DETAILED ACTION
This action is in response to the applicant’s reply filed on October 22, 2025. Claims 1-2, 4-13 and 15-22 are pending and addressed below.
Response to Amendment
In response to the Applicant’s amendments to claims 1 and 12 to add new limitations to claims 1 and 12, the rejections of claim 1 and 12 under 35 USC 102(a)(1) have been withdrawn.
Claims 1 and 12 have been amended. Claims 3 and 14 are cancelled. Claims 21-22 are newly added. Claims 1-2, 4-13 and 15-22 are pending and addressed below.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed October 22, 2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding claims 1 and 12, Applicant has amended claims 1 and 12 to include the limitations of previous dependent claims 3 and 14. Applicant has argued that Stokke et al., WO 2023/277697 A1 (hereinafter Stokke) in view of Rivlin, US 2020/0248522 (hereinafter Rivlin) and Haymond, US 2016/0312562 (hereinafter Haymond). Specifically, the Applicant has argued that Haymond fails to disclose “an in-line high-flow metering valve subsystem” used to control injections of the wellhead fluid. Applicant asserts that Haymond only discloses a generic flow control device 204 and that there is nothing to indicate that the flow control device 204 of Hammond is “an in-line high flow metering valve to control injection of the wellhead fluid”. The Examiner disagrees with this position.
Haymond clearly discloses a flow-control device 204 that is used to control injection of wellhead fluid. Choke valve 210 of Hammond receives a fluid from the flow control valve 204 which meters, or controls, the flow rate and pressure of the fluid into the choke 210. The flow control device 204 is installed in-line with the choke and as part of the subsea system. Although, Haymond doesn’t specifically recite that the flow-control device 204 is a “high-flow metering valve”, it is clearly capable of metering the flow of fluid through itself. Further, what is considered as “high-flow” has not been defined by the Specification as filed on February 24, 2023 (hereinafter Specification) and therefore broadly could be considered any flow at the upper capacity of the flow control device 204. As flow control device 204 is installed in-line or in fluid communication with the choke 210 and wellhead and flow control device 204 controls both fluid flow rate and pressure of the fluid. Haymond clearly meets the limitations of the “an in-line high-flow metering valve subsystem” used to control injections of the wellhead fluid as recited in claims 1 and 12.
Regarding claims 2-11 and 13-20, the arguments as presented above with respect to claims 1 and 12 are equally applicable to claims 2-11 and 13-20.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1, 4-5, 9, 11-12, 15-16, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Stokke et al., WO 2023/277697 A1 (hereinafter Stokke) in view of Rivlin, US 2020/0248522 (hereinafter Rivlin) and Haymond, US 2016/0312562 (hereinafter Haymond).
Claim 1: Stokke discloses a system for carbon capture and storage in a depleted hydrocarbon reservoir or dedicated aquifer (Fig 1, pg 1, ln 4-7), the system comprising:
a wellhead (subsea tree 2 may be mounted to a wellhead, shown at 8 in Fig 1) comprising a wellhead opening to receive an Xmas tree (wellhead is capable of receiving subsea tree 3);
a barrier subsystem of one or more of at least one isolation gate valve or one or more plugs (gate valves, valves control flow of fluid into and out of a subsea production well, pg 3, ln 7-14, pg 9, ln 22-pg 10, ln 5), the barrier subsystem to allows access to a well that is associated with the depleted hydrocarbon reservoir or dedicated aquifer (carbon capture and storage (CCS) to facilitate the injection of CO2 into underground formations, pg 1, ln 5-7, pg 8, ln 34-37)
one or more modulation valves (gas injection valve (GIV) 4f, service injection valve (SIV) 4l, etc., pg 3, ln 7-17, pg 9, ln 22-pg 10, ln 5) to modulate an injection of a wellhead fluid comprising a carbon component into the wellhead block (liquid or gas CO2 injection in the case of CCS, pg 3, ln 1-6, 13-17).
Stokke fails to discloses a wellhead block that is distinct from an Xmas Tree and installed on the wellhead opening, the wellhead block to comprising or supporting a barrier sub system of one or more of at least one isolation gate valve or one or more plugs, the barrier subsystem to allows access to a well that is associated with the depleted hydrocarbon reservoir or dedicated aquifer; and
Rivlin discloses a wellhead block (TH-block 1) that is distinct from an Xmas Tree (shown in Fig 1) and installed on the wellhead opening (wellhead connector 45), the wellhead block (TH-Block 1) comprising or supporting a barrier subsystem (wireline plugs 20) of one or more of at least one isolation gate valve or one or more plugs (wireline plugs 20), the barrier subsystem (20) to allows access to a well that is associated with the depleted hydrocarbon reservoir or dedicated aquifer; (wireline plugs 20 isolate the production bore 22, 18, 7 and annulus 19 when necessary, par [0098]) and
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to modify the system of Stokke, to include a wellhead block distinct from an Xmas Tree as disclosed by Rivlin, as this modification would have provided a manner in which to isolate the production bore and the annulus with barriers when necessary, such as when the Xmas Tree is not installed on the wellhead block (TH-block) (Rivlin, par [0098]) and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that including a wellhead block would have provided the predictable results of including a barrier and improved the system.
Stoke and Rivlin fails to disclose an in-line high-flow metering valve subsystem to be associated with the wellhead block and to be used to control injection of the wellhead fluid.
Haymond, further discloses an in-line high-flow retrievable metering valve subsystem (Haymond, flow control device 204) to be associated with the wellhead block (Haymond, see Fig 2) and to be used to control injection of the wellhead fluid (Haymond, choke 210 is configured to receive a fluid from the flow control device 204 and control the flow rate and pressure of the fluid, par [0025], choke 210 is installed on the flow control device 204, the flow control device 204 may be installed in a subsea system located proximate to the seafloor, par [0046]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to modify the system of Stoke and Rivlin to further include an in-line high-flow retrievable metering valve subsystem as disclosed by Haymond as this modification would have yielded the predictable results of providing control over the flow rate and pressure of fluid entering the wellhead via the choke (Haymond, par [0025], [0046]).
Claim 12: Stokke discloses a method for carbon capture and storage in a depleted hydrocarbon reservoir or dedicated aquifer (carbon capture and storage (CCS) to facilitate the injection of CO2 into underground formations, Fig 1, pg 1, ln 5-7, pg 8, ln 34-37), the method comprising:
providing a wellhead (subsea tree 2 may be mounted to a wellhead, shown at 8 in Fig 1) comprising a wellhead opening to receive an Xmas tree (wellhead is capable of receiving subsea tree 3);
a barrier subsystem (subsea tree 2) (tree is typically installed at, supported by, the wellhead of the subsea well, pg 1, ln 9-10) of one or more of at least one isolation gate valve or one or more plugs (gate valves, valves control flow of fluid into and out of a subsea production well, pg 3, ln 7-14, pg 9, ln 22-pg 10, ln 5)
allowing, using the barrier subsystem (2), access to a well that is associated with the depleted hydrocarbon reservoir or dedicated aquifer (carbon capture and storage (CCS) to facilitate the injection of CO2 into underground formations, pg 1, ln 5-7, pg 8, ln 34-37); and
modulating, using one or more modulation valves (gas injection valve (GIV) 4f, service injection valve (SIV) 4l, etc., pg 3, ln 7-17, pg 9, ln 22-pg 10, ln 5), an injection of a wellhead fluid comprising a carbon component into the wellhead block (liquid or gas CO2 injection in the case of CCS, pg 3, ln 1-6, 13-17);
Stokke fails to disclose installing, on the wellhead opening, a wellhead block that comprises or supports therewith a barrier subsystem of one or more of at least one isolation gate valve or one or more plugs; associating an in-line high-flow metering valve subsystem with the wellhead block; and controlling injection of the wellhead fluid using the in-line high-flow metering valve subsystem.
Rivlin discloses installing, on the wellhead opening (wellhead connector 45), a wellhead block (TH-block 1) that is distinct from an Xmas Tree (shown in Fig 1), the wellhead block (TH-Block 1) comprising or supporting a barrier subsystem (wireline plugs 20) of one or more of at least one isolation gate valve or one or more plugs (wireline plugs 20), the barrier subsystem (20) to allows access to a well that is associated with the depleted hydrocarbon reservoir or dedicated aquifer; (wireline plugs 20 isolate the production bore 22, 18, 7 and annulus 19 when necessary, par [0098]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to modify the system of Stokke, to include a wellhead block distinct from an Xmas Tree as disclosed by Rivlin, as this modification would have provided a manner in which to isolate the production bore and the annulus with barriers when necessary, such as when the Xmas Tree is not installed on the wellhead block (TH-block) (Rivlin, par [0098]) and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that including a wellhead block would have provided the predictable results of including a barrier subsystem and improving the system;
Stoke and Rivlin fail to disclose associating an in-line high-flow metering valve subsystem with the wellhead block; and controlling injection of the wellhead fluid using the in-line high-flow metering valve subsystem.
Haymond, further discloses an in-line high-flow retrievable metering valve subsystem (Haymond, flow control device 204) to be associated with the wellhead block (Haymond, see Fig 2) and to be used to control injection of the wellhead fluid (Haymond, choke 210 is configured to receive a fluid from the flow control device 204 and control the flow rate and pressure of the fluid, par [0025], choke 210 is installed on the flow control device 204, the flow control device 204 may be installed in a subsea system located proximate to the seafloor, par [0046]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to modify the system of Stoke and Rivlin to further include an in-line high-flow retrievable metering valve subsystem as disclosed by Haymond as this modification would have yielded the predictable results of providing control over the flow rate and pressure of fluid injected into the wellhead via the choke (Haymond, par [0025], [0046]).
Claim 4 and 15: Stokke, as modified by Rivlin and Haymond discloses further comprising: an in-bore safety valve (Stokke, surface-controlled subsea safety valve SCSSV 4k) to be associated with a safety feature of the wellhead block (Stokke, subsea tree 2 connects to a production tubing 3 which extends into the subsea production well, SCSSV 4k is located on production tubing 3, see Fig 1, pg 9, 22-33) and to enable isolation of a wellbore of the well (Stokke, subsea production well) that supports flow of reservoir fluid (Stokke, via production tubing 3), separately from injection of the wellhead fluid (Stokke, GIV 4f is part of the annular cross 5, PMV 4g is part of the production cross 7, Fig 1, par 10, ln 1-5, SCSSV 4k can be closes which would isolate the production tubing 3, see Fig 1).
Claim 5 and 16: Stokke, as modified by Rivlin and Haymond discloses further comprising: an internal profile (Rivlin, shown in Fig 1-2) for the wellhead block (Rivlin, 1) to support or enable the one or more plugs (Rivlin, wireline plugs 20) to be set within the wellhead block (1) (Rivlin, see Fig 1, par [0023]-[0025]).
Claims 9 and 20: Stokke, as modified by Rivlin and Haymond discloses further comprising: the one or more plugs (Rivlin, wireline plugs 20) to enable barriers between a bore of the well (Rivlin, production bore 18, annulus bore 19) and an environment outside the well (Rivlin, wireline plugs 20 constitute barriers inside the TH's bores, and hinder passage of oil to the environment, par [0023]).
Claim 11: Stokke, as modified by Rivlin and Haymond discloses at least one flow measurement device (Stokke, flow control module 22) to enable individual well injection rates to be monitored for the wellhead fluid (Stokke, flow control module 22 controls flow of fluids, multiphase flow meter measure the flow of fluids in the flow control module 22, Fig 1, pg 11, ln 33-35).
Claim(s) 2 and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Stokke in view of Rivlin and Haymond as applied to claims 1 and 12, and further in view of Haymond, US 2016/0312562 (hereinafter Haymond).
Claims 2 and 13: Stokke, as modified by Rivlin and Haymond, fails to disclose the one or more modulation valves comprising an insert-retrievable choke valve, the insert-retrievable choke valve comprised or supported within the wellhead block.
Haymond discloses a subsea choke system (200) including one or more modulation valves (choke valve 210) comprising an insert-retrievable choke valve (par [0024]-[0025]), the insert-retrievable choke valve comprised or supported within the wellhead block (choke 210 is installed on the flow control device 204, the flow control device 204 may be installed in a subsea system located proximate to the seafloor, par [0046]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to modify the one or more modulation valves of Stokke to include the insert-retrievable choke valve as disclosed by Haymond, as this modification would have provided control of the injection of the carbon component (in gas or liquid form) (Haymond, par [0046]) and would allow the for the replacement of worn out components using an insert and retrieval process (Haymond, par [0048]).
Claim(s) 6 and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Stokke in view of Rivlin and Haymond as applied to claims 1 and 12, and further in view of Gatherar et al., GB 2,346,630 (hereinafter Gatherar).
Claims 6 and 17: Rivlin further discloses the wellhead block (TH-block 1) coupled to the wellhead (at 45) of the well and a connection hub (2) at the top of the wellhead block (1) (see Fig 1-2).
Stokke, as modified by Rivlin and Haymond, are silent as to a mechanical connector of the wellhead block to couple the wellhead block to a wellhead of the well and a top profile of the wellhead block to allow a connection for an open water riser system, a riserless light well intervention (RLWI) stack, or a blowout preventer (BOP) to the wellhead block.
Gatherar discloses a mechanical connector of the wellhead block (permanent guide connector 12) to couple the wellhead block to a wellhead of the well (wellhead 10 supported in an outer housing and a permanent guide base 12, both attached to a conductor casing 14, see Fig 1, pg 6, ln 20-21) and
a top profile (at 62) of the wellhead block (wellhead 10) to allow a connection for an open water riser system (dedicated workover apparatus 130 and riser 132 engaging the top of the wellhead 10), a riserless light well intervention (RLWI) stack (“lightweight intervention”, see Fig 12a-12b, pg 11, ln 24-30), or a blowout preventer (BOP) to the wellhead block (BOP 125 installed on wellhead 10, Fig 11, pg 11, ln 14-22).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention, to modify the wellhead block of Rivlin, to further include a mechanical connector for coupling the wellhead block to the well as disclosed by Gatherar, as this modification would have provided a mechanism for supporting and connecting the wellhead block to the wellhead (Gatherar, Fig 1, pg 6, ln 20-21). Further, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the wellhead block of Rivlin to include a top profile of the wellhead block as disclosed by Gatherar, as this modification would have provided a connection for additional wellhead components to be attached to the wellhead and is part of a typical installation sequence for completion (pg 10, ln 20-21).
Claim(s) 8 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Stokke in view of Rivlin and Haymond as applied to claims 1 and 12, and further in view of Cordeiro et al., US 5,040,607 (hereinafter Cordeiro).
Claims 8 and 19: Stokke, as modified by Rivlin and Haymond, fails to disclose the barrier subsystem and the one or more modulation valves is part of a template structure that is associated, at least in part, with a plurality of wells.
Cordeiro discloses a subsea structure of a template-type manifold associated with a plurality of wells (well 16) (see Fig 1). The template structure includes a system with a Christmas tree (27) for each well (16).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective fling date of the invention, to utilize the wellhead block with barrier subsystem and the one or more modulation valves (subsea tree 2) of Stokke, as modified by Rivlin and Haymond, in place of the wellhead system of the template structure associated with a plurality of wells as disclosed by Cordeiro as the need to for a wellhead block with specific functions would have lead one skilled in the art to choose an appropriate wellhead block, such as the wellhead block (Rivlin, 1) with barrier subsystem and the one or more modulation valves of Stokke, as modified by Rivlin and Haymond. Therefore, choosing the appropriate wellhead block as disclosed by Stokke, Rivlin, and Haymond would merely be a simple substitution of one known element for another would obtain the predictable result of controlling fluid into and/or out of the well in the desired manner (Stokke, pg 1, ln 2-15), id. at 301,213 USPQ at 536. in re ICON Health & Fitness, Inc.. 496 F.3d 1374, 83 USPG2d 1746 (Fed. Cir. 2007).
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Stokke in view of Rivlin and Haymond as applied to claim 1, and further in view of Skeels et al., Canadian Patent No. CA 2,329,775 C (hereinafter Skeels).
Claim 10: Stokke, as modified by Rivlin, discloses further comprising: connections for access (valves 4a-4m and interconnecting pipelines, pipelines 6a-6c, production tubing 3) in the wellhead block (valves 4b, 4k are at the wellhead shown in Fig 1) the connections from surface facilities (chemical storage system 18 with pump, flow control module 22, etc.) and that are coupled to ports of the wellhead block (Stokke, pg 9, 22-36, Rivlin, TH-block 1 ), and through a tubing hanger (Rivlin, tubing hanger 4, 49) associated with the wellhead block (Stokke, subsea tree 2 is fluidly connected to annulus 8 of subsea well and production tubing 3, pg 9, ln 31-36, Rivlin, tubing hanger 4, 49 is supported in TH-block 1, par [0096]-[0098], claim 1).
Stokke, Rivlin, and Haymond fails to disclose the connections using flying leads.
Skeels discloses subsea well equipment and methods including connections for downhole lines in the wellhead block (hydraulic 506 and electrical 508 umbilical run from vessel to junction box and electrical parking module 510) using flying leads (flying leads 512) from distribution equipment that are coupled to ports (workover hydraulic plug receptacle 516, production hydraulic plug receptacle 518) of the wellhead block (flying lead 512 runs from junction box 510 via umbilical shear plate 514 to the WOCS Module Quick Connect (MQC) 516 of the horizontal Christmas tree 500) wherein access lines feed through the ports and through a tubing hanger associated with the wellhead block (Fig 5-7, pg 7B, ln 10-12, pg 13, ln 2-).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to modify the system of Stokke, Rivlin, and Haymond to include using flying leads for connecting downhole lines coupled to ports and access lines fed through ports as disclosed by Skeels, as this modification would have provided flying leads for connecting downhole lines from distribution equipment to access lines (Skeels, Fig 5-7), and as such the task of establishing workover umbilical is improved and simplified as the wellhead block does have to be modified for field fit-up as the flying lead portion uses a junction box (Skeels, Fig 5-7, pg 14, ln 4-15).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7, 18, and 21-22 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Claims 7 and 18 disclose contain allowable subject matter over the prior art as cited above and Carmichael et al., US 4,184,507 (hereinafter Carmichael).
Regarding claims 7 and 18, Carmichael further discloses a wellhead block (operative wellhead 10). The wellhead block comprises spool (14) and wellhead bowl (12), the spool (14) comprising a flowline connection (conduit 30) through the spool (spool 14 also has a pair of auxiliary outlets with each outlet having a conduit 30 and an attached outlet flange 32 for mounting spool outlet valves 34, see Fig 1, col 3, ln 52-col 4, ln 13) and the wellhead bowl (12) includes and inlet and outlet (at 24, 26) with wing valves (22) for connecting to other portions of the wellhead system (see Fig 1, col 3, ln 52-col 4, ln 13).
Carmichael does not disclose the wellhead block comprises a choke wellhead block and a gate wellhead block, the choke wellhead block comprising a flowline connection through a flow spool that is coupled to the at least one isolation gate valve and comprising a port for annulus access, and the gate wellhead block comprising the at least one gate isolation valve and comprising a bore-through hole to enable the access to the well for intervention and wireline operations.
Regarding claims 21 and 22, Haymond discloses the in-line high-flow metering valve subsystem (flow-control device 204) and a retrievable choke (210) (par [0029]).
Haymond does not disclose that the in-line high-flow metering valve subsystem (flow-control device 204) is retrievable and only discloses parts that are removed from the choke (210).
Conclusion
Claims 1-6, 8-13, 15-17, and 19-20 are rejected. Claims 7, 18, and 21-22 are objected to. No claims are allowed.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CAROLINE N BUTCHER whose telephone number is (571)272-1623. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 10-6 pm EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Tara E Schimpf can be reached at (571) 270-7741. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CAROLINE N BUTCHER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3676