Volgaburmash History

Volgaburmash is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of three cone drill bits and PDC bits. Its major production facility is located in Samara, Russia with another manufacturing facility located in Yekaterinburg, Russia (Uralburmash).

Volgaburmash was established in 1948. During its long history of existence, the company manufactured more than 85% of the millions of drill bits used in the markets of the Soviet Union and Post-Soviet Union Independent States.

In 1967 Volgaburmash celebrated the manufacturing of its millionth bit.

In 1970 the company started to supply its TCI bits to Kolsk ultradeep well- the deepest well in the world (12,262 meters).

The company’s products and production technology were enhanced in the early 1980s with the construction of a new manufacturing facility under the direction of Dresser Security of the USA. It manufactured highly effective low speed drill bits with an annual capacity of 100,000 bits.

In 1994 the public enterprise Kuibyshevburmash was privatized and reorganized to ISC Volgaburmash. The plant’s capabilities were significantly increased with the adoption of the open-market system in Russia. The former management structure was revised to meet the up-to-date challenging requirements. The latest drill bit design software and most developed technologies had been applied to improve the products quality and expand the products range.

In 1997 Volgaburmash Quality Management System had been certified by API Specification Q1, specification 7 and ISO 9001:1994. In 2003 API covered by its license all Volgaburmash PDC bits. In 2004 American Petroleum Institute Quality Registrar (APIQR) conducted an audit of the Quality Management System for the conformity to the requirements of the new international standard ISO 9001:2008 and issued a Certificate of Authority #0451.

In 2003 a daughter company VBM-SERVICES was set up to provide drilling services in Russia and abroad.

In 2007 Volgaburmash HSE System had been certified by ISO 14001:2004 and OHSAS 18001:2007.

Volgaburmash is unique among today’s drill bits manufacturers in that it is one of the few remaining companies that possess the complete capability of manufacturing its products from row steel to finished inventory. With sufficient forging, heat-treating, and machining capabilities to accomplish all of these processes on-site, quality can be better controlled. The plant is also capable of producing its requirements of tungsten carbide inserts, applied hard metals, and rubber parts using the newest world technologies. However, Volgaburmash engineers recognize that their quest of providing the very highest technology products may require the use of materials manufactured by other specialized companies serving the industry. Volgaburmash intensively works with the world suppliers in the development of seal, lubricant, TCI and bearing component materials for its specific product requirements.

Volgaburmash manufactures more than 2600 sizes and types of three cone and PDC bits for drilling in formations from very soft to extremely hard and abrasive. Every year it produces tenths of new bit designs and develops tenths of existing ones to meet the developing filed requirements.

Nowadays, Volgaburmash three cone and PDC bits are competitive in quality and price with the world’s most known analogues. The best design programs and most-up-to-date technologies are applied and continually developed to make Volgaburmash bits win the competition.