# US 9,518,453 B2 · Expandable liner hanger with anchoring feature

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- Number: US 9,518,453 B2
- Document ID: US9518453B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/020,138
- Filed: 2013-09-06
- Published: 2015-03-12
- Granted: 2016-12-13
- Earliest claimed: 2013-09-06
- Assignees: Baker Hughes Incorporated
- Applicants: Baker Hughes Incorporated
- Inventors: Halit L. Dilber; Chee K. Yee; Robert O. Castillo
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9518453B2

## CPC

- E21B 43/103: {of expandable casings, screens, liners, or the like}
- E21B 23/01: for anchoring the tools or the like (E21B23/02 - E21B23/06 take precedence; anchoring of drives in the borehole E21B4/18)
- E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS

## Abstract

An expandable liner hanger features carbide or other hard particles adhered to the outer surface of a tubular mandrel that is expanded using vulcanized rubber to retain the carbide during run in or set. The rubber can be directly applied to the outer surface of the mandrel or to a split ring that is subsequently secured to the outer surface of the mandrel. The rubber can also be mounted in an exterior recess to protect the carbide during running in from being knocked off with impact. A binder can be applied to the carbide or to the rubber for better fixation of the carbide when vulcanizing the rubber. The rubber moves with the expanding mandrel while binding the carbide until contact of the carbide to the surrounding tubular transfers the liner string weight to the surrounding tubular through the carbide.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An expandable liner hanger, comprising:
a tubular mandrel having an outer surface;
a plurality of hard particles fixated at least in part within a layer of a flexible material on said outer surface;
said layer of flexible material disposed in a recess of the outer surface having an inner surface against said mandrel and an outer surface opposite said inner surface, said hard particles extending through said outer surface of the flexible material and embedded in said layer short of said inner surface.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The hanger of claim 1, wherein: said flexible material is affixed directly to said outer surface of the tubular mandrel.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The hanger of claim 1, wherein: said flexible material is affixed to an intermediate support member mounted to said outer surface of the tubular mandrel.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The hanger of claim 3, wherein:
said intermediate support member comprises a split ring.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The hanger of claim 1, wherein: said flexible material extends in at least one band that extends for at least 360 degrees around said outer surface of the tubular mandrel.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The hanger of claim 5, wherein:
said at least one band comprises multiple bands having the same or different widths.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The hanger of claim 5, wherein:
said at least one band comprises a spiral.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The hanger of claim 1, wherein:
said flexible material comprises rubber.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The hanger of claim 8, wherein:
said hard particles comprise carbide.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The hanger of claim 9, wherein:
said rubber is vulcanized with said carbide mounted at least in part in said rubber.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The hanger of claim 10, wherein:
an adhesive is placed on at least one of said rubber and said carbide.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The hanger of claim 8, wherein:
said rubber is slurried with methyl ethyl ketone when mounted to said mandrel before adding said hard particles to said slurry.

### Claim 13

An expandable liner hanger, comprising:
a tubular mandrel having an outer surface;
a plurality of hard particles fixated at least in part within a layer of a flexible material on said outer surface;
said layer of flexible material having an inner surface against said mandrel and an outer surface opposite said inner surface, said hard particles extending through said outer surface of the flexible material and embedded in said layer short of said inner surface;
said outer surface of the tubular mandrel comprises a recess;
said flexible material is disposed in said recess;
said hard particles are also disposed in the same said recess and extend through said flexible material within said recess without initial contact of a bottom surface of said recess and outwardly beyond said recess.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The hanger of claim 13, wherein:
said flexible material is affixed directly to said tubular mandrel within said recess.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The hanger of claim 13, wherein:
said flexible material is indirectly fixed to said tubular mandrel in said recess.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The hanger of claim 15, wherein:
said indirect fixation comprises a split ring.