DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of claim 1-17 in the reply filed on 6/25/2026 is acknowledged.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-5, 8-13, and 16-17, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Oates US 20170174512.
Regarding claim 1 and 11, Oates teaches a method of using a hydrogen storage cavern in communication with multiple hydrogen production sources and a pipeline distribution system (Fig. 1). The process includes injecting gas from the gas production system into the hydrogen storage reservoir (para [0024]), and extracting the hydrogen gas (para [0037]; Fig. 2a and 2b).
Regarding claim 2, Oates teaches connecting a hydrogen storage reservoir to a gas production system includes making a fluid connection between the gas production system and the hydrogen storage reservoir with one or more of a well, a pipeline, or a pump (para [0024], FIG. 1 is a schematic showing an integrated hydrogen supply system comprising a single storage cavern in communication with multiple hydrogen production sources and a pipeline distribution system; para [0027], The production sources are hydrogen production plants which generally make hydrogen from natural gas: sea FIG. 1 wherein the H2 Generation is connected to the hydrogen storage reservoir/storage cavern through the pipeline system).
Regarding claim 3 and 12, Oates teaches connecting a hydrogen storage reservoir to a gas production system includes connecting the hydrogen storage reservoir to an output of one or more of an electrolysis system, a pyrolysis system, or a reformer system configured to produce hydrogen (para [0027]).
Regarding claim 4 and 13, Oates teaches injecting hydrogen from one or more of an electrolysis system, a pyrolysis system, or a reformer system configured to produce hydrogen (para [0027]).
Regarding claim 5, Oates teaches injecting gas from the gas production system into the hydrogen storage reservoir includes injecting the gas into the hydrogen storage reservoir via an injection well (para [0049]).
Regarding claim 8, 14 and 16, Oates teaches the hydrogen storage reservoir includes 3 subsurface geological formation that is depleted of natural hydrogen (para [0034]).
Regarding claim 9, Oates teaches the gas includes one or more of hydrogen, carbon dioxide, or helium (Abstract; para [0025]).
Regarding claim 10 and 17, Oates teaches supplying the extracted gas to one or more energy producers or a chemical producer, through a pipeline (para [0026]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 6-7 and 14-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oates US 20170174512.
Regarding claim 6, Oates teaches extracting the injected gas occurs and the hydrogen storage reservoir is depleted of hydrogen (para [0013], during the period that the hydrogen demand requirements are above the optimal hydrogen production rate of the multiple hydrogen production sources, hydrogen is withdrawn from the hydrogen storage cavern and introduced into the hydrogen pipe line distribution system; para [0034], The cavern allows instantaneous injection and withdrawal of hydrogen; para [0025], The storage cavern can be an underground salt cavern and depleted oil or gas field), but does not specifically teach wherein the extraction of the injected gas occurs after the hydrogen storage reservoir is depleted and wherein the hydrogen is natural hydrogen. It would have been obvious to one of skill in the art to conduct the extraction step after the depletion step and include natural hydrogen as the hydrogen gas depleted from the hydrogen storage reservoir to optimize the utilization of hydrogen gas and purity of the final product.
Regarding claim 7, Oates teaches extracting the injected gas occurs in parallel with depletion of hydrogen from the hydrogen storage reservoir (para [0034], The cavern allows instantaneous injection and withdrawal of hydrogen; para [0025], The storage cavern can be an underground salt cavern and depleted oil or gas field), but does not specifically teach wherein the hydrogen is natural hydrogen. It would have been obvious to one of skill in the art to Include natural hydrogen as the hydrogen gas depleted from the hydrogen storage reservoir to optimize the utilization of hydrogen gas and purity of the final product.
Regarding claim 14, Oates teaches extracting the injected hydrogen occurs and the hydrogen storage reservoir is depleted of hydrogen from the hydrogen storage reservoir (para [0013], during the period that the hydrogen demand requirements are above the optimal hydrogen production rate of the multiple hydrogen production sources, hydrogen is withdrawn from the hydrogen storage cavern and introduced into the hydrogen pipe line distribution system; para [0034], The cavern allows instantaneous infection and withdrawal of hydrogen; para [0025], The storage cavern can be an underground salt cavern and depleted oil or gas field), but does not specifically teach wherein the extraction of the injected gas occurs after the hydrogen storage reservoir is depleted and wherein the hydrogen is natural hydrogen. If would have been obvious to one of skill in the art to conduct the extraction step after the depletion step and include natural hydrogen as the hydrogen gas depleted from the hydrogen storage reservoir to optimize the utilization of hydrogen gas and purity of the final product.
Regarding claim 15, Oates teaches extracting the injected hydrogen occurs in parallel with depletion of hydrogen from the hydrogen storage reservoir (para [0034], The cavern allows instantaneous injection and withdrawal of hydrogen, para [0025], The storage cavern can be an underground salt cavern and depleted oil or gas field), but does not specifically teach wherein the hydrogen is natural hydrogen. It would have been obvious to one of skill in the art to include natural hydrogen as the hydrogen gas depleted from the hydrogen storage reservoir to optimize the utilization of hydrogen gas and purity of the final product.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAMES A FIORITO whose telephone number is (571)272-9921. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9AM-5PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Amber Orlando can be reached at (571) 270-3149. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/JAMES A FIORITO/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1731
Prosecution Insights