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 .
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: The claims contain capitalized letters “A)” and “B)” when it should be “a)” and “b)”. Appropriate correction is required.
Claims 2-13 are objected to because of the following informalities: The claims begin with “An arrangement” when it should be “The arrangement”. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
As to Claim 1, the claim recites “the lazy wave catenary riser comprising (2) having:”. The limitation is unclear. The “(2) having” phrase should be removed. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 1 recites “an umbilical”, “a first umbilical section extending from the upper hang off location continuously downward to a first installation point at the riser” and “a second umbilical section extending from a second installation point at the riser continuously downward to the sea bed at the touch down location”. It is unclear what happens between the first installation point and the second installation point as both sections are part of an umbilical thereby amounting to a gap between the necessary structural connections. Incorporating the limitations of dependent claim 7 into claim 1 would solve the issue. Appropriate correction is required.
As to Claim 14, the claim recites “an umbilical”. It is unclear if this refers to the “umbilical” of claim 1. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 14 recites “a lazy wave catenary riser”. It is unclear if this refers to the “lazy wave catenary riser” of claim 1. Appropriate correction is required.
The dependent claims are also rejected for depending on a rejected independent claim.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-19 would be allowable if the claims are rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action, in addition of incorporating the limitations from dependent claim 7 into independent claim 1.
The claimed catenary riser structure is known and there is prior art showing a hang-off, an upper catenary section, buoyant section and lower catenary section. Examples of this are U.S. Patent No. 5,582,252 to Richmond et al, U.S. Patent No. 4,906,137 to Maloberti et al, and U.S. Patent No. 5,944,448 to Williams. However, the structure regarding an umbilical hanging from the same hang-off as the catenary riser, particularly how it is installed in sections at the riser and where it is installed in the riser with respect to the claimed curvatures of the catenary riser was not found.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EDWIN J TOLEDO-DURAN whose telephone number is (571)270-7501. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday: 10:00AM to 6:00PM EST.
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/EDWIN J TOLEDO-DURAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3678
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