Schlumberger launches new technology for unconventional shale plays

Global supplier of oil and gas equipment, Schlumberger has released new drill bits this year set to enhance unconventional shale exploration and production.

The Spear shale-optimized steel-body PDC (polycrystalline diamond compact) drill bit includes body geometry and hydraulic improvements, Schlumberger says, and is optimized for curve and lateral drilling performance. “[The drill bits are] engineered to minimize blade packing, improve cutter cleaning and increase ROP [rate of penetration],” the company said in a press release.

Guy Arrington, president, Bits & Advanced Technologies, Schlumberger said: “With the introduction of the Spear PDC bits into the shale plays in 2011, our customers  saw an immediate improvement in drilling performance in the curve and lateral hole sections. With experience of more than 6,000 Spear bit runs to date, we incorporated specific design elements into the next-generation bit to deliver even more rate of penetration (ROP), further lowering drilling costs in unconventional wells.”

In the Eagle Ford shale, the new bit drilled the entire lateral in one run at an average rate of 79 feet per hour (fph), Schlumberger claims, representing a 22 per cent improvement in rate of penetration (ROP) against standard rates.