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EP-4240939-B1 - SLIP PACKAGE WITH IMPROVED INITIAL SETTING

EP4240939B1EP 4240939 B1EP4240939 B1EP 4240939B1EP-4240939-B1

Inventors

  • MORENO, CARLOS
  • KLAUBER, Kameron, Lee
  • ROUNDING, James
  • HERNANDEZ, MARTIN
  • GORTOWSKI, Zachary
  • HALBERT, Amanda
  • UNDERBRINK, Michael

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20211025

Claims (13)

  1. A system for use in a well, comprising: a liner hanger (34) comprising: a mandrel (42); a cone (44) mounted about the mandrel (42), the cone (44) having tapered slots (50); a plurality of tapered slips (52) slidably received in the tapered slots (50), each tapered slip (52) of the plurality of tapered slips (52) comprising a plurality of teeth (70), wherein each tapered slip (52) of the plurality of tapered slips (52) and the corresponding tapered slot (50) comprises: a setting ramp (20); and a loading ramp (22) separate from the setting ramp (20); and an actuator (66) mounted about the mandrel (42) to selectively shift the plurality of tapered slips (52) between a radially contracted position and a radially expanded, set position, characterised in that only a surface of the setting ramp (20) between the tapered slip (52) and the cone (44) makes contact when the plurality of tapered slips (52) are shifted to the radially expanded, set position.
  2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein each tapered slip (52) is wider, in a circumferential direction, at a downhole end than at an uphole end.
  3. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising: a retention ring (54), wherein each tapered slip (52) comprises a retention end that engages the retention ring (54), and wherein the actuator (66) comprises a hydraulically actuated cylinder (62) that overlaps the retention ring (54) in a manner preventing decoupling of the plurality of tapered slips (52).
  4. The system as recited in claim 3, wherein the hydraulically actuated cylinder (62) comprises a face (68) that moves against the tapered slips (52) and forces the tapered slips (52) in an axial direction during setting of the plurality of tapered slips (52).
  5. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein, in the set position, at least one tooth (70) of the plurality of teeth (70) is forced into gripping engagement with a host casing (38).
  6. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the setting ramp (20) is uphole or downhole of the loading ramp (22).
  7. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein an effective ramp angle of the loading ramp (22) is greater than an effective ramp angle of the setting ramp (20), and wherein the ramp angle defines the rate of change of the width of the radial exterior of the ramp with respect to the axial position along the ramp.
  8. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the cone (44) comprises a cone ramp angle, wherein each tapered slip (52) of the plurality of tapered slips (52) comprises a slip ramp angle, and wherein the cone ramp angle is different from the slip ramp angle.
  9. The system as recited in claim 8, wherein, upon an actuation force by the actuator (66): each tapered slip (52) of the plurality of tapered slips (52) contacts the tapered slot (50) of the cone (44) in which the tapered slip (52) is slidably received at a single point at a first end of the tapered slip (52); and a second end of the tapered slip (52) is unsupported, causing the first end of the tapered slip (52) to rise toward and bite into a host casing (38).
  10. A method, comprising: running the liner hanger (34) of claim 1 into a downhole location in a wellbore (36); actuating the plurality of tapered slips (52) to radially expand the plurality of tapered slips (52); and setting the liner hanger (34) by allowing the radially expanded plurality of tapered slips (52) to bite into a host casing (38) at the downhole location in the wellbore (36), characterised in that , during the setting step, only a surface of the setting ramp (20) between the tapered slip (52) and the cone (44) makes contact when the plurality of tapered slips (52) are shifted to the radially expanded, set position.
  11. The method of claim 10, wherein the cone (44) comprises a cone ramp angle, wherein each tapered slip (52) of the plurality of tapered slips (52) comprises a slip ramp angle, and wherein the cone ramp angle is different from the slip ramp angle.
  12. The method of claim 11, wherein, during the actuating step, each tapered slip (52) of the plurality of tapered slips (52) contacts the tapered slot (50) of the cone (44) in which the tapered slip (52) is slidably received at a single point at a first end of the tapered slip (52), and wherein, during the setting step, a second end of the tapered slip (52) is unsupported, causing the first end of the tapered slip (52) to rise toward and bite into the host casing (38).
  13. The method of claim 10, further comprising: after the setting step, keeping the plurality of tapered slips (52) stationary axially within the host casing (38).

Description

BACKGROUND In many well applications, a wellbore is drilled and a casing string is deployed along the wellbore. A liner hanger may then be used to suspend a liner downhole within the casing string. The liner hanger may be hydraulically operated via a hydraulic cylinder to set hanger slips. Once the liner hanger is run-in-hole and positioned properly, the hanger slips are set against the surrounding casing string. The set slips are responsible for ensuring sufficient gripping of the surrounding casing string to hold the weight of the liner and to hold against mechanical and hydraulic loads applied to the system. An important aspect of a slip package design for a liner hanger is ensuring that the slips reliably set and grip into the surrounding casing on each and every deployment. The slips are actuated hydraulically or mechanically depending on the type of hanger with relatively small loads compared to the maximum hang load rating of the slips. In the past, liner hangers have been known to "slip downhole" if they do not successfully bite into the casing during the setting process. Accordingly, there is a continued need for a slip package with improved initial setting for liner hanger applications. WO 2021/154907 A1 discloses a technique that facilitates deploying and setting a liner hanger assembly while securely retaining liner hanger slips during running-in-hole. The liner hanger assembly comprises a mandrel, a cone, a plurality of slips, a retention ring and an actuator. The slips are each configured with an upper retention end and a lower retention end having a plurality of angles which interlock with corresponding angles of the cone and the retention ring. A portion of the actuator is sized to slide over an axial end of the retention ring to prevent inadvertent decoupling of the slips after installing the slips along the exterior of the cone. CA 2 522 910 A1 also discloses a liner hanger assembly as in the preamble to claim 1. SUMMARY According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a system as defined in claim 1 is provided. According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a method according to claim 10 is provided. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Certain embodiments of the disclosure will hereafter be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like elements. It should be understood, however, that the accompanying figures illustrate the various implementations described herein and are not meant to limit the scope of various technologies described herein, and: FIG. 1 shows an example of a liner hanger deployed in a borehole, e.g., a wellbore, in a run-in-hole position, according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;FIG. 2 shows the liner hanger shown in FIG. 1, but in a set position, according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;FIGS. 3A and 3B show a portion of the liner hanger having a setting ramp uphole of a loading ramp in run-in-hole and set positions, according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;FIG. 4 shows a portion of the liner hanger having a setting ramp downhole of a loading ramp in a set position, according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;FIGS. 5A and 5B show examples of a biased downhole slip of a liner hanger, according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;FIGS. 6A and 6B show examples of a biased uphole slip of a liner hanger, according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure; andFIG. 7 shows an example of a biased downhole slip of a liner hanger, according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION In the following description, numerous details are set forth to provide an understanding of some embodiments of the present disclosure. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the system and/or methodology may be practiced without these details and that numerous variations or modifications from the described embodiments may be possible. One or more embodiments of the present disclosure generally relates to a system and methodology for deploying and setting a liner hanger assembly. More specifically, one or more embodiments of the present disclosure provides a liner hanger assembly including a slip package that ensures a successful initial set or "bite" into the host casing. The design of the slip package according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure includes one or both of (1) dedicated zones for setting and loading; and (2) "biased" ramp angles of the slip and cone to concentrate the initial bite to a smaller area of the host casing. Referring generally to FIG. 1, an embodiment of a liner hanger assembly 30 is illustrated as having a liner 32 coupled with a liner hanger 34. The liner hanger assembly 30 is deployed downhole into a borehole 36, e.g. a wellbore, which may be lined with a casing 38. In FIG. 1, the liner hanger 34 is illustrated in an unse