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SECURITY DBS REVOLUTIONIZES THE PRODUCTION OF
ROLLER CONE DRILL BITS
DALLAS, Texas - Security DBS, a Halliburton Energy Services Product Service Line, has completed the landmark transformation of its Dallas-based roller cone drill bit facility. The operation - otherwise known as the "Phoenix Project" - combined the company's technological capabilities with its manufacturing resources to plan and execute this major re-engineering effort. The project will increase design enhancement opportunities and manufacturing consistency, while reducing machine set-ups, cycle times and client drilling costs. Halliburton Energy Services is a business unit of Halliburton Company (NYSE:HAL).
"The enhancements in Security DBS' design and manufacturing processes promise to yield roller cone drill bits of the highest quality to meet our customers' drilling needs today," said Edgar Ortiz, president, Halliburton Energy Services. "It also positions us to effectively and efficiently develop innovative, new technology which will better meet their needs in the future."
Since 1953, the Dallas facility has manufactured a small variety of drill bit types and sizes, in large quantities with a three to six month lead time, but today's ever-changing drilling environment demands a custom selection, in smaller quantities and in shorter periods of time. To meet this requirement and to complete the "Phoenix Project", Security DBS utilized two major components: Design at the Customer Interface and Rapid Prototyping.
The Design at the Customer Interface concept empowers an Application Design Engineer (ADE) to provide product selection, application, design and evaluation expertise at a local drilling site or throughout the region. Equipped with an advanced Computer Automated Design/Computer Automated Manufacturing (CAD/CAM) workstation, the ADE is able to modify drill bit designs to meet specific requirements before passing the design to the manufacturing facility. Throughout the process, the engineer is able to decrease extraneous lines of communication and improve response times, yielding improved drill bit solutions at a faster rate.
Using a new modular bit body design and setting up a dedicated, advanced manufacturing line, Security DBS has been able to adapt the Rapid Prototyping initiative to substantially reduce production times while maintaining precision and attention to detail. Rapid Prototyping is a mechanism in which a unique, one of a kind new design is rapidly produced to develop small lots of engineering test bits in a faster timeframe.
"Once the Application Design Engineering and Rapid Prototyping phases were complete, the decision to move forward with the 'Phoenix Project' was clear," said Randy Young, Global Operations manager for Security DBS. "The supplementary success of a 7 7/8-inch insert bit and of a highly competitive 12 1/4-inch diamond-faced mill tooth bit development program confirmed the potential rewards of a total re-engineering effort."
Following months of planning and staging, production of all drill bits at the Dallas plant was suspended while the entire machining end was revamped to fit the new manufacturing process. Once the effort was successfully completed, the plant reopened and now produces all small and medium diameter bits on twin line-of-sight production lines geared toward maximizing the capabilities of the modern multi-axis machine tools. By performing more operations on each machine, fewer set-ups are required; while precision and quality has improved and cycle times and client lead times have decreased.
While the production lines were closed for renovations, Security DBS also took the opportunity to review and update their existing roller cone product line. Several design enhancements were added to the line that incorporated the latest technology advances and responded to customer requirements and desires, while fully supporting the proven Design at the Customer Interface concept. The revamped production lines began shipping product in mid-November, 1999 and are now ramping up toward normal production levels.
As of 2000, Security DBS reached the milestones of 55 years of manufacturing roller cone rock bits, 40 years with full-hole diamond bits, 25 years with PDC (polycrystalline diamond cutter) bits, and more than 65 years with down hole tools. In addition to world class Roller Cone products, Security DBS produces the oilfield's leading line of fixed cutter diamond bits and innovative down hole tools and coring services.
Halliburton Energy Services provides products, services and integrated solutions for oil and gas exploration, development and production. Capabilities range from the initial evaluation of producing formations to drilling, completion, production enhancement and well maintenance - for a single well or entire field. With over 300 service centers in more than 90 countries, Halliburton posses the global perspective that is increasingly important for energy exploration and production.
Founded in 1919, Halliburton Company is the world's leading diversified energy services, engineering, construction, maintenance and energy equipment company. In 1998, Halliburton's consolidated revenues were $17.4 billion and it conducted business with a workforce of approximately 100,000 in more than 120 countries. The company's World Wide Web site can be accessed at http://www.halliburton.com.
Contact
Wendy Hagan
Halliburton Company
(p) 713.676.5619
wendy.hagan@halliburton.com
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