A segmented backup ring including a plurality of individual segments each having curved surfaces that define an arcuate portion of the ring, each segment including a body section having the arcuate profile and defining a receptacle therein having a circumferential dimension, a projection section having a head portion and a neck portion and extending from the body section in a circumferential direction of the ring, the projection section being receivable and retainable in the receptacle of an adjacent segment body section, and the head portion having a dimension in line with the circumferential direction of the ring that is shorter than the circumferential dimension of the receptacle.

A downhole tool suitable for use in a wellbore, the downhole tool having a packer chassis. There is a first fingered member disposed on the chassis, and also a second fingered member disposed on the chassis. In a run-in configuration, the first fingered member has a slot proximately aligned with a midpoint of a finger of the second fingered member.

Methods for forming a seal in a wellbore. An example method includes positioning an expandable metal sealing element in the wellbore; wherein the expandable metal sealing element comprises a composite material of expandable metal and a reinforcement material. The expandable metal forms a matrix and the reinforcement material is distributed within the matrix. The method further includes contacting the expandable metal sealing element with a fluid that reacts with the expandable metal to produce a reaction product having a volume greater than the expandable metal.

A backup including a capture ring, and a backup ring articulated to the capture ring.

Bridge plug or packer assemblies include a mandrel, at least one sealing element provided on the mandrel and a pair of backup rings provided on the mandrel on respective sides of the at least one sealing element. Each of the pair of backup rings including an annular backup ring body having a ring opening receiving the mandrel, a ring opening edge encircling and facing the ring opening, an engaging ring surface, an outer ring surface extending from the engaging ring surface to the ring opening edge, an inner ring surface extending from the engaging ring surface to the ring opening edge opposite the outer ring surface and a single spiraled ring groove in the backup ring body. A mandrel cap may be provided on the mandrel in engaging relationship to a second one of the pair of backup rings. A first shear-able ring retainer pin may couple the backup ring body of the first one of the pair of backup rings to the gauge ring. A second shear-able ring retainer pin may couple the backup ring body of the second one of the pair of backup rings to the mandrel cap.

An angled segmented backup ring includes a plurality of slots extending radially inward from an outer surface and extending axially parallel to one another and non-parallel to a longitudinal axis and a plurality of the segments defined by the plurality of slots. The adjacent segments may overlap one another in the axial direction.

Backup rings for a sealing element system for a downhole bridge plug assembly may include a circumferentially-expandable backup ring body having an engaging ring surface. A beveled ring surface may extend from the engaging ring surface. An interior ring surface may extend from the beveled ring surface to the engaging ring surface. A ring opening may be formed by the beveled ring surface. A plurality of spiral ring slots may extend through the backup ring body from the engaging ring surface to the beveled ring surface. A plurality of expandable ring portions may extend between the plurality of spiral ring slots. An at least partially circumferentially-expanding ring sleeve may extend from the backup ring body. In some embodiments, an outer width or diameter of the ring sleeve may correspond to an outer width or diameter of the backup ring body. The ring sleeve may include a ring sleeve wall extending from the interior ring surface of the backup ring body. A sleeve interior may be formed by the ring sleeve wall. A plurality of sleeve slots may extend through the ring sleeve wall. The plurality of sleeve slots may communicate with the plurality of spiral ring slots, respectively, in the backup ring body. A plurality of expandable sleeve portions may extend between the plurality of sleeve slots. The plurality of expandable sleeve portions may extend from the plurality of expandable ring portions of the backup ring body.

A well bore packer includes a packer element and an anti-extrusion backup system disposed on a mandrel and located within a well bore wall. Packer element includes longitudinally spaced end regions and a central region. The backup system includes an anti-extrusion device adjacent each of the end regions. The devices each include a collar and a flexible wire mesh mat. The packer element and devices have a smaller diameter configuration before the packer element is expanded. When the packer element is expanded to seal its central region against the well bore wall, the expansion of the packer element activates or deploys the devices and expands the mats to reach between the mandrel and the wall to resist longitudinal extrusion of the packer element.

Embodiments described herein provide an expanding and collapsing apparatus and methods of use. The apparatus includes a plurality of elements assembled together to form a ring structure about a longitudinal axis. The ring structure is operable to be moved between an expanded condition and a collapsed condition by movement of the plurality of elements. At least one set of structural elements are operable to move between the expanded condition and the collapsed condition by movement of a first end in an axial direction, and by movement of a second end in a radial dimension. In certain embodiments, the plurality of elements includes at least one set of structural elements extending longitudinally on the apparatus and operable to slide with respect to one another. Applications of the embodiments described herein include oilfield devices, including anti-extrusion rings, plugs, packers, locks, patching tools, connection systems, and variable diameter tools run in a wellbore.

A pre-set inhibiting extrusion limiter has a segmented anti-extrusion ring with a plurality of anti-extrusion ring segments supported by a stepped cone frustum. Each ring segment is retained in a run-in condition by a compression spring retained by a retainer ring held in a retainer ring groove in the respective anti-extrusion ring segments. A push ring moves the respective anti-extrusion ring segments from the run-in condition to a packer-set condition in which the anti-extrusion ring segments abut a cone frustum step of the stepped cone frustum.