

&-In.
hole slzes.
8
compounded p u m p s .

and

6 9 -In. hole.
'4

8 9 -In. hole.
4

Feet
per Hour

W. J. BIELSTEIN AND G

74

l e s s jet rock bits w e r e used in drilling comparable

amounts of footage. In t h e West T e x a s area, an
8%-in. hole w a s drilled using jet rock bits with
three cutting elements. T h e only comparative d a t a
a v a i l a b l e on conventionally drilled w e l l s were from
w e l l s drilled using 6%-in. bits. T h e 8%-in. hole
w a s drilled 15 percent f a s t e r than the 6%-in. hole
and 4 l e s s b i t s were used. B e c a u s e of the limited
horsepower available to run the pumps, t h e redistribution of the fluid a t t h e bit w a s t h e primary
r e a s o n for t h e increased rate of penetration, inasmuch a s t h e maximum nozzle-fluid velocity used
w a s only 243 ft per s e c o n d , with the average approximately 190 ft per second.

laboratory t e s t s of n o z z l e s having various l e n g t h s

and entrance and e x i t d e s i g n s revealed that a nozz l e which had a n entrance profile on t h e order of a
long e l l i p s e and a s h a r p e x i t , a s illustrated in
Fig. 20, provided a nozzle coefficient of approximately 0.99. Utilization of more efficient n o z z l e s
in jet rock bits will make available additional
horsepower for increasing the rate of penetration.
F o r example, a change in the nozzle coefficient
from 0.8 to 0.9857 will reduce the pressure drop
and horsepower l o s s a t the nozzle by approximately
35 percent.
ROTARY S P E E D AND

BIT WEIGHT

Rotary Speed
Limited t e s t s have been run on two-element jet
rock bits to determine the relation between rotary
s p e e d and drilling rate. T h e s e t e s t s were conducted
while drilling t h e Taylor s h a l e in t h e P i c k t o n F i e l d
between the d e p t h s of3,100 ft and 3,350 ft. R e s u l t s
of the t e s t s a r e illustrated in Fig; 21. An a n a l y s i s
of the d a t a r e v e a l s that the rate of penetration inc r e a s e s a s the rotary s p e e d i s increased, and
changes a t a r a t e of approximately 1:2. T h i s relationship, as established, may be limited to highdrillability formations and to b i t s having two cutting elements. Additional investigations will be
required to evaluate rotary s p e e d s on variohs bit
d e s i g n s and t y p e s of formations.

Bit Weight

Fig.
with

20 Cross-section Showing Profile of N o z z l e

El liptical Approach and 0.986 Discharge
Coefficient

T h e magnitude of the nozzle power factor dep e n d s principally upon t h e hydraulic horsepower
a v a i l a b l e , t h e depth a t which operations a r e being
carried out, and t h e efficiency of the nozzle. F i e l d
t e s t s of bits have indicated that bit-nozzle coelficients have varied from approximately 0.80 to
0.92. T h e higher coefficients were for n o z z l e s of
more r e c e n t d e s i g n than t h o s e u s e d on initial inv e s t i g a t i o n s of the hydraulic factors affecting the
r a t e of penetration of rotary bits. Some d e s i g n s of
n o z z l e s had high nozzle efficiencies a t low r a t e s of
flow; however, at high r a t e s of flow the nozzle coefficient dropped a s much a s 7 percent. R e c e n t

Controlled t e s t s t o determine t h e relation of bit

weight to drilling rate were conducted on various
bit d e s i g n s in s o f t and medium-hard formations.
Evaluation of bit weight was made for s o f t formations and two-element jet rock b i t s during drilling
of the T a y l o r s h a l e s e c t i o n between the d e p t h s of
3,100 f t a n d 3,550 ft. R e s u l t s of t e s t s are presented
in Fig. 22. A n a l y s i s of t h e d a t a r e v e a l s that the
rate of penetration i s directly proportional to the
bit weight. On the b a s i s of the a c t u a l r e s u l t s , some
variation from the directly proportional relationship
e x i s t s . However, the relationship a s s t a t e d o c c u r s
more often than not. For two-element jet rock bits
in medium-hard formations, limited t e s t s indicate
t h a t the directly proportional relationship established for s o f t formations a l s o e x i s t s . F o r twoelement conventional rock bits in medium-hard
formations, limited t e s t s indicate that the penetration rate i n c r e a s e s a s the bit weight i s increased
and c h a n g e s at a rate of 1:4.
Three-element jet rock b i t s and conventional
rock bits were u s e d on controlled t e s t s in t h e I\Iidway s h a l e formation from 7,500 t o 8,215 ft in t h e

100

00

Fig.

"J

2I

0
Z

-r

300

400

21

>

.,

..

>I

200

B I T W E I M T 10.000 LBS
B I T WEIGHT 1 5 . 0 0 0 L B S
B I T WEIGHT 2 0 . 0 0 0 L B S
B I T W E l W T 2 5 . 0 0 0 LBS
C A L C U A T E D RATE OF PEFIETRATIO
ON BAS15 O F ACTLIAL O R I L L I N b
RATE AT 1 0 0 RPM AN0 ASSUMING
THE D R I L L I N G RATE TO VARY

FT/HR

- --

Ino
R A T E OF PENETRATION

? '

MO

cutting-element Jet Rock Bits in Soft Formation

- Relation of Rotary Speed to Rate of Penetration of Two-

;1

Fig.

0
0

22

RATE OF f'ENETRATION

200

.
.

1 5 0 RPI.I
8
SPEEG
HF>TAP, SPtEC,
2.33 RP'.!
I'UL<IILATED PATE nF PElrETRATlOlr
FmlTA-

300

-cutting-element
Relation of Bit Weight to Rate of Penetration of TwoJet Rock Bits in Soft Formation

100

13
---

76

W. J. BIELSTEIN AND GEORGE E. CANNON

10
B I TJWE'IGHT

Fig.

,-

20
lOOOB

30

23 .- Relation of.-Bit'Weight to Rate of,Penetration Using Three-cutting-element Rock Bits

in Soft and ,Medium-hard Formations

i\lallalieu Field, Xlississippi, and in the Anahuac

shale from 6,150 to 6,700 ft in the Danbury Field,
Texas. Results of the t e s t s are presented in Fig.
23. The relationship established for three-element
rock bits, either jet or conventional, in the Midway
shale (a-medium-hard formation) i s that the drilling
rate .increases a s the bit weight i s increased and
ch;anges2t
a rate of 1:2. The overall analysis of

data indicates variation from this relationship;

however, the 1:2 variation e x i s t s more often than
not. Three-cutting-element jet rock bits and conventional rock bits were used on controlled t e s t s
in the Anahuac shale. A 'directly proportional relationship for three-element jet rock bits and conventional rock bits was established for soft formations.

F A C T O R S A F F E C T I N G THE R A T E ' O F P E N E T R A T I O N O F ROCK B I T S

'

It has al'ways 'been acknowledged that increasedbit weight on rock bits increases the rate of penetration. However, the rate of increase in penetration
rate with bit weight has not been determined. On
. , t h e .basis of the previously mentioned t e s t s , it i s
,
?, ,apparent. that the , r a t e of increase will depend
... .lafgely upon the - hardness of the formation being
,' . . ,drilled and will. vary from directly proportional to
'
a s m,uch a s 10:l for the extremely hard formations.
T h i s i s due principally to the changed compressive
,
. strength- and .the necessity to exceed the compres, .sive strength of formations, in order to p a s s from
the stage of wearing out the formation to the s t a g e
of chipping and drilling it.
'

CONCLUSIONS
The following conclusions can be drawn on the
b a s i s of the limited t e s t s conducted on the factors
affecting the rate of penetration of rock bits:
1. The number of cutting elementsdefinitely affects
the drilling characteristics of rock bits and the
merits of a bit design; a particular tooth structure
or cutting element design i s determined by the
formation being drilled.
2. The fluid distribution at the bit i s an important
factor in changing the drilling characteristics of
the bit, both from the standpoint of penetration
rate and durability of the bit.
3. Where all of the fluid i s directed to the bottom
of the hole, an increase in penetration rate accompanies increases in nozzle-fluid velocity or circulation rate. For each formation certain minimum
nozzle-fluid velocities exist, below which the
penetration rate i s not n~aterially affected by
variations in the velocity of fluid being directed
to the bottom of the hole.
4. The rate of penetration was found to increase
a s the nozzle power factor i s increased; however,
the rate of change in drilling rate with changes in
the nozzle power factor i s a s yet undetermined.
5. The rate of penetration i s a function of rotary
speed, and in soft forn~ationsthe rate of change
in drilling rate with rotary speed i s approximately

12.
6. T h e rate of penetration i s a function of bit
weight, and the relationship of bit weight to rate
of penetration varies with the formation hardness.
Further research and field testing of all bit designs i s planned with the emphasis a t present on a
design utilizing the high fluid-velocity nozzles directed to the bottom of the hole. ACKNO WLEDGhIENT
The Drilling Practices Section of the Petroleum
Engineering Division sincerely appreciates the
'

77

help and.fine cooperation on the part of members of

the ~ - e t ~ o l ~Engineering'
um
Division who a s s i s t e d
in gathering data, and particularly on the part of
the district and drilling-rig personnel concerned
with running the,>manyspecial te,sts required. Several manufacturers gave invaluable assistance in
producing bits of special design on short notice.
Acknowledgment- i s a l s o made to the Humble Oil
and Refining Co. for permission to publish this
paper..

N olley, J,. P ; Cannon, George-E; and Ragland, Douglas:

T h e R e l a t i o n of N o z z l e F l u i d Velocity t o R a t e of Penetration with Drag-type Rotary B i t s , D r r 1 1 r n g a n d p r o d u c t r o n p r a c t r c e , 23, (1948).
2

Nollby, J. P ; Cannon, George F,; and ~ a ~ l a n Douglas:

d,
R e s u l t s Obtained with Hlgh Fluid-velocity Rotary B l t s ,
T h e D r r l l r n g C o n t r a c t o r , 5 [2], 60, F e b . 15 (1949).
3

E c k e l , J o h n R. a n d Nolley, J. P: An A n a l y s i s of Hydraullc F a c t o r s Affecting t h e Rate of P e n e t r a t i o n of

of Drag-type Rotary R ~ t s , D r r 1 1 r n g a n d P r o d u c t t o n
P r a c t rce, 9 , (1949).
4

Noble, Wiley B: Fundamental C o n s l d e r a t l o n s i n t h e

Design of Rock B i t s with a Discussion of Laboratory
D a t a on Effect of Welght and Rotary RPM on t h e Drilling
Efflclency of a Hock Bit, T h e D r r l l t n g C o n t r a c t o r
(tltle: C o n s i d e r i n g t h e Design of Rock Bits), 3 [ 6 ] , 52,
Oct. 15 (1947).
Scott, F . L: Hard-rock Rotary D r ~ l l i n g , T h e
[I], 35, Nov. 15 (1946).

D r r 1 1 rng

Con tractor, 3

DISCUSSION

B.. R. Schabarum (Carl B. Ring Drilling Co.,

hlidland, Texas): The authors are to be commended
highly on presenting an interesting paper on the
performance of rock bits in soft and medium-hard
formations. There i s not very much question but
that any great progress in the drilling of wells will
have to come about a s a result of improved bit
operation. Either the bits will have to drill faster,
or their present useful life will have to be extended
in order that the number of trips can be reduced.
We regret that the authors failed to include in
their title that this investigation covered only soft
and medium-hard formations. As a matter of fact,
on first reading the paper, we were somewhat disturbed by the fact that the authors failed to point
out that a s far back a s 1945' and 1946 papers
had been written showing definitely that the rates
of penetration of rock bits in hard-formation drilling
were more or l e s s proportional to the weight impressed on the bit.
T h e writer and J. E. Warren of the Carl P,. King
Drilling Conlpany presented a paper at the spring
meeting of the Mid-Continent District API Division

78

W. J. BIELSTEIN AND GEORGE E. CANNON

of Production at Oklahoma City-.iriJune 1946, giving

the results obtained in Fullerton Field before l o n-g
strings of collars were used' and after t h e . collars
were resorted to. In 1947.' David ,johnston <of'the.Humble Oil and Refining Co;, at--the spring meeting
of the Southwestern .District AI?I Division of Production in .Fort Worth;. presented:,a.paper on hard-.
rock drilling , i i the )Permian Basin.
,>
Mr. Johnston:showed what. could:.be expected intime improvement if the weight'on an 8!4-in. rock.
bit was increased from 8,000 to 26,000 Ib to 24,000
and 32,000 Ib. He showed that with the least weight
to approximately 9,000-ft depth it would take 1,950
hours drilling time. With 20,000 Ib it would take
1,380 hours: and with 24,000 lb it would take approximately 1,275 hours. Also, with 32,000 Ib, the
time could be reduced to around 875 hours.
The number of bits required was a l s o reduced
from 105 to 79, to 76, and,-finally, to 69 bits where
32,000-lb weight was used.
As a matter of interest. the writer has taken t h i s
data and has tried to bring i t up to date, a s present
practices in t h e Permian Basin are to run some
50,000 Ib on an 8!4-in. bit. TJnder these conditions.
the time would be reduced s t i l l further, to about
650 hours. The time referred to in the preceding
illustrations i s rotating hours on bottom. Under the
l a s t condition, the bits would be reduced from 69
to about 62.
We note that while the authors have verv carefully considered numerous factors in the operation
of rock bits, little has been done in tying in the
effect of the circulating fluid with the rate of penetration.
I n West T e x a s the characteristics of the drillingfluid are extremely important in rate of penetration.
Low water-loss muds with reasonably high viscosity decrease the rate of drilling under that where
water i s used by a s much a s 60 to 70 percent.
From a normal drilling rate of about 10 ft per hour
while using water, a s soon a s the hole i s mudded
up, this may reduce to 3 or 4 ft per hour.
Our company, in connection with another bit
company, has used some jet bits in Rest Texas.
We feel that the jet bit may have merit in that area
in the upper
of the hble where the formations

are reasonably soft and in drilling the limestone

and shale, but that little can be. expected in the
cherts found below,4,000 ft in the Basin.

'

,
'

Speed of .rotation also seems to influence the

rate of penetration in dolomite or other hard forrnations. .The higher'the:speed,'the higher the rate of
penetration. . Penetration, however, does not . increase in proportion to the speed. The relation
between rate of penetration and speed of rotation i s difficult to correlate for the reason that
many operators in the Permian Basin area increase
their speed of rotation in order to maintain a vertical hole. This, in turn, permits them to carry highe r weights on the bit. Therefore, the resulting rate
of penetration i s not only due to a higher speed
of rotation, but is a l s o a function of the increased
weight.
We would like to s e e further work done on jet
bits and conventional rock bits with the purpose in
mind of eventually bringing out a better unit. We
hope that the authors will continue their valuable
work.

A Voice: Have you done any work where you

slugged the drill pipe with water and mud? That, to
me, seems very. important.
Rlr. Cannon: There are a lot of things we are
going to run down, and we have conducted short
controlled t e s t s , changing from water to the comparatively light thin mud. The drilling rate was
changed about 500 percent.
The quality of the mud we used i s a l s o going to
have to be investigated to s e e whether we can tie
it down t o filtration or some other factor. I an1 prone
to believe we will find that the relationship i s more
closely to the percent of solids. T h i s i s indicated
by the mediwn amount of information we have on
this subject. We certainly plan to run that down.
We are sure these relations will not hold in the
hard formations in West T e x a s and other sections
of the country, but there are still thousands of feet
of hole drilled in other sections of the country with
rock bits where we believe some of these principles
can be applied to marked advantage.

'