The new SideWinder polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) bit is designed for directional performance, proven on both steerable motors and rotary steerable applications.

The design of the SideWinder eliminates the gage pads in favor of making the cutting structure as active in the lateral aspect as it is in the vertical.

The cutting structure blends smoothly and uninterrupted into the flank of the bit and upwards into the relief back to the shank. This upwards component allows the SideWinder to be pulled while rotating through tight curves, similar to a key seat mill, and to ream the upper side of the curve to enlarge the radius as much as possible for casing clearance.

The SideWinder gets its name from its ability to drill sideways or laterally. The SideWinder drills laterally for rotary steerable systems, especially push-the-bit tool. For steerable motors, this gives it the ability to make rapid course corrections in a very short slide.

Omni-directional milling bit

The new bit can eliminate bottomhole assembly trips when drilling horizontal curves, reduce sliding time by 40% to 70% in the lateral, improving rate of penetration across the board during high-angle directional drilling, with minimal vibration for longer logging-while-drilling life.

Encore’s SideWinder design maximizes drilling performance by increasing directional control and ROP. (Image courtesy of Encore)

Standard PDC bits, even those with very short gage pads and “active” gage elements, do not have the ability to aggressively load up and drill laterally as the SideWinder does. With the continuous cutting structure wrapping more than 90º from the center, SideWinder drills and removes formation no matter which direction the bit is pushed, pulled, or oriented. It is essentially an omni-directional milling bit.

SideWinder bits can be made more or less aggressive as required. In jobs requiring improved side loading but not excessively high build rates, the side loading can be muted by changes in cutter density, rake angles, and the addition of shock arrestors behind the cutter structure. In a similar fashion, if a very high lateral aggressiveness is required, rake angles can be decreased and loading increased by lowering cutter density. Lateral aspects of the bit are just as freely customizable as the face of the bit.

Woodford Shale

In Oklahoma, an operator ran a 61?8-in. Encore SideWinder to drill horizontally through the Woodford shale. Running on a 1.5º motor offset, the SideWinder averaged 10-11º per 100 ft (30.5 m) of build rate in the curve while increasing the rate of penetration by 25%. “In the lateral, the SideWinder drilled 30% more footage 30% faster than average offsets and reduced sliding time in the lateral by 50%,” said Randy Reese, Drilling Manager for Walter Oil and Gas. “The SideWinder averaged 80% faster than rock bits.”

Austin Chalk

Another operator ran a 61?2-in. SideWinder in the deep Austin Chalk play in Polk County, Texas. The bit was selected to build the down-dip curve of the dual-lateral well with designed dog legs of 19º/100 ft, Reese said.

The bit was run at 12,522 ft (3,817m) measured depth and 12,490 ft (3,807 m) total vertical depth on a 2.77º-bend motor and achieved 19-21º/100 ft while completing the curve from 25º to 80º in a single run,” said Jason Peterson, Drilling Engineer for Meridian Resource Corp. “This is the same yield that was experienced on the updip curve while utilizing a 2.77º-bend motor and an insert bit.” The assembly was then pulled to pick up the lateral assembly, and the same SideWinder was re-run to continue drilling the horizontal leg of the well.