Expandable slip ring for use with liner hangers and liner top packers

A liner top packer comprising:

• a mandrel;
• a slip assembly disposed around the mandrel, the slip assembly comprising:
• an expandable non-frangible slip ring forming a continuous ring of ductile material;
• and
• a plurality of gripping members permanently affixed to the expandable non-frangible slip ring and disposed circumferentially around the expandable non-frangible slip ring, each gripping member being mounted entirely externally of the expandable non-frangible slip ring such that the plurality of gripping members extends radially outwardly from the expandable non-frangible slip ring;
• and
• a sealing element disposed around the mandrel.

A method for setting a downhole tool in a wellbore, the method comprising:

• running a liner top packer downhole into the wellbore with a liner, the liner top packer having a slip assembly disposed around a mandrel, the slip assembly comprising:
• an expandable slip ring;
• and
• a plurality of gripping members integrally formed with the slip ring such that the slip ring is positioned along a radially interior side of the plurality of gripping members;
• positioning the liner top packer at a pre-determined wellbore location within a host casing;
• actuating the tool to impart a force on the slip assembly;
• and
• expanding the expandable non-frangible slip ring plastically without fracture from a first diameter to a second diameter to displace the gripping members radially outward into engagement with a surrounding surface of the host casing to suspend the liner from the host casing.