When was the first PDC bit used?

When was the first PDC bit used?

• A. 1979
• B. 1982
• C. 1990
• D. 1967

Answer: (A)

PDC bits use polycrystalline diamond compact cutters to cut rock more aggressively and resist wear much better than traditional roller-cone bits. This capability came into practical field use in the late 1970s, with the first documented deployment occurring around 1979. That moment marks when the technology moved from concept and testing into real-world drilling, making 1979 the earliest point you’d see a PDC bit used in practice. After that, adoption and refinements spread in the years that followed, but the initial use happened in 1979. The other dates either precede when PDC technology existed or come after the initial deployment.

PDC bits use polycrystalline diamond compact cutters to cut rock more aggressively and resist wear much better than traditional roller-cone bits. This capability came into practical field use in the late 1970s, with the first documented deployment occurring around 1979. That moment marks when the technology moved from concept and testing into real-world drilling, making 1979 the earliest point you’d see a PDC bit used in practice. After that, adoption and refinements spread in the years that followed, but the initial use happened in 1979. The other dates either precede when PDC technology existed or come after the initial deployment.