Elucidating PDC rock cutting behavior in dry and aqueous conditions using tribometry

While the search for clean and renewable energy technologies continues, the harvesting of fossil fuels and other natural resources will continue as the major source of power around the globe. However as these resources have diminished, deep drilling into more extreme environments has resulted in operational dangers and costs that pose serious obstacles. Due to the complexities inherent in the drilling process, there have been limited experimental strides taken in order to accurately simulate fossil fuel rock drilling at the laboratory scale. It is the goal of this study to present detailed, experiments using tribometry, which differs from lathe studies in employing a freely descending cutter coupled with in situ monitoring of both rate-of-penetration (ROP) and frictional loading. The experimental rig has been outfitted to simulate the rock cutting process using relevant drilling materials such as industrial polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) cutters, drilling fluids, and deep well rock specimens. Results include both dry and lubricated rock cutting experiments with specific analysis into the relationships between ROP, friction, and rock topography.