Did you know that the first commercially successful rolling cutter drill bit design was patented by Howard R. Hughes, Sr. in 1909?
This led to the creation of what became the Hughes Tool Company - one of the ancestors of today’s Baker Hughes. This revolutionary drill bit employed two conical steel rolling elements with milled teeth. When the device was rotated, it engaged the rock formation to produce a more effective cutting action.
This design was a significant improvement in performance over the "fish tail" scraper type bits, commonly used in rotary drilling at the time. Over the next two decades, rotary drilling with rolling cutter bits largely replaced all other drilling methods in the oilfield. The Hughes two-cone drill bit was recognized on its 100th anniversary when it was designated a Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.
In 2025, the drill bit industry is evolving rapidly, driven by technological innovation and changing customer demands. The Energy Forward Stories team talked to Derek Nelms, product manager for polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) drill bits at Baker Hughes, and he shared the five key trends shaping the industry.
These trends reflect both the need for greater efficiency and the complexity of modern drilling environments.
Trend No. 1: Digital Enablement
Digital enablement introduces advanced tools for drill bit selection and design optimization. These digital tools improve service delivery and customization by aligning bit designs with a customer’s operational goals and the unique geology of each well. This approach is showing tangible results for customers around the world, including an operator in Colombia who faced a challenging subsurface environment that required multiple bit replacements. The abrasive, interbedded formations consisted of sandstone, siltstone and claystone which ‘dulled’ the bit. After applying simulation software for optimization, the new bit drilled 50% further. The subsequent rate of penetration (ROP) was 39% higher compared with an average PDC bit. These efficiency gains significantly reduced well construction costs.
TECH SPOTLIGHT
Baker Hughes’ 3DTetrahedron™ bit drilling simulation software is a leading example of this digital technology. The software creates a digital twin of the drilling environment calibrated with downhole data, allowing simulation of various well trajectories and formation types. This reduces risk and accelerates design solutions compared to traditional empirical methods.
Another example is digital dull grading, an automated, computer-based system for evaluating the condition of a drill bit after it is pulled from a well. Using computer vision and machine learning, it analyzes images or 3D models of the drill bit to grade each individual cutter for wear and damage. This in turn, generates a digital record that can be used for performance analysis and drilling optimization. This automated process facilitates faster and more accurate analysis of bit wear, complementing simulations to solve problems efficiently.
Trend No. 2: More Challenging Drilling Applications
Operators are drilling wells faster and designing more complex well trajectories, such as longer laterals and U-turn horizontals, to maximize production and stay within budget. Increased power from rig equipment and motors applies more energy to the bit, but this raises risks of premature failure and unplanned downtime due to the challenging transitions between varied rock types and drilling conditions. Drill bits now need to perform efficiently across multiple formations and trajectories within a single run, demanding enhanced durability and directional control.
Baker Hughes addresses these challenges with innovations like the PermaFORCETM elite PDC drill bit, featuring the most advanced cutter materials, new shaped-cutter technology, application driven cutting structures, and enhanced body materials. Hybrid bits like the Kymera Mach 6 combine crushing and shearing action and are designed for the most extreme conditions.
Trend No. 3: Casing While Drilling
Casing while drilling (CwD) allows simultaneous drilling and running of casing or liner strings, streamlining well construction by reducing rig time and costs. Even though casing while drilling has been used for many years to improve operating efficiency and reduce risks due to formation related issues, utilization has begun increasing recently. This method is particularly valuable in mature fields with depleted reservoirs or high-pressure differential formations that pose risks such as fluid loss, stuck pipe, and wellbore collapse.
For example, in a mature onshore oil and gas field in Indonesia, an operator experienced lost circulation and shale gas risks while drilling the surface section. As a result, they turned to Baker Hughes’ EZCaseTM casing bit system, which allowed them to avoid drilling a pilot hole to check for shallow gas and manage lost circulation while increasing casing set depth.
Trend No. 4: In-Bit Sensing Provides Drilling Insights
In-bit sensing technology is essential today to enable better identification of vibration sources and prevent operational dysfunctions while drilling. Safety in operations is the main priority. Sensors like Baker Hughes’ MultiSense dynamics mapping system are placed directly in the drill bit to measure dynamic downhole conditions such as vibrations, rotation per minute (RPM) and temperature. This high-frequency data (1000Hz+) offers a detailed view of drilling dynamics that surface, or drill string sensors may not capture as effectively because they are not close to the source of many downhole vibrations – rock / bit interaction.
Trend No. 5: Increased Geothermal Drilling
Geothermal drilling presents unique challenges due to higher downhole temperatures and harder, more abrasive formations compared to typical oil and gas wells. These harsh conditions cause excessive bit wear and short runs, increasing drilling costs. To overcome these challenges, drill bits must be engineered to withstand these extreme temperatures, and Baker Hughes has made substantial strides in this space. In one example, an operator in Japan budgeted 164 days to drill two geothermal wells in a tough volcanic formation, based on typical bit performance. By utilizing bits specifically designed for this environment, where temperatures reached above 446 degrees Fahrenheit, the operator was able to save 101 drilling days and $2 million. Another example in Iceland is also available here.
The Baker Hughes geothermal drill bit platform is optimized for durability and performance in extreme geothermal environments. These bits are rated for temperatures upwards of 400 degrees Fahrenheit (204 degrees Celsius), enhancing bit life and reducing costs for geothermal power projects.
Digital tools, innovative bit designs, and specialized drilling methods are advancing the drill bit industry to meet increasingly complex operational demands while improving efficiency and safety.
Continuous improvement, customization, and integration of sensing technologies are central themes driving these trends globally. Baker Hughes’ history of innovation continues to shape the future of energy technology.
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