The tricone drill bit consists of three rollers (moving parts), suitable for larger engineering. The best advantage of a tricone drill bit is to stand the test of time. They have proved time and time again that they are the best tool to bear the plight. tricone drill bits can handle soft and hard layers, which giving them the flexibility that other bits lack. Meanwhile, there are several types of tricone drill bits that can handle a variety of rock formations.

This article contains the following aspects:

• The introduction of tricone drill bits

• What are tricone drill bits used for

• Conclusion

1.The introduction of tricone drill bits

Tricone drill bit is the most widely used tool in oil drilling and geological drilling. Rotary drill bits have the ability to impact, break and shear rock formations and are suitable for soft and moderate hard rock formations. Especially after the emergence of jet cone drill and long cone drill, the drilling rate of cone drill has been greatly improved, which is a major revolution in the development history of tricone drill bit. 

According to the number of taper heads, drill bit can be divided into milling (steel tooth) taper heads, inset (cone tooth) taper heads, single cone, double cone, triple cone, multi cone heads. tricone drill bit is the most widely used drilling tool at home and abroad.

2.What are tricone drill bits used for?

During the Great Depression, drilling technology took a major leap forward, producing tricone drill bits for the first time. From simple wells to industrial-scale oil extraction, a tricone drill bit is the preferred solution for almost all wells. There are several different types of triangular drill that can cope with various different rock formations. Most of the triangular pyramid bits are milling cutters or tricone bits, which are ideal tricone drill bit for soft, medium and hard rock formations. It is important to know the type of rock to drill when selecting a bit.

1.tricone drill bits for soft rock formations

Soft rock formations consisting mainly of sand, clay, limestone or shale, are ideal for drilling with mill tooth bits. In the soft rock treatment, depending on the scope of the project and the different duration, you can choose to seal or open the bearing of milling tooth bits. Sealed bearing tricone drill bits last longer, but often cost more because of the precise work required to protect the bearings. Open bearing heads, on the other hand, are not well protected and worn, but are cheap to manufacture. Tricone drill bits designed for soft rock usually have longer protruding teeth, "A" teeth or chisel knobs. In either case, the hole spacing is large, so a soft tricone drill bit can be considered in the design.

2.tricone drill bits for medium rock formations

If you want to drill calcite, dolomite, hard limestone and some hard shale, you need to design tricone drill bit for medium rock. You may need to better understand why tungsten carbide is the ideal material for the tricone drill bit. It is useful to understand its properties. Tungsten carbide, first discovered in 1927, is a very strong and hard material that enables it to withstand higher speeds, thereby achieving faster drilling speeds. in addition, the tricone drill bit can absorb a lot of heat without damaging the bit. The pitch of the intermediate drill is much smaller than that of the soft drill. In addition, although teeth may have a similar range of shapes, their teeth are less prominent.

3.tricone drill bits for hard rock formations

Hard rock is tough, and abrasive rock usually includes hard shale, calcite, mudstone, pyrite, granite and quartzite. The difficulty of drilling in this material makes tricone drill bits almost essential. The button has excellent hardness and strength, making it able to withstand very difficult drilling conditions. As with all tricone drill bits, you can choose between sealed and open bearings. Sealed bearing drills provide better anti-wear protection, making them more suitable for use before replacement. Drills designed for hard formations often  have fewer protruding teeth. Teeth are short and tight. This greatly reduces the drilling speed compared to soft rock, but if you are drilling hard rock, you have little choice.

3. Conclusion

Tricone drill bits are suitable for soft, medium and hard shapes. Hopefully this information will let you know which tricone drill bit is best for the various rock formations you are dealing with. For particularly advanced or ambitious projects, in addition to rocks, you need to carefully consider the type of teeth, other types of seals, the importance of instrument protection, and the estimated duration of the project.

Our company always focus on high quality and good service, we will try our best to meet all customer’s needs.