Bit Balling and Nozzle Plugging Mitigation

Summary: The purpose of this document is to help field personnel recognize bit
design elements that may contribute to balling and nozzle plugging problems.
The primary objectives of PDC bit hydraulics is to provide cutting structure
cleaning and cooling, bottom hole cleaning and cuttings evacuation from the
proximity of the bit. When balling and nozzle plugging are prevalent in a drilling
application, the hydraulic design emphasis is placed on cutting structure cleaning
and cuttings evacuation. This document outlines various bit design elements that
can contribute to balling. It also highlights desirable design features to minimize
balling and nozzle plugging.
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Table of Contents

1.0 Potential Concern for balling and nozzle plugging applications 1

1.1 Low hydraulic Energy 1

1.2 Pinch points 2
1.3 Low blade height 3
1.4 HAE hydraulics 5
1.5 Bit feature selections 5

2.0 Bit Design Attributes That May Reduce Balling and Nozzle Plugging 6

2.1 Bullet body 6

2.2 Reduced body diameter 7
2.3 Nozzle shale ejector 8

3.0 Conclusion 9
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1.0 Potential Concerns For Balling and Nozzle Plugging

Applications

1.1 Low Hydraulic Energy: The first defense against bit balling and plugged
nozzles is hydraulic energy at the bit. A study in the North Sea (See Figure 1)
showed that nozzle plugging was significantly reduced when the nozzle exit jet
velocities were greater than 200 ft/sec. Likewise, balling is significantly
reduced when the bit is operated at higher hydraulic energy levels. It is
recommended that H.S.I greater than 1.5 should be used when bit balling is a
concern.
Figure 1: Nozzle plugging is reduced with higher jet velocities.

% Occurance PN dull condition (as reported in

BRDB)

40.00
35.00
% Occurance PN

30.00 3691 PDC bits 8.5” diameter or

25.00 less in North Sea applications.
20.00
15.00
10.00
5.00
0.00
0 100 200 300 400 500 600
Jet Velocity(ft/sec)
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1.2 Pinch Points: Pinch points occur when a secondary blade is within close
proximity to the primary blade due to its location or blade width. Pinch points
can cause problem when cuttings created by the first cutters on a primary
blade are not able to move efficiently through the pinch points and into the
junk slot. This can lead to center balling and nozzle plugging. Pinch points can
be created by high blade counts or placement of the blades. Features such as
backup cutters, lo-vibes (see Figures 2 and 3) and MDOC can widen out the
blades also creating pinch points. These features are appropriate for many
applications. But, when formations are soft, sticky or reactive with the drilling
fluid, they can potentially lead to balling or nozzle plugging problems due to
pinch point creation. Field personnel and design engineers should review the
application requirements, the bit features and the blade layout to ensure that
the bit is appropriately configured for the application requirements while
minimizing pinch points when balling and nozzle plugging is a concern.

Figure 3: Pinch point optimized by blade geometry

Figure 2: Pinch point not optimized. chamfer.

Figure 4: Plugged nozzles. Figure 5: Bit balling.

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1.3 Low Blade Height: Low blade heights can significantly increase the potential
for bit balling and nozzle plugging in soft or fast drilling formations. Increasing
the blade height allows more space for the cuttings to move from the cutter
face and into the junk slot without becoming compressed against the bit body.
The cutting ribbon can buckle and break with increased distance between the
cutter face and the bottom of the junks slot. (See Figure 6 and Figure 7)

In the case of low hydraulic energy applications, Steel Body bits should be the
first consideration when balling and nozzle plugging is an issue. Steel body bits
offer significantly more flexibility for the blade height/width ratio compared to
matrix bits and provide more opportunity to optimize the bit body geometry
to minimize these issues.

Compressed cuttings at the bit body

Figure 6: Due to short blade height, the cuttings get compressed at the bit body.
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Cuttings buckling and moving smoothly on the

bit body without getting compressed

Figure 7: Taller blades allow the cuttings to flow without getting compressed.
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1.4 HAE Hydraulics: HAE hydraulics is designed for applications with excessive bit
body and cutter substrate erosion. The nozzles are recessed further into the
bit body to reduce the hydraulic energy on the cutter faces and bit body and
may be moved more towards the center of the slot. In cases when balling and
nozzle plugging is a problem, HAE hydraulic layouts should be avoided. Less
hydraulic energy on the cutter faces reduces the cleaning potential and makes
balling and nozzle plugging more likely to occur.

1.5 Bit Feature Selections: Certain body features like backup cutters and lo-vibes
tend to increase the blade width. A bit with wider blades may have one or
more narrow pinch points that make cuttings evacuation more difficult. This
can contribute to balling especially in low H.S.I applications. It is advantageous
to not have backup cutters and lo-vibes or other blade widening features when
drilling in softer formations. Consult with the local Smith Bits Product Engineer
to determine if an application can do without the features that may create
pinch points when balling and plugging are a concern.

Figure 8: The image on the right shows some of the lo-vibes removed and chamfer
provided on the blades. The width of the blades is also reduced.
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2.0 Bit Design Attributes That May Reduce Balling and Nozzle
Plugging

2.1 Bullet Body: The bullet body shape can help cutting move from the center of
the bit to the annulus. A bullet body shape minimizes compaction of cuttings
against the bit body and provides a preferred direction for the movement of
the cuttings away from the center. When nozzle plugging and bit balling have
been a major concern, especially in low H.S.I. applications, bullet body designs
have shown to provide an advantage over non-bullet bodies in minimizing
these issues. Matrix bits have more stringent limitation of height to width ratio
of the blades than the steel body bits. Thus, steel body bits offer more
flexibility to implement a bullet body shape. But matrix bits may be able to
utilize this design feature on a more limited basis.
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Profile Cutti
Bit
Curve ngs
Axis
Cutting
pushes into
body and
Non- compacts
Cuttings push
Bullet cuttings
away from body.
Body
Curve
Less tendency to
compact cuttings
Bullet
Body .
Curve
In Low HSI
environments,
With smaller body mechanical
diameters, cutting pushing of
falls away from bit cuttings may play
face faster. a big part in bit
cleaning.
Figure 9: Bullet body and reduced body diameter have both shown significant benefits in
preventing nozzle plugging and bit balling. They are especially helpful in low H.S.I.
applications.

2.2 Reduced Body Diameter: Reducing the diameter of the PDC bit body has
been found to help reduce nozzle plugging in low H.S.I. applications. It is
especially helpful when drilling long lateral sections where cutting beds can be
pushed up ahead of the bit and compress against the face of the bit. Reducing
the body diameter allows the cuttings to pass more easily through the blades
without bunching up in front of the bit. This can reduce both nozzle plugging
and bit face packing in low H.S.I. environments.

Bore Hole
Wall
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2.3 Nozzle shale ejector: In a steel bullet body, a shale cut should be provided in
front of the nozzle as shown in the Figure 13 to facilitate the movement of the
cuttings. In the absence of the shale cut, the recessed nozzle bore can trap
cuttings and increase the chances of nozzle plugging. The Nozzle Shale Ejector
removes the recessed bore above the nozzle and allows the cuttings to move
towards the outside of the bit.

Nozzle Shale
Ejector

Figure 13: Shale cut on a bullet body in front of the inner nozzle.
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3.0 Conclusion
To minimize bit balling and nozzle plugging

 The pinch points should be widened by removing the blade width reducing
features like backup cutters, lo-vibes and MDOCS where possible.
 Nozzle velocities greater than 200 ft/sec should be maintained to minimize
nozzle plugging.
 Hydraulic energy should be maintained greater than 1.5 HSI to help
minimize bit balling.
 In low HSI applications, steel body bits should be considered so as to take
advantage of taller blades and greater design flexibility.
 Anti-balling and anti-nozzle plugging features like bullet shaped bit body,
reduced bit body diameter and shale ejector cuts should be incorporated in
the bit design where possible. This is most easily accomplished on Steel
Body bits.