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US-20260125953-A1 - BI-METALLIC DRILL BIT MANDREL UTILIZING PRECIPITATION HARDENED MATERIAL PRE-JOINED TO A DRILL BIT MANDREL SUITABLE FOR INFILTRATION

US20260125953A1US 20260125953 A1US20260125953 A1US 20260125953A1US-20260125953-A1

Abstract

Aspects of the subject technology relate to tools, system and methods related to a drilling tool that is fabricated using a bimetallic member that is subjected to an infiltration process. The method can include having an amount of precipitation hardenable steel and an amount of another type of steel. The precipitation hardenable steel and the other type of steel are metallurgically bonded to form a bimetallic member including a casting mandrel portion and a drill string connection portion. A reinforcing powder is infiltrated with a binder while in contact with the casting mandrel portion to form a metal matrix composite about the casting mandrel portion. A cutting structure is fabricated into the metal matrix composite of the drilling tool.

Inventors

  • Gregory Grosz
  • Daniel Brendan VOGLEWEDE
  • Robert W. Arfele

Assignees

  • HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20241107

Claims (20)

  1. 1 . A method of manufacturing a drilling tool for a downhole drill string comprising: having an amount of precipitation hardenable steel; having an amount of steel, distinct from the precipitation hardenable steel; metallurgically bonding the amount of precipitation hardenable steel to the amount of steel, thereby forming a bimetallic member comprising a casting mandrel portion and a drill string connection portion; infiltrating a reinforcing powder with a binder in contact with the casting mandrel portion of the bimetallic member to form a metal matrix composite about the casting mandrel portion, after the amount of precipitation hardenable steel is metallurgically bonded to the amount of steel; and fabricating a cutting structure in the metal matrix composite.
  2. 2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming a threaded connection in the drill string connection portion of the bimetallic member for attaching the drilling tool to a downhole drill string.
  3. 3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the bimetallic member is formed without welding any additional material to the bimetallic member after infiltrating the reinforcing powder with the binder.
  4. 4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising performing a post-infiltration heat treatment process.
  5. 5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the amount of precipitation hardenable steel and the amount of steel are metallurgically bonded together before the infiltration step using friction welding, electron beam welding, laser welding, diffusion bonding, or a combination thereof.
  6. 6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the amount of precipitation hardenable steel and the amount of steel are metallurgically bonded together before the infiltration step using fusion with a filler material.
  7. 7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the steel is a low-carbon steel and comprises a carbon content between 0.03% and 0.6% by weight.
  8. 8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the amount of precipitation hardenable steel comprises a minimum achievable yield strength of 100 ksi.
  9. 9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the amount of precipitation hardenable steel comprises a Nickel alloy.
  10. 10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the amount of precipitation hardenable steel and the amount of steel are bonded together to form the bimetallic member without using a V-weld groove or an alignment thread region about a bonding interface between the amount of precipitation hardenable steel and the amount of steel.
  11. 11 . (canceled)
  12. 12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a bonding interface between the amount of precipitation hardenable steel and the amount of steel to form the bimetallic member is a substantially fully bonded cross-section.
  13. 13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a bonding interface between the amount of precipitation hardenable steel and the amount of steel to form the bimetallic member is in proximity to a blank bond line where the metal matrix composite is attached to the casting mandrel portion of the bimetallic member.
  14. 14 . A drilling tool for a downhole drill string comprising: a casting mandrel portion comprising an amount of steel; a drill string connection portion comprising an amount of precipitation hardenable steel, wherein the amount of steel is distinct from the amount of precipitation hardenable steel; a cutting structure fabricated in a metal matrix composite formed about the casting mandrel portion, wherein the metal matrix composite comprises a reinforcing powder infiltrated with a binder in contact with the casting mandrel portion; and a bimetallic member comprising the amount of steel and the amount of precipitation hardenable steel metallurgically bonded together before the reinforcing powder is infiltrated with the binder.
  15. 15 . The drilling tool of claim 14 , wherein the steel is a low-carbon steel and comprises a carbon content between 0.03% and 0.6% by weight.
  16. 16 . The drilling tool of claim 14 , wherein the amount of precipitation hardenable steel has a minimum achievable yield strength of 100 ksi.
  17. 17 . The drilling tool of claim 14 , wherein the amount of precipitation hardenable steel comprises a Nickel alloy.
  18. 18 . The drilling tool of claim 14 , wherein the drill string connection portion is treated through a post infiltration heat treatment.
  19. 19 . The drilling tool of claim 14 , wherein the bimetallic member further comprises a bonding interface between the amount of precipitation hardenable steel and the amount of steel, and further wherein the bonding interface has a substantially fully bonded cross-section.
  20. 20 . The drilling tool of claim 14 , wherein the bimetallic member further comprises a bonding interface between the amount of precipitation hardenable steel and the amount of steel, wherein the bonding interface is located proximate to a circumferential blank bond line where the metal matrix composite is attached to the casting mandrel portion of the bimetallic member.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present technology pertains to drill tools, and in particular, to drill tools that are built with a bimetallic member that can be subjected to an infiltration process to form a matrix composite about a portion of the bimetallic member. BACKGROUND Hydrocarbon production is facilitated through the drilling of wellbores into formations that contain such hydrocarbons. Drilling tools can be deployed and used to drill wellbores and facilitate hydrocarbon production through such wellbores. Specifically, drill bits can be used to cut the formation and create a wellbore through which hydrocarbons can be accessed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order to describe the manner in which the above-recited advantages and features of the disclosed technology can be obtained, a more particular description of the principles briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It should be understood that these drawings depict exemplary embodiments only of the disclosed technology and are not to be considered as limiting to the disclosure's scope. In these regards, the principles disclosed herein are explained with additional specificity and detail by way of the accompanying drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an example drilling arrangement in accordance with various aspects of the subject technology; FIG. 2 illustrates a sectional perspective view of a drill bit that is formed by welding high-carbon steel to low-carbon steel after infiltration, in contrast with some aspects of the subject technology; FIG. 3 illustrates a flowchart for an example method of forming a drill bit through infiltration and welding high-carbon steel to steel post infiltration, in contrast with some aspects of the subject technology; FIG. 4 illustrates a schematic representation of a bimetallic member for forming a drill bit, in accordance with various aspects of the subject technology; FIG. 5 illustrates a sectional perspective view of a drill bit that is fabricated from a bimetallic member that is formed before infiltration, in accordance with various aspects of the subject technology; FIG. 6 illustrates a flowchart for an example method of fabricating a drilling tool with a bimetallic member that is fabricated before infiltration, in accordance with various aspects of the subject technology; FIG. 7A illustrates a cross-sectional view of a portion of a drill bit configured, in accordance with various aspects of the subject technology; FIG. 7B illustrates a cross-sectional view of a portion of another drill bit having a greater longitudinal length, in comparison to the drill bit illustrated in FIG. 7A; and FIG. 8 depicts a schematic view of a drilling operation utilizing a directional drilling system, in accordance with various aspects of the subject technology. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Various embodiments of the disclosed technology are discussed in detail below. While specific implementations are discussed, it should be understood that this is done for illustration purposes only. A person skilled in the relevant art will recognize that other components and configurations may be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosed technology. Additional features and advantages of the disclosed technology will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or can be learned by practice of the principles disclosed herein. The features and advantages of the disclosed technology can be realized and obtained by means of the instruments and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. These and other features of the disclosed technology will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims or can be learned by the practice of the principles set forth herein. It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, where appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among the different figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. In addition, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments described herein. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments described herein can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, methods, procedures and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the related relevant feature being described. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and the proportions of certain parts may be exaggerated to better illustrate details and features. The description is not to be considered as limiting the scope of the embodiments described herein. As discussed previously, hydrocarbon production is facilitated through the drilling of wellbores into formations that contain such hydrocarbons. Drilling tools can be deployed and used to drill wellbores and fa