Advantages and disadvantages of PDC drill bits

With the improvement of the mechanical drilling speed and life of PDC bits, the formations that were previously believed to be able to be used only with roller bits can now also be drilled through with PDC bits.

PDC Drill Bits are currently often used in well sections where the drill bit needs to work for a long time at the bottom of the well, oil-based mud, or water-based mud used in non-reduced borehole sections. PDC bits also have advantages on high-speed drilling tools, such as turbodrills, screw drilling tools, or deviated well sections.

PDC drill bits are often used in formations with low compressive strength, poor cementation, low abrasiveness, or thin interlayers, such as salt rock, gypsum rock, marl, limestone, etc., with medium compressive strength, abrasiveness, and Brittle formations, such as sandy mudstone, siliceous shale, porous carbonate, and gypsum rock. However, PDC bits are not effective in high compressive strength, densely cemented abrasive sandstone, flint and granite, corundum, pyrite, and gravel. Generally, the compressive strength of the PDC drillable formation is lower than 18000PSI, and the rock abrasiveness is lower than 41° (the internal grinding angle of the rock IAF)