Side cutting gage pad improving stabilization and borehole integrity

摘要

A drill bit including improved gage pads is particularly adapted for side cutting a borehole wall. In a preferred embodiment, each gage pad preferably includes a cutting surface portion and a wear-resistant surface. Gage pad cutting elements placed on a first gage pad cutting surface portion cooperate with gage pad cutting elements on other gage pads to reduce the torque on each gage pad cutting surface. The cutting elements may be made more aggressive by the reduction of a wear-resistant surface trailing the cutting elements. The wear-resistant surface on the first gage pad is varied with the wear-resistant surface on other gage pads to yield the wear-resistant advantages of previous gage pads.