System and method for improving stability of drilling tools

Abstract

According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, a method for configuring a drill bit comprises determining a number of blades of a drill bit. If the number of blades of the drill bit equals five, the method further comprises disposing each of a plurality of depth of cut controllers (DOCCs) on one of the blades of the drill bit such that each group of three radially consecutive DOCCs of the plurality of DOCCs is substantially force balanced. If the number of blades of the drill bit is greater than five, the method further comprises disposing each of the plurality of DOCCs on one of the blades of the drill bit such that each group of four radially consecutive DOCCs of the plurality of DOCCs is substantially force balanced.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for configuring a drill bit comprising:
 determining a number of blades of a drill bit;   if the number of blades of the drill bit equals five, disposing each of a plurality of depth of cut controllers (DOCCs) on one of the blades of the drill bit such that each group of three radially consecutive DOCCs of the plurality of DOCCs is substantially force balanced; and   if the number of blades of the drill bit is greater than five, disposing each of the plurality of DOCCs on one of the blades of the drill bit such that each group of four radially consecutive DOCCs of the plurality of DOCCs is substantially force balanced.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising adjusting an axial position of at least one of the plurality of DOCCs such that the plurality of DOCCs are in contact with a formation to be drilled at substantially the same time. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising adjusting the axial position of the at least one DOCC based on a critical depth of cut control curve. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining a desired radial position for each of the plurality of DOCCs; and   disposing each of the plurality of DOCCs on one of the blades based on the desired radial position of the respective DOCC.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising determining the desired radial position for each of the plurality of DOCCs such that the desired radial position of each of the plurality of DOCCs at least partially overlaps the desired radial position of its respective neighbor DOCC in a radial plane. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising disposing each of the plurality of DOCCs on one of the blades such that each DOCC of each group of three radially consecutive DOCCs is generally spaced symmetrically from the other DOCCs of the respective group on a face of the drill bit. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising disposing each of the plurality of DOCCs on one of the blades such that each DOCC of each group of four radially consecutive DOCCs is generally spaced symmetrically from the other DOCCs of the respective group on a face of the drill bit. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising disposing each of the plurality of DOCCs on one of the blades such that each DOCC of each group of three radially consecutive DOCCs is spaced from the other DOCCs of the respective group by between approximately 100 degrees and 140 degrees with respect to a rotational axis of the drill bit. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising disposing each of the plurality of DOCCs on one of the blades such that each DOCC of each group of four radially consecutive DOCCs is spaced from the other DOCCs of the respective group by between approximately 75 degrees and 105 degrees with respect to a rotational axis of the drill bit. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein if the number of blades of the drill bit is five, the method further comprises:
 disposing each DOCC of a first group of three radially consecutive DOCCs on one of the blades such that the first group is substantially force balanced, the first group of three radially consecutive DOCCs including a first DOCC, a second DOCC neighboring the first DOCC in a radial plane, and a third DOCC neighboring the second DOCC in the radial plane; and   disposing a fourth DOCC on one of the blades such that a second group of three radially consecutive DOCCs is substantially force balanced, the fourth DOCC neighboring the third DOCC in the radial plane, and the second group of three radially consecutive DOCCs including the second DOCC, the third DOCC, and the fourth DOCC.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein if the number of blades of the drill bit is greater than five, the method further comprises:
 disposing each DOCC of a first group of four radially consecutive DOCCs on one of the blades such that the first group is substantially force balanced, the first group of four radially consecutive DOCCs including a first DOCC, a second DOCC neighboring the first DOCC in a radial plane, a third DOCC neighboring the second DOCC in the radial plan, and a fourth DOCC neighboring the third DOCC in the radial plane; and   disposing a fifth DOCC on one of the blades such that a second group of four radially consecutive DOCCs is substantially force balanced, the fifth DOCC neighboring the fourth DOCC in the radial plane and the second group of four radially consecutive DOCCs including the second DOCC, the third DOCC, the fourth DOCC, and the fifth DOCC.   
     
     
         12 . A drill bit comprising:
 a bit body including a rotational axis extending therethrough;   five blades disposed on the bit body that form a bit face;   a plurality of cutting elements each disposed on one of the blades; and   a plurality of depth of cut controllers (DOCCs) configured to control a depth of cut of at least one of the cutting elements, each of the plurality of DOCCs disposed on one of the blades such that each group of three radially consecutive DOCCs of the plurality of DOCCs is substantially force balanced.   
     
     
         13 . The drill bit of  claim 12 , wherein each DOCC of the plurality of DOCCs has an axial position such that the plurality of DOCCs are in contact with a formation to be drilled at substantially the same time. 
     
     
         14 . The drill bit of  claim 13 , wherein the axial position of the plurality of DOCCs is based on a critical depth of cut control curve. 
     
     
         15 . The drill bit of  claim 12 , wherein each DOCC of the plurality of DOCCs has a desired radial position and each of the plurality of DOCCs is disposed on one of the blades based on the desired radial position of the respective DOCC. 
     
     
         16 . The drill bit of  claim 15 , wherein the desired radial position for each of the plurality of DOCCs is such that the desired radial position of each of the plurality of DOCCs at least partially overlaps the desired radial position of its respective neighbor DOCC in a radial plane. 
     
     
         17 . The drill bit of  claim 12 , wherein each of the plurality of DOCCs is disposed on one of the blades such that each DOCC of each group of three radially consecutive DOCCs is generally spaced symmetrically from the other DOCCs of the respective group on a face of the drill bit. 
     
     
         18 . The drill bit of  claim 12 , wherein each of the plurality of DOCCs is disposed on one of the blades such that each DOCC of each group of three radially consecutive DOCCs is spaced from the other DOCCs of the respective group by between approximately 100 degrees and 140 degrees with respect to the rotational axis of the drill bit. 
     
     
         19 . A drill bit comprising:
 a bit body including a rotational axis extending therethrough;   more than five blades disposed on the bit body to form a bit face;   a plurality of cutting elements each disposed on one of the blades; and   a plurality of depth of cut controllers (DOCCs) configured to control a depth of cut of at least one of the cutting elements, each of the plurality of DOCCS disposed on one of the blades such that each group of four radially consecutive DOCCs of the plurality of DOCCs is substantially force balanced.   
     
     
         20 . The drill bit of  claim 19 , wherein each DOCC of the plurality of DOCCs has an axial position such that the plurality of DOCCs are in contact with a formation to be drilled at substantially the same time. 
     
     
         21 . The drill bit of  claim 20 , wherein the axial position of the plurality of DOCCs is based on a critical depth of cut control curve. 
     
     
         22 . The drill bit of  claim 19 , wherein each DOCC of the plurality of DOCCs has a desired radial position and each of the plurality of DOCCs is disposed on one of the blades based on the desired radial position of the respective DOCC. 
     
     
         23 . The drill bit of  claim 22 , wherein the desired radial position for each of the plurality of DOCCs is such that the desired radial position of each of the plurality of DOCCs at least partially overlaps the desired radial position of its respective neighbor DOCC in a radial plane. 
     
     
         24 . The drill bit of  claim 19 , wherein each of the plurality of DOCCs is disposed on one of the blades such that each DOCC of each group of four radially consecutive DOCCs is generally spaced symmetrically from the other DOCCs of the respective group on a face of the drill bit. 
     
     
         25 . The drill bit of  claim 19 , wherein each of the plurality of DOCCs is disposed on one of the blades such that each DOCC of each group of four radially consecutive DOCCs is spaced from the other DOCCs of the respective group by between approximately 75 degrees and 105 degrees with respect to the rotational axis of the drill bit.