Expandable Non-Frangible Slip Ring for Liner Hanger Anchoring

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional slip assemblies in wellbore operations often experience premature displacement of slips, leading to incorrect anchoring and potential damage during deployment, requiring costly removal and replacement.

Innovation Solution

An expandable non-frangible slip ring with radially disposed gripping members that expand from a first diameter to a second upon actuation, ensuring secure engagement with the surrounding surface without breaking apart, made from materials like ductile steel with high yield strength and elongation capabilities.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional slip assemblies are used with standard slip rings, then the slips can be actuated to engage with the surrounding surface, but the slips may displace outward prematurely before the anchor mechanism is in place, causing incorrect anchoring and potential damage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveanchoring reliabilityVSAvoidpremature slip displacement

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The slip ring is designed to be expandable, transitioning from a compressed state during deployment to an expanded state during anchoring. This dynamic structure allows the slip ring to remain compact during lowering, preventing premature slip displacement, and then expand when actuated to provide reliable anchoring engagement with the surrounding surface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The slip assembly is divided into separate functional components: the expandable slip ring and the gripping members (slips). This segmentation allows the slip ring to be compressed during deployment without the slips being forced outward, while still enabling the slips to engage reliably when the ring expands during the anchoring phase.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If the slip ring is made expandable to prevent premature displacement, then the gripping members can be displaced radially outward into engagement with the surrounding surface, but the slip ring may break apart from the gripping members during expansion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveanchoring securityVSAvoidslip ring integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The gripping members are non-frangibly coupled to the slip ring, merging them into a single integrated structure. This ensures that when the slip ring expands radially outward during anchoring, the gripping members remain firmly attached and move with the ring, preventing breakage and ensuring reliable engagement with the surrounding surface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Ease of operation

If the liner hanger is lowered into the wellbore to the desired location, then the anchor mechanism can be actuated to expand the slip ring, but the slips may catch against downhole surfaces causing damage to the anchor mechanism

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedeployment precisionVSAvoidslip catch and damage

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The slip ring maintains a compressed configuration during the lowering operation, allowing the liner hanger to be precisely positioned in the wellbore without the slips catching against downhole surfaces. Only after reaching the desired location and actuating the anchor mechanism does the slip ring expand, at which point the slips are designed to engage cleanly with the surrounding surface without catching or causing damage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution prevents premature actuation and breakage, allowing for predictable and secure anchoring of downhole tools, reducing the risk of damage and the need for costly repairs, while maintaining a large inner diameter for increased space and production efficiency.

Implementation Method 1

an expandable non-frangible slip ring and a plurality of gripping members disposed circumferentially around the expandable non-frangible slip ring... expanding the expandable non-frangible slip ring from a first diameter to a second diameter to displace the gripping members radially outward into engagement with a surrounding surface

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS8939220B2Expandable slip ring for use with liner hangers and liner top packers

Publication Date: 2015.01.27 SMITH INTERNATIONAL INC

AI summary

A liner hanger includes a mandrel and a slip assembly disposed around the mandrel, wherein the slip assembly includes an expandable non-frangible slip ring and a plurality of gripping members. A liner top packer includes a mandrel, a slip assembly disposed around the mandrel, and a sealing element disposed around the mandrel, wherein the slip assembly includes an expandable non-frangible slip ring and a plurality of gripping members disposed circumferentially around the expandable non-frangible slip ring. A method for setting a tool in a wellbore includes running the tool having a slip assembly disposed around a mandrel of the tool into the wellbore, positioning the tool at a predetermined wellbore location, actuating the tool to impart a force on the slip assembly, and expanding the expandable non-frangible slip ring from a first diameter to a second diameter to displace the gripping members radially outward into engagement with a surrounding surface.