Patent ID: 9388662
Filing Date: 2016-07-12
CPC Classification: E21B

Claim Text:
1. A settable well tool of increased expansibility comprising a mandrel having a longitudinal axis, at least one expander and a set of slips movable relative to the expander from a first position where the slips are in a retracted condition and a second position where the slips expand for engagement with a pipe string, the slips in the first position having an exterior of circular cross-section, the mandrel being of a drillable material selected from the group consisting essentially of aluminum, aluminum alloys, copper, copper alloys and composite materials, the slips comprising cast iron segments; the expander comprising a frustoconical section engaging the slips, the expander being from the group consisting essentially of aluminum, aluminum alloys, copper, copper alloys, resins, composites and combinations thereof, the expander comprising means preventing relaxation of the expander upon setting of the slips, the preventing means being that an exterior of the frustoconical section has a Rockwell B hardness of at least 70; the O.D. of the well tool in the retracted position being in the range of 3-6″, the O.D. of the well tool in the expanded position being at least 15% greater than the O.D. of the well tool in the retracted position, the slips having a series of zones of weakness to fracture the slips into pieces during movement of the slips from the first position to the second position, the slips comprising a series of metal segments, at least some of the segments having first and second spaced faces transverse to the longitudinal axis and a passage generally parallel to the axis, the segments having a first perimeter, the axial passage having a second perimeter defining, with the first and second faces and the first perimeter, a volume, the volume being filled by the metal, the passages providing a first series of weakened zones extending parallel to the tool axis, at least some of the segments further comprising a second series of weakened zones extending in a second direction transverse to the first dimension so the slips fracture into a series of pieces at least partially bounded by the first and second weakened zones, the passages having an area perpendicular to the tool axis, there being at least one groove between each pair of the passages, the groove opening radially outwardly through the first perimeter, at least some of the grooves having an area perpendicular to the tool axis greater than the area of the passages, the grooves providing a third series of zones of weakness parallel to the first series of weakened zones so the slips fracture into a series of segments at least partially bounded by the grooves.