High shock energy for air drilling operations

When encountering hard rock formations that require the use of a percussion hammer, Impax diamond-enhanced insert (DEI) hammer bits offer a highly reliable retention system that prevents the loss of the bit head in the hole and saves the cost of fishing or sidetracking.

The system's primary retention mechanism is a set of split retaining rings at the top of the hammer bit. The bit retainer is a sleeve that is trapped between the shoulders of the driver sub and the hammer case. It catches the bit head in the event that a shank (fracture in the spline area) prevents the primary retention rings from functioning.

The secondary catch mechanism is a rope thread machined on the retainer ID and on the hammer bit OD. During the trip out of the hole, right-hand rotation of the drillstring virtually eliminates any chance of the bit head coming out of the retainer.

For conventional bits, split rings are the only means of attachment to the drillstring, so shanking is almost certain to result in the loss of the bit head in the hole. This possibility is so great that these conventional bits have built-in fishing threads to facilitate retrieval.

Diamond-enhanced inserts increase footage drilled

Impax hammer bits have tough and durable diamond-enhanced inserts that increase the footage drilled and lower the cost per foot. Using Impax hammer bits eliminates the need for reaming, extending the life of the subsequent bit and providing a quality borehole for running casing. In addition, three exhaust ports improve bit-face cleaning for longer life and better ROP. The hammer bit’s concave center optimizes directional control.