Compliant slip assembly for securing well tools in a tubing string

Abstract

A compliant slip assembly that can include a spacer ring, a wedge ring, and a compliant slip device, where the slip device can include a body with a rigid first portion, a compliant second portion, and an expandable third portion, where the third portion can include expandable segments that are circumferentially spaced apart with a slit located between adjacent expandable segments. A method of securing a well tool in a tubing string using the compliant slip assembly, where the method can include conveying the well tool into a tubing string and expanding the compliant slip assembly into engagement with the tubing string, thereby securing the well tool in the tubing string.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A compliant slip assembly for securing tools in a tubing string comprising:
 a compliant slip device comprising:
 (A) a body with a substantially constant outer diameter from a first end to a second end when the slip device is in an unexpanded configuration; and 
 (B) first, second, and third portions of the body, wherein the first portion is rigid, the second portion is compliant, and the third portion includes multiple expandable segments that are circumferentially spaced apart with a slit located between adjacent pairs of the expandable segments. 
   
     
     
         2 . The assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the slits are present when the compliant slip device is in the unexpanded configuration. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein each of the slits radially extends between an inner surface and an outer surface of the third body portion. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the slits extends longitudinally from the second end through the third and second portions of the body. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein a width of each of the slits increases as the third body portion is expanded. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the compliant slip device is positioned on a mandrel between a spacer ring and a wedge ring, and wherein relative movement between the spacer ring and the wedge ring causes the expandable segments to radially expand into engagement with an inside of the tubing string. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein the movement causes an inclined surface on each of the expandable segments to engage with a respective inclined surface on the wedge ring, thereby radially extending the expandable segments. 
     
     
         8 . The assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the compliant slip device is positioned on a mandrel with a wedge ring, and wherein relative movement between the compliant slip device and the wedge ring causes the expandable segments to radially expand into engagement with an inside of the tubing string. 
     
     
         9 . The assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein each slit extends longitudinally through the second portion of the body and at least partially through the third portion of the body, wherein a tab of material bridges across at least one of the slits, and wherein each tab secures adjacent expandable segments together and temporarily prevents expansion of the adjacent expandable segments. 
     
     
         10 . The assembly according to  claim 9 , wherein the compliant slip device is positioned on a mandrel between a spacer ring and a wedge ring, and wherein application of a predetermined compression force between the wedge ring and the spacer ring causes each of the tabs to break and allows the expandable segments to radially expand. 
     
     
         11 . The assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein an outer diameter of the first body portion remains unchanged when the compliant slip device is changed from an unexpanded configuration to an expanded configuration. 
     
     
         12 . The assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the slip device is expanded into an expanded configuration, wherein an outer diameter of the second body portion increases along a length of the second body portion during expansion, and wherein the second body portion has a smallest outer diameter located adjacent to the first body portion and a largest outer diameter located adjacent to the third body portion when the slip device is in the expanded configuration. 
     
     
         13 . The assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one gripping device is mounted to an outer surface of at least one of the expandable segments, wherein the at least one gripping device increases an amount of a gripping engagement between the expandable segments and the tubing string. 
     
     
         14 . The assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein an outer surface of the third body portion is coaxially aligned with an outer surface of the first body portion when the slip device is in an expanded configuration. 
     
     
         15 . The assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein an individual piece includes one or more of the expandable segments, and multiple of the individual pieces are assembled into the compliant slip device to form the body. 
     
     
         16 . The assembly according to  claim 15 , wherein a portion of each of the individual pieces is inserted into an annular recess formed in a spacer ring, wherein the portion of each of the individual pieces is retained by the annular recess and forms the rigid first portion of the body. 
     
     
         17 . The assembly according to  claim 15 , wherein a portion of each of the individual pieces is bonded or fastened to an annular surface of a spacer ring, wherein the portion of each of the pieces forms the rigid first portion of the body. 
     
     
         18 . A method of securing a well tool in a tubing string, the method comprising:
 conveying the well tool to a predetermined location in the tubing string, wherein the well tool includes a compliant slip assembly comprising:
 a compliant slip device comprising:
 (A) a body with a substantially constant outer diameter from a first end to a second end when the compliant slip device is in an unexpanded configuration; and 
 (B) first, second, and third portions of the body, wherein the first portion is rigid, the second portion is compliant, and the third portion includes multiple expandable segments that are circumferentially spaced apart with a slit located between adjacent pairs of the segments; and 
 
   expanding the compliant slip assembly into engagement with the tubing string, thereby securing the well tool at the predetermined location in the tubing string.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the step of expanding further comprises applying a predetermined compression force between a spacer ring and a wedge ring, thereby moving the spacer ring toward the wedge ring and expanding the expandable segments in response to the movement. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the compliant slip device is positioned on a mandrel between a spacer ring and a wedge ring, and wherein the step of expanding further comprises moving the spacer ring toward the wedge ring and causing an inclined surface on each of the expandable segments to engage with a respective inclined surface on the wedge ring, thereby radially extending the expandable segments. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the step of expanding further comprises increasing a width of each of the slits from a first width to a second width when the compliant slip device is expanded. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the first body portion is connected to the second body portion and the second body portion is connected to the third body portion, wherein the step of expanding further comprises radially expanding the third body portion, and wherein the rigid first body portion is substantially prevented from radially expanding during expansion of the third body portion. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein the step of expanding further comprises deforming the compliant second body portion into a generally frustum-conical shape, thereby allowing the second body portion to remain connected to the first and third body portions when the third body portion is radially expanded. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein at least one gripping device is mounted to an outer surface of at least one of the expandable segments, thereby increasing an amount of a gripping engagement between the expandable segments and an inside of the tubing string. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein an outer surface of the third body portion is coaxially aligned with an outer surface of the first body portion when the slip device is in an expanded configuration. 
     
     
         26 . A compliant slip device comprising:
 a body with a substantially constant outer diameter from a first end to a second end when the compliant slip device is in an unexpanded configuration; and   first, second, and third portions of the body, wherein the first portion is rigid, the second portion is compliant, and the third portion includes multiple expandable segments that are circumferentially spaced apart with a slit located between adjacent pairs of the expandable segments, wherein the body is a single piece with the first, second, and third body portions integral to the body,   wherein the second body portion is formed between the first and third body portions, and   wherein the second body portion deforms to allow the third body portion to radially expand while the first body portion is substantially prevented from expanding.   
     
     
         27 . The device according to  claim 26 , wherein the expandable segments remain connected to the first body portion via the second body portion after the expansion of third body portion. 
     
     
         28 . The device according to  claim 26 , wherein engagement of the expandable segments with a tubing string causes the second body portion to fracture, which disconnects the expandable segments from the rigid first body portion.