Earth-boring tools having gauge configurations for reduced carbon footprint, and related methods

Abstract

A method of manufacturing an earth-boring tool to reduce a carbon footprint of the earth-boring tool includes calculating an amount of CO2 associated with forming a drill bit. The method additionally includes redesigning the drill bit to reduce the amount of CO2 associated with forming the drill bit. The method may further include forming the redesigned drill bit. Related drill bits with reduced carbon footprints are also described.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of manufacturing an earth-boring tool to reduce a carbon footprint of the earth-boring tool, the method comprising:
 calculating an amount of CO 2  associated with forming a drill bit;   redesigning the drill bit to reduce the amount of CO 2  associated with forming the drill; and   forming the redesigned drill bit.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein calculating an amount of CO 2  associated with forming a drill bit comprises:
 calculating a first amount of CO 2  resulting from raw materials to be used in forming the drill bit; and   calculating a second amount of CO 2  resulting from processing the raw materials to form the drill bit.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein calculating an amount of CO 2  associated with forming a drill bit comprises calculating a unitized amount of CO 2  per kilogram of each raw material to be used in forming the drill bit. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein calculating an amount of CO 2  associated with forming a drill bit comprises calculating a unitized amount of CO 2  per kilogram of material that undergoes a certain type of process to form the drill bit. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein redesigning the drill bit to reduce the amount of CO 2  associated with forming the drill bit comprises reducing the amount of CO 2  associated with forming the drill bit by a quantity within a range of from about 10% to about 50%. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein redesigning the drill bit to reduce the amount of CO 2  associated with forming the drill bit comprises reducing an amount of diamond material in the drill bit. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein redesigning the drill bit to reduce the amount of CO 2  associated with forming the drill bit comprises redesigning a gauge region of the drill bit. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein redesigning a gauge region of the drill bit comprises reducing a number of diamond inserts within the gauge region of the drill bit. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein redesigning the gauge region of the drill bit comprises increasing spacing between the diamond inserts. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein redesigning the gauge region of the drill bit comprises eliminating diamond inserts from one or more portions of a blade in the gauge region of the drill bit. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein forming the redesigned drill bit comprises forming a spherical cast tungsten carbide material on at least a portion of a gauge region of the redesigned drill bit. 
     
     
         12 . A drill bit, comprising:
 a longitudinal axis;   a plurality of blades extending radially outward from a longitudinal axis of the drill bit along a face region of the drill bit and extending axially along a gauge region of the drill bit;   cutting elements coupled to the plurality of blades;   an ultra abrasion-resistant material on at least a portion of a blade of the plurality of blades in the gauge region; and   diamond inserts comprising diamond material coupled to the blade in the gauge region,   wherein a combined mass of the diamond material is less than about 0.5% of a total mass of the drill bit.   
     
     
         13 . The earth-boring tool of  claim 12 , wherein the at least a portion of the blade comprises an uphole portion of the blade. 
     
     
         14 . The earth-boring tool of  claim 12 , wherein the at least a portion of the blade comprises an uphole portion of the blade and a downhole portion of the blade, the uphole portion of the blade separated from the downhole portion of the blade by a central portion of the blade. 
     
     
         15 . The earth-boring tool of  claim 12 , wherein the diamond inserts are coupled to an uphole portion of the blade. 
     
     
         16 . The earth-boring tool of  claim 12 , wherein another portion of the blade is radially recessed relative to the at least a portion of the blade. 
     
     
         17 . The earth-boring tool of  claim 12 , wherein the diamond inserts are arranged in a pattern along a leading edge of the blade in the gauge region. 
     
     
         18 . A method of manufacturing an earth-boring tool, the method comprising:
 positioning ultra abrasion-resistant material and diamond inserts comprising diamond material within a casting mold corresponding to a portion of a blade within a gauge region of a drill bit to be formed;   positioning displacements of cutting elements within the casting mold corresponding to a face region of the drill bit to be formed; and   forming a drill bit comprising the diamond inserts and the ultra abrasion-resistant material, the ultra abrasion-resistant material on a surface of at least the portion of the blade within a gauge region of the drill bit, the drill bit comprising from about 1.0 wt % to about 90.0 wt % ultra abrasion-resistant material, wherein a combined mass of the diamond material is less than about 0.5% of a total mass of the drill bit.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein positioning ultra abrasion-resistant material within the casting mold comprises positioning spherical cast tungsten carbide particles within the casting mold. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein forming the drill bit comprises flame-spraying spherical cast tungsten carbide material on the at least a portion of the blade within the gauge region of the drill bit.