DETAILED ACTION
This action is in response to the applicant’s reply filed on November 25, 2025. Claims 1-26 are pending and addressed below.
Response to Amendment
In response to the Applicant’s amendment to the abstract to remove an implied phrase, the objection to the Specification is withdrawn.
Claims 22 and 24 has been amended. Claims 1-26 are pending and addressed below.
The new grounds of rejection set forth below for claim 22-26 [under 35 USC 102(a)(1), for this particular situation] are necessitated by Applicant’s amendment filed on November 25, 2025. In particular, claim 22 have been amended to include “the shear member shearing at a flow rate sufficient to create a pressure a pressure differential exceeding its shear strength” . For these reasons, the present action is properly made final.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 22-26 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Specifically, claim 22 has been amended to include new limitations that were not disclosed by the previously cited prior art of Powers et al., US 2020/0347694 (hereinafter Powers).
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because the replacement drawings for Figures 2A and 25-27 have been labeled as “AMENDED”. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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) 22-26 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Goodman et al., US 2022/0228460 (hereinafter Goodman).
Claim 22: Goodman discloses a tubular modular plug for a frac plug assembly (see Fig 2A, par [0001]), the tubular modular plug comprising:
a) a body (mandrel 39) defining a counterbore (mandrel bore 91) therethrough with a first section (lower section of mandrel 39) and second section (upper section of mandrel 39),
b) the first section (downhole end of mandrel 39 below port 97 and including the smaller diameter, see Fig 2A) comprising ‒
i) a tip (lower end of collet fingers 41 with gauge ring 38 ),
ii) at least one aperture (port 97) arranged on the body (39) (see Fig 2A),
iii) a at least one shear member (frangible fasteners 73) connected to the body (mandrel 39), the shear member shearing at a flow rate sufficient to create a pressure differential exceeding its shear strength (hydraulic pressure on stopple 31 will increase rapidly, and shear screws 74/73 securing mandrel 39 to setting ring 37 will shear, par, [0094]), and
iv) a first inner diameter (smaller inner diameter of bore 91 below port 97);
c) the second section (uphole end of mandrel 39 above port 97) comprising ‒
i) a ball (stopple 31) located within the second section (see Fig 2A) with a diameter larger than the first inner diameter (diameter of lower portion of bore 91 is smaller than the diameter of the upper portion of bore 91 above port 97, see Fig 2A) ,
ii) a ball seat step (stopple seat 96),
iii) a ball stop (shear screws 98) connected to the second section (uphole section of mandrel 39) opposite the first section (shear screws 98 are connected to the upper portion mandrel 39 above port 97, see Fig 2A) , and
iv) a second inner diameter (upper portion of mandrel 39 above port 97) larger than the first inner diameter (inner diameter of the lower portion of the mandrel 39) (shown in Figure 2A).
Claim 23: Goodman discloses wherein the tip defines a collet (lower end of collet fingers 41, see Fig 2A-2B, par [0075]).
Claim 24: Goodman discloses each aperture (port 97) is radially spaced about a central axis (longitudinal axis of mandrel 39) (see Fig 2A-2B).
Claim 25: Goodman discloses the shear member (frangible fasteners 73) comprises a shear ring (setting ring 37) with an outer diameter larger than a first outer diameter of the body (39) (outer diameter of setting ring 37 is greater than the outer diameter of the mandrel 39, see Fig 2A-2B).
Claim 26: Goodman discloses the ball seat step (stopple seat 96) is circumferentially chamfered (as shown in Fig 2A-2B).
Allowable Subject Matter
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Claims 1-21 contain allowable subject matter over the closet prior art “herein Powers et al., US 2020/0347694 (hereinafter Powers)”, “herein Wolf et al., US 2019/0352998 (hereinafter Wolf)”, and “herein Goodman”, for the following reasons:
Regarding claim 1: Power discloses a plug assembly (bridge plug 100), comprising:
(a) a frustoconical tube (setting cone 110) having a first end (uphole end located to the right in Fig 2A-2B), a second end (downhole end located to the left in Fig 2A-2B), an exterior surface, and an interior surface (as shown in Fig 1-2B), the interior surface defining a tube bore (mandrel 112 is located in the tube bore, see Fig 2A-2B) extending longitudinally through the frustoconical tube (110) through the first end and the second end (shown in Fig 2A-2B), the first end having a first inner diameter and the second end having a second inner diameter smaller than the first inner diameter (downhole end of 110 is smaller than uphole end of 110), the interior surface having a first step (opposing angled inner surface 404 provided on the setting cone 110) circumferentially between the first end and the second end (as shown in Fig 2a-2b);
(b) a tubular mandrel (mandrel 112) positioned longitudinally through the tube bore of the frustoconical tube (as shown in Fig 2A-2B), the tubular mandrel (112) having a proximal end (uphole end of mandrel 112) proximate to the first end of the frustoconical tube (uphole end of 110), a distal end (downhole end of mandrel 112) extending through the second end of the frustoconical tube (downhole end of 110), an exterior surface (shown in Fig 2A-2B), an interior surface (surface of bore 204) defining a mandrel bore (204) longitudinally through the tubular mandrel (112) through the proximal end and the distal end (shown in Fig 8), one or more ports (ports 206) between the proximal end and the distal end fluidly connecting the mandrel bore (204) with the exterior surface (fluid is circulated through ports 206, Fig 2A-2B, par [0054]);
(c) a shear member engaging the mandrel with the frustoconical tube;
(d) a ball (wellbore projectile 804) positionable at least partially in the mandrel bore (see Fig 7-8) of the tubular mandrel (112) at the proximal end (uphole end) and configured to fluidly seal the proximal end of the tubular mandrel (112) (flow is allowed until the wellbore projectile 804 is dropped and locates in seat 802, see Fig 8),
wherein the tubular mandrel (mandrel 112) is configured to move between a first position (shown in Fig 2B) and a second position (shown in Fig 4A) in the frustoconical tube (110);
wherein in the first position (shown in Fig 2B) the tubular mandrel (112) is positioned relative to the frustoconical tube (110) such that a fluid passageway (through ports 206) is formed between the exterior surface (outer surface) of the mandrel (112) and the tube bore (defined by the interior surface of 110) of the frustoconical tube (110) through the one or more ports (206) of the tubular mandrel (112), and through the distal end (downhole end) of the tubular mandrel (112) (one or more ports 206 are defined in the mandrel 112 and in fluid communication with the through bore 204 to enable fluid flow through the mandrel 112, par [0039]); and
wherein in the second position (as shown in Fig 4A) when a predetermined fluid pressure is applied to the plug assembly, and wherein the tubular mandrel (112) is positioned relative to the frustoconical tube such that the interior surface of the frustoconical tube (110) blocks the one or more ports (206) (shown in Fig 4A), thereby closing the fluid passageway (the ports 206 are blocked as shown in Fig 4A, ports 206 of Fig 9 would also be blocked in the second position).
Power fails to disclose (c) a shear member engaging the mandrel with the frustoconical tube; and
in the first position the shear member contacts the frustoconical tube between the first step of the frustoconical tube and the first end of the frustoconical tube and in the second position the shear member has been sheared away by the first step of the frustoconical tube when a predetermined fluid pressure is applied to the plug assembly.
Wolf discloses a plug assembly (100) of a wellbore. The plug assembly (100) includes a tubular mandrel (ball seat 110) located within a frustoconical tube (seal sub 120). A shear member (118) to selectively fix an initial relative axial and circumferential position of the tubular mandrel (11) and the frustoconical tube (seal sub 120) (see Fig 2, par [0035]-[0036], [0039]).
Wolf does not specifically disclose the location of the shear member, nor does Wolf disclose in the first position the shear member contacts the frustoconical tube between the first step of the frustoconical tube and the first end of the frustoconical tube and in the second position the shear member has been sheared away by the first step of the frustoconical tube when a predetermined fluid pressure is applied to the plug assembly.
A modification of Power with Wolf would not have met the limitations of claim 1 as the shear member of Wolf prevents he tubular mandrel and frustoconical tube from relative movement. As such the first step of the frustoconical tube would not have been capable of shearing the shear member as the shear member of Wolf would need to be sheared prior to the shear member reaching the first step of the frustoconical tube in order to allow relative movement between the tubular mandrel and frustoconical tube to occur.
Goodman also fails to disclose wherein in the second position …, and wherein the tubular mandrel is positioned relative to the frustoconical tube such that the interior surface of the frustoconical tube blocks the one or more ports, thereby closing the fluid passageway.
Regarding claim 12: Power discloses a method for sealing a plug assembly (bridge plug 100), in a wellbore (casing 210 is installed in a wellbore, par [0041]), comprising:
a) deploying a plug assembly (bridge plug 100) and a setting tool (setting tool mandrel 216 and setting tool sleeve 214) into a casing (casing 210) within a drilled wellbore (see Fig 2A-2B, par [0042]), the plug assembly (100) comprising:
(i) a frustoconical tube (setting cone 110) having a first end (uphole end located to the right in Fig 2A-2B), a second end (downhole end located to the left in Fig 2A-2B), an exterior surface, and an interior surface (as shown in Fig 1-2B), the interior surface defining a tube bore (mandrel 112 is located in the tube bore, see Fig 2A-2B) extending longitudinally through the frustoconical tube (110) through the first end and the second end (shown in Fig 2A-2B), the first end having a first inner diameter and the second end having a second inner diameter smaller than the first inner diameter (downhole end of 110 is smaller than uphole end of 110), the interior surface having a first step (opposing angled inner surface 404 provided on the setting cone 110) circumferentially between the first end and the second end (as shown in Fig 2a-2b);
(ii) a tubular mandrel (mandrel 112) positioned longitudinally through the tube bore of the frustoconical tube (as shown in Fig 2A-2B), the tubular mandrel (112) having a proximal end (uphole end of mandrel 112) proximate to the first end of the frustoconical tube (uphole end of 110), a distal end (downhole end of mandrel 112) extending through the second end of the frustoconical tube (downhole end of 110), an exterior surface (shown in Fig 2A-2B), an interior surface (surface of bore 204) defining a mandrel bore (204) longitudinally through the tubular mandrel (112) through the proximal end and the distal end (shown in Fig 8), one or more ports (ports 206) between the proximal end and the distal end fluidly connecting the mandrel bore (204) with the exterior surface (fluid is circulated through ports 206, Fig 2A-2B, par [0054]);
(iii) a shear member engaging the mandrel with the frustoconical tube;
(iv) a ball (wellbore projectile 804) positionable at least partially in the mandrel bore (see Fig 7-8) of the tubular mandrel (112) at the proximal end (uphole end) and configured to fluidly seal the proximal end of the tubular mandrel (112) (flow is allowed until the wellbore projectile 804 is dropped and locates in seat 802, see Fig 8),
v) a slip member (slip ring 104) having one or more slip segments (shown in Figure 1A), the slip member (104) positioned at least partially around the second end (downhole end) of the frustoconical tube (110) such that the slip segments are pushed outwardly when the second end (downhole end) of the frustoconical tube moves longitudinally (in the deployed state, see Fig 2A, par [0038], [0040]), the slip member (104) having a sloped interior surface (shown in Fig 2A-2B) configured to engage the second end of the exterior surface of the frustoconical tube (sloped surface of slip ring 104 engages the sloped surface of setting cone 110 as shown in Fig 2A-2B);
b) securing the plug assembly (100) in the casing (210) by longitudinally moving the frustoconical tube (setting cone 110) with the setting tool (216/214) thereby expanding the slip segments of the slip member (104) and coupling the plug assembly (100) to the casing (210) with the slip segments (setting tool sleeve 216 applies an axial compression load (force) against the setting cone 110, conical outer surface of the setting cone 110 is thereby forced beneath the slip ring 104, which forces the slip ring 104 radially outward and into gripping engagement with the inner wall of the casing 210, par [0044]);
wherein the tubular mandrel (112) of the plug assembly (100) is in a first position (shown in Fig 2A) relative to the frustoconical tube (110).
Power fails to disclose b) securing the plug assembly in the casing by introducing fluid flow into the casing to longitudinally move the frustoconical tube with the setting tool; wherein in a first position the shear member holds the position between the first step of the frustoconical tube and the first end of the frustoconical tube, and such that a fluid passageway is formed between the exterior surface of the mandrel and the tube bore of the frustoconical tube, through the one or more ports of the tubular mandrel, and through the distal end of the tubular mandrel; and c) increasing the fluid flow above a predetermined flow rate to shear the shear member, causing the tubular mandrel to move to a second position relative to the frustoconical tube, in which the interior surface of the frustoconical tube blocks the one or more ports and closes the fluid passageway.
Wolf discloses a plug assembly (100) of a wellbore. The plug assembly (100) includes a tubular mandrel (ball seat 110) located within a frustoconical tube (seal sub 120). A shear member (118) to selectively fix an initial relative axial and circumferential position of the tubular mandrel (11) and the frustoconical tube (seal sub 120) (see Fig 2, par [0035]-[0036], [0039]). A ball seat (frustoconical landing surface 111) is included at the uphole end of the tubular mandrel (ball seat 110) and a flowable plug member (ball 300) is engageable with the ball sear (110) to close off a central passage (102) (see Fig 2, par [0037]).
Wolf does not specifically disclose introducing fluid flow into the casing to longitudinally move the frustoconical tube with the setting tool; wherein in a first position the shear member holds the position between the first step of the frustoconical tube and the first end of the frustoconical tube, and such that a fluid passageway is formed between the exterior surface of the mandrel and the tube bore of the frustoconical tube, through the one or more ports of the tubular mandrel, and through the distal end of the tubular mandrel; and c) increasing the fluid flow above a predetermined flow rate to shear the shear member, causing the tubular mandrel to move to a second position relative to the frustoconical tube, in which the interior surface of the frustoconical tube blocks the one or more ports and closes the fluid passageway.
A modification of Power with Wolf would not have met the limitations of claim 1 as plug assembly of Power is not set using fluid pressure and is instead set using a setting tool. Power does use fluid pressure to move the tubular mandrel (112) with respect to the frustoconical tube (110) but only after that plug assembly (100) has been set in the casing (210) and the mandrel (112) is not held in place relative to frustoconical tube (110) via a shear member and shearing a member between the mandrel and the frustoconical tube would not be possible due to the arrangement of the setting tool (216/218) and the first set of frustoconical tube (110) once the setting tool (216/218) has been removed (see Power, Fig 2A-2B).
Goodman also fails to disclose c) increasing the fluid flow above a predetermined flow rate to shear the shear member, causing the tubular mandrel to move to a second position relative to the frustoconical tube, in which the interior surface of the frustoconical tube blocks the one or more ports and closes the fluid passageway.
Conclusion
Claims 22-26 are rejected. Claims 1-21 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
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