Anti-extrusion assembly for a downhole tool

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10753171-B2
Application number	US-201716090956-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 10, 2017
Priority date	Apr 8, 2016
Publication date	Aug 25, 2020
Grant date	Aug 25, 2020

Abstract

A downhole tool includes a sealing element configured to expand radially outwards to form a seal with a surrounding tubular, a cone defining a tapered surface, and a slips assembly comprising a plurality of slips. The slips assembly is receivable at least partially around the cone, such that moving the cone in an axial direction with respect to the slips assembly causes the plurality of slips to separate circumferentially apart. The tool also includes a backup member positionable at least partially around the tapered surface of the cone and positioned adjacent to the slips assembly. The backup member is configured to break as the cone is moved toward the plurality of slips, to prevent the sealing element from extruding between circumferentially-adjacent slips of the plurality of slips.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A downhole tool, comprising:
a sealing element configured to expand radially outwards to form a seal with a surrounding tubular;
a cone defining a tapered surface;
a slips assembly comprising a plurality of slips, wherein the slips assembly is receivable at least partially around the cone, such that moving the cone in an axial direction with respect to the slips assembly causes the plurality of slips to separate circumferentially apart; and
a backup member positionable at least partially around the tapered surface of the cone and positioned adjacent to the slips assembly, wherein the backup member is configured to break as the cone is moved toward the plurality of slips, to prevent the sealing element from extruding between circumferentially-adjacent slips of the plurality of slips.

2. The tool of claim 1 , wherein the backup member comprises a plurality of rings positioned axially adjacent to one another.

3. The tool of claim 2 , wherein a first ring of the plurality of rings comprises a first notch, and a second ring of the plurality of rings comprises a tab and a second notch, the tab being received into the first notch, and the first and second notches being circumferentially offset from one another.

4. The tool of claim 3 , wherein:
the first ring is configured to break at the first notch, such that a first gap in the first ring is formed when the first ring is expanded; and
the second ring is configured to break at the second notch, such that a second gap in the second ring is formed when the second ring is expanded, the first and second gaps being circumferentially offset from one another.

5. The tool of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of rings are positioned axially between the sealing element and the slips assembly, and wherein the sealing element is positioned at least partially around the tapered surface of the cone.

6. The tool of claim 1 , wherein the backup member comprises a slips ring having a plurality of tabs, wherein each of the tabs is receivable into a plurality of gaps defined between circumferentially-adjacent slips of the plurality of slips.

7. The tool of claim 6 , wherein the backup member comprises a plurality of notches, wherein each of the notches is positioned circumferentially between two of the tabs.

8. The tool of claim 7 , wherein the backup member is configured to fracture at the plurality of notches, such that the backup member, when expanded, comprises a plurality of arcuate segments, wherein at least two of the arcuate segments each include at least one of the tabs.

9. The tool of claim 6 , wherein the cone is positioned axially between the sealing element and the slips assembly.

10. A method, comprising:
positioning a cone axially adjacent to a sealing element of a downhole tool;
positioning a backup member around a tapered surface of the cone;
positioning a slips assembly comprising a plurality of slips axially adjacent to at least a portion of the cone, such that the backup member is axially between the sealing element and the slips assembly, wherein the backup member is positioned adjacent to the slips assembly; and
expanding the sealing element, the backup member, and the slips assembly, at least partially by moving the cone relative to the backup member and the slips assembly, wherein the backup member is configured to prevent the sealing element from extruding through gaps defined between circumferentially-adjacent slips of the plurality of slips of the slips assembly.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein expanding the backup member comprises breaking a first ring of the backup member at a first circumferential location and breaking a second ring of the backup member at a second location, the first location being circumferentially offset from the second location.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein positioning the backup member comprises positioning tabs of the backup member into the gaps between the circumferentially-adjacent slips.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein expanding the backup member comprises breaking the backup member into a plurality of arcuate segments, wherein at least one of the plurality of arcuate segments comprises a tab received into one of the gaps between the circumferentially-adjacent slips prior to expanding the slips assembly.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein an axial face of the cone bears on an axial face of the sealing element, and wherein expanding the sealing element comprises applying an axial load to the sealing element via the cone, to axially compress and radially expand the sealing element.

15. A method, comprising:
positioning a cone axially adjacent to a sealing element of a downhole tool;
positioning a backup member around a tapered surface of the cone;
positioning a slips assembly comprising a plurality of slips axially adjacent to at least a portion of the cone, such that the backup member is axially between the sealing element and the slips assembly; and
expanding the sealing element, the backup member, and the slips assembly, at least partially by moving the cone relative to the backup member and the slips assembly, wherein the backup member is configured to prevent the sealing element from extruding through gaps defined between circumferentially-adjacent slips of the plurality of slips of the slips assembly, wherein the sealing element is positioned at least partially around the tapered surface of the cone, and wherein expanding the sealing element comprises moving the cone with respect to the sealing element.

16. A downhole tool, comprising:
a sealing element that is expandable radially outwards to form a seal with a surrounding tubular;
a cone defining a tapered surface;
a plurality of slips receivable at least partially around the cone, wherein the plurality of slips are configured to separate circumferentially apart by moving the cone in an axial direction toward the plurality of slips; and
at least one slips ring positioned at least partially around the tapered surface of the cone and axially between the sealing element and the plurality of slips, wherein the at least one slips ring is positioned adjacent to the plurality of slips, wherein the at least one slips ring is configured to break as the cone is moved toward the plurality of slips, and wherein the at least one slips ring is configured to prevent the sealing element from extruding between circumferentially-adjacent slips of the plurality of slips.

17. The tool of claim 16 , wherein the at least one slips ring comprises a plurality of tabs and a plurality of notches, wherein respective notches of the plurality of notches are positioned circumferentially between two of the plurality of tabs, and wherein the plurality of tabs are received into gaps formed between the circumferentially-adjacent slips.

18. The tool of claim 17 , wherein the at least one slips ring is configured to break apart at the plurality of notches as the cone is moved toward the plurality of slips, so as to form a plurality of arcuate sections, each of the plurality of arcuate sections including one of the plurality of tabs.

19. The tool of claim 17 , wherein the at least one slips ring comprises a first ring and a second ring, the first and second rings being axially adjacent, the first ring being configured to break at a first location, and the second ring being configured to break at a second location, the first and second locations being circumferentially offset.

20. The tool of claim 19 , wherein the first ring, the second ring, or both comprise an alig

Assignees

• Team Oil Tools Lp
• Innovex Downhole Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Kellner Justin

Classifications

• E21B33/128

  with a member expanded radially by axial pressure (E21B33/122, E21B33/124 take precedence) · CPC title

• E21B33/127

  with inflatable sleeve (E21B33/122, E21B33/124 take precedence) · CPC title

• E21B33/1216 Primary

  Anti-extrusion means, e.g. means to prevent cold flow of rubber packing · CPC title

• E21B33/134

  Bridging plugs · CPC title

• E21B33/129

  with mechanical slips for hooking into the casing (E21B33/122, E21B33/124 take precedence) · CPC title