Forged Steel Rock Bit Sets Drilling Depth Record

June 26, 2007--The Timken Company http://timken.com announced that an end user, Smith Technologies www.smithbits.com, has been recognized for setting three world records with a two-cone rock bit made from Timken steel. In February, Smith Technologies’ two-cone bit was used in Qatar to drill the longest single distance by a roller cone bit – 24,591 feet, or 4.7 miles.

Made of two specialized grades of Timken alloy steel forging bar, the rock bit used for a gas well in Qatar set three individual records: longest distance drilled with a roller cone bit, longest distance drilled with a milled tooth bit and longest distance drilled by a two-cone bit.

The two-cone design offers performance advantages relative to the widely accepted three-cone rock bit, resulting in greater rig efficiency and driving down costs for end users.

“For our finished products to be as successful as we want them to be, we needed a steel company with a history of proven performance that would be a reliable, high-quality supplier and provide technical support for our growth,” said Gay Norris, purchasing manager for Smith Bits, an operating unit of Smith Technologies. “For more than a decade, Timken has been the answer to our needs, and the recent record-setting depths are proof of our combined success.”

Timken steel is provided to Smith Technologies through Ryerson Incorporated, a Timken authorized distributor in California. Ryerson manages inventory for California Amforge in Azusa, Calif. California Amforge forges the bit components for Smith Technologies.