Expandable metal slip ring for use with a sealing assembly

A sealing tool, comprising:

• a mandrel;
• and
• a sealing assembly positioned about the mandrel, the sealing assembly having a slip ring including:
• an expandable metal ring member having a width (w), a wall thickness (t), an inside diameter (di) and an outside diameter (do), the expandable metal ring member comprising a single unitary piece of metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis;
• and
• one or more cutouts of material located in the wall thickness (t) and spaced around a circumference of the expandable metal ring member, the one or more cutouts of material configured to allow the expandable metal ring member to move between a radially reduced state and a radially enlarged state, wherein the sealing assembly further includes one or more wedges positioned about the mandrel, the one or more wedges operable to move the expandable metal ring member between the radially reduced state and the radially enlarged state.

A method for sealing an annulus within a wellbore, comprising:

• providing a sealing tool within a wellbore, the sealing tool including:
• a mandrel;
• and
• a sealing assembly positioned about the mandrel, the sealing assembly having a slip ring including:
• an expandable metal ring member having a width (w), a wall thickness (t), an inside diameter (di) and an outside diameter (do), the expandable metal ring member comprising a single unitary piece of metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis;
• and
• one or more cutouts of material located in the wall thickness (t) and spaced around a circumference of the expandable metal ring member, the one or more cutouts of material configured to allow the expandable metal ring member to move between a radially reduced state and a radially enlarged state;
• setting the slip ring by moving the expandable metal ring member from the radially reduced state to the radially enlarged state;
• and
• subjecting the expandable metal ring member in the radially enlarged state to reactive fluid to form an expanded metal ring member.