Wellbore packer back-up ring assembly, packer and method

Abstract

A back-up ring assembly for a wellbore packer that acts as an extrusion limiter for a packing element and engages the wellbore bore, also operating as a slip to anchor the packer in place. A wellbore packer includes a single structure that acts both to back up the extrusion of the packing element and to engage the wellbore wall. For example, the structure is a back-up ring that includes a gripping structure on its outer wall-contacting surface. The wellbore packer includes: a mandrel, a deformable packing element surrounding the mandrel and adapted to be radially expanded out from the mandrel, the deformable packing element including an end; a back-up ring surrounding the mandrel and positioned adjacent the end of the deformable packing element, the back-up ring having an inner facing annular surface and an outer facing annular surface defining an outer diameter across the back-up ring, the back-up ring being expandable to increase the outer diameter to expand out from the mandrel alongside the deformable packing element and the outer facing annular surface including a gripping structure for biting into a constraining surface in a well.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A wellbore packer back-up ring assembly for limiting the extrusion of a packing element in a packer comprising: a first back-up ring adapted to be positioned about a mandrel at a first end of the packing element; and a second back-up ring adapted to be positioned about the mandrel spaced from the first back-up ring and at a second end of the packing element; wherein the first back-up ring and the second back-up ring each include an inner facing annular surface and an outer facing annular surface defining an outer diameter across the back-up ring and including a gripping structure for biting into a constraining surface in a well and the first back-up ring and the second back-up ring each are expandable to increase the outer diameter and to expand radially outwardly from the mandrel. 
     
     
         2 . The wellbore of  claim 1  wherein the first back-up ring is formed of a first material and the gripping structure includes teeth having a hardness greater than the first material. 
     
     
         3 . The wellbore of  claim 2  wherein the first material is resilient. 
     
     
         4 . The wellbore of  claim 1  wherein the gripping structure includes inserts installed in the outer annular surface of each back-up ring. 
     
     
         5 . The wellbore of  claim 4  wherein the inserts are toothed buttons including carbide. 
     
     
         6 . The wellbore of  claim 1  wherein further comprising a driver for driving the first back-up ring axially along the mandrel toward the second back-up ring and to apply a compressive force to any structure between the first back-up ring and the second back-up ring. 
     
     
         7 . The wellbore of  claim 1  wherein the first back-up ring and the second back-up ring each include a cut through their thickness such that each of the first back-up ring and the second back-up ring are formed c-shaped. 
     
     
         8 . The wellbore of  claim 1  wherein the first back-up ring and the second back-up ring are each rings including a helical cut extending about their circumference and the first back-up ring and the second back-up ring each expand at the helical cut. 
     
     
         9 . The wellbore of  claim 1  wherein the first back up ring includes a pair of connected sub rings being substantially coaxially arranged and rotationally moveable to each other about their axis. 
     
     
         10 . The wellbore of  claim 9  wherein the pair of connected sub rings each include a cut through their thickness such that each of the pair of connected sub rings are formed c-shaped and the cuts are offset. 
     
     
         11 . The wellbore of  claim 9  wherein the pair of connected sub rings includes a first sub ring and a second sub ring and the first sub ring includes a cut through its thickness such that it is radially expandable relative to the second sub ring. 
     
     
         12 . The wellbore of  claim 1  wherein the gripping structure includes teeth of 0.050 to 0.060 inches high. 
     
     
         13 . The wellbore of  claim 1  wherein gripping structure is angled to resist axial movement in one direction while allowing it in another direction. 
     
     
         14 . The wellbore of  claim 1  wherein inner facing annular surface is shaped frustoconically. 
     
     
         15 . A wellbore packer comprising: a mandrel, a deformable packing element surrounding the mandrel and adapted to be radially expanded out from the mandrel, the deformable packing element including an end; a back-up ring surrounding the mandrel and positioned adjacent the end of the deformable packing element, the back-up ring having an inner facing annular surface and an outer facing annular surface defining an outer diameter across the back-up ring, the back-up ring being expandable to increase the outer diameter to expand out from the mandrel alongside the deformable packing element and the outer facing annular surface including a gripping structure for biting into a constraining surface in a well. 
     
     
         16 . The wellbore of  claim 15  wherein the back-up ring is formed of a first material and the gripping structure includes teeth having a hardness greater than the first material. 
     
     
         17 . The wellbore of  claim 16  wherein the first material is resilient. 
     
     
         18 . The wellbore of  claim 15  wherein the gripping structure includes inserts installed in the outer annular surface of each back-up ring. 
     
     
         19 . The wellbore of  claim 18  wherein the inserts are toothed buttons including carbide. 
     
     
         20 . The wellbore of  claim 15  wherein further comprising a driver for driving the back-up ring against the deformable packing element to drive the back-up ring and the deformable packing element to radially expand. 
     
     
         21 . The wellbore of  claim 20  wherein the driver drives the back-up ring to radially expand ahead of the deformable packing element. 
     
     
         22 . The wellbore of  claim 15  wherein the back-up ring includes a cut through its thickness, rendering the back-up ring c-shaped. 
     
     
         23 . The wellbore of  claim 15  wherein the driver includes a locking structure to lock the back-up ring and the deformable packing element in an expanded position. 
     
     
         24 . The wellbore of  claim 15  wherein the back-up ring includes a spiral cut extending about its circumference and the back-up ring is expandable at the spiral cut. 
     
     
         25 . The wellbore of  claim 15  wherein the back-up ring includes a pair of connected sub rings being substantially coaxially arranged and rotationally moveable to each other about their axis. 
     
     
         26 . The wellbore of  claim 25  wherein the pair of connected sub rings each include a cut through their thickness such that each of the pair of connected sub rings are formed c-shaped and the cuts are offset. 
     
     
         27 . The wellbore of  claim 15  wherein the pair of connected sub rings includes a first sub ring and a second sub ring and the first sub ring includes a cut through its thickness such that it is radially expandable relative to the second sub ring. 
     
     
         28 . The wellbore of  claim 15  wherein the gripping structure includes teeth having a height of 0.050 to 0.060 inches. 
     
     
         29 . The wellbore of  claim 15  wherein gripping structure is angled to resist axial movement in one direction while allowing it in another direction. 
     
     
         30 . The wellbore of  claim 15  wherein inner facing annular surface is shaped frustoconically. 
     
     
         31 . The wellbore of  claim 15  wherein the deformable packing element includes a main annular element and at least one guide ring between the main annular element and the back-up ring. 
     
     
         32 . The wellbore of  claim 30  wherein the main element is formed of a material softer than the at least one guide ring. 
     
     
         33 . A method for sealing an annular area in a wellbore, comprising: positioning a wellbore packer in a wellbore adjacent a constraining wall, the wellbore packer including a mandrel, a deformable packing element surrounding the mandrel and adapted to be radially expanded out from the mandrel, the deformable packing element including an end; a back-up ring surrounding the mandrel and positioned adjacent the end of the deformable packing element, the back-up ring having an inner facing annular surface and an outer facing annular surface defining an outer diameter across the back-up ring, the back-up ring being expandable to increase the outer diameter to expand out from the mandrel alongside the deformable packing element and the outer facing annular surface including a gripping structure; driving the back-up ring to expand radially outwardly to increase the outer diameter and to drive the gripping structure into engagement with the constraining wall; and applying a force on the deformable packing element to expand it radially outwardly such that seals against the constraining wall. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33  wherein the back-up ring is driven into engagement with the constraining wall before the deformable packing element seals against the constraining wall. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33  wherein the deformable packing element contacts the back-up ring when sealing against the constraining wall. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 33  wherein the gripping structure bites into the constraining wall. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 33  wherein after being driven into engagement with the constraining wall, the gripping structures can slide along the wall with the force applied to the deformable packing element and cannot slide along the wall in an opposite direction. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 33  wherein the wellbore packer is anchored to the constraining wall only through the back-up ring. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 33  further comprising locking the back-up ring in a radially outwardly expanded position. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 33  wherein back-up ring includes a cut through its thickness and driving causes the back-up ring to pull apart at the cut.