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 .
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed April 10, 2026 has been entered. Claims 1-11 and 23-33 remain pending in the application. The previous objection to the specification is withdrawn in light of the Applicant's amendment to the abstract. The previous objections to claims 4, 8 and 9 are withdrawn in light of the Applicant's amendment to claims 4 and 8.
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.
Claims 1-11, 23-28 and 31-33 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U. S. Patent Publication 2023/0083234 to Cook.
Referring to claim 1, Cook discloses a system for pumping fluid downhole into a well, comprising:
two pump banks (144) fluidly coupled to a wellbore, wherein each of the pump banks (144) comprises a plurality of pumping units (122), and wherein each pump bank (144) has a red zone, and each pump bank (144) is disposed outside the red zone of the other pump bank (144) and wherein the two pump banks (144) are disposed with a space therebetween, and the space therebetween is substantially unblocked (Figures 1-7; paragraphs [0025]-[0052]).
Referring to claim 2, Cook discloses a system comprising all the limitations of claim 1, as detailed above, and further discloses a system wherein:
at least one of the pump banks (144) is disposed in proximity to the red zone of another of the pump banks (144) (Figures 1-7; paragraphs [0025]-[0052]).
Referring to claim 3, Cook discloses a system comprising all the limitations of claim 1, as detailed above, and further discloses a system wherein:
the two pump banks (144) comprise a first dirty pump bank (144) and a second dirty pump bank (144) (Figures 1-7; paragraphs [0025]-[0052]).
Referring to claim 4, Cook discloses a system comprising all the limitations of claim 3, as detailed above, and further discloses a system wherein:
each of the first dirty pump bank (144) and the second dirty pump bank (144) comprises a same number of pumping units (each manifold of the pump banks has the same number of pumps attached thereto) (Figures 1-7; paragraphs [0025]-[0052]).
Referring to claim 5, Cook discloses a system comprising all the limitations of claim 3, as detailed above, and further discloses a system comprising:
a clean pump bank (144); wherein the clean pump bank (144) comprises a plurality of pumping units (122); wherein the clean pump bank (144) is fluidly coupled to the first and second dirty pump banks (144); wherein the first dirty pump bank (144) and the clean pump bank (144) are disposed with a space therebetween, and the space therebetween is substantially unblocked; wherein the second dirty pump bank (144) and the clean pump bank (144) are disposed with a space therebetween, and the space therebetween is substantially unblocked; and wherein at least one of the pump banks (144) is disposed in proximity to the red zone of another of the pump banks (Figures 1-7; paragraphs [0025]-[0052]).
Referring to claim 6, Cook discloses a system comprising all the limitations of claim 5, as detailed above, and further discloses a system wherein:
the first and second dirty pump banks (144) are each configured to be fluidly isolated from the clean pump bank (144) (Figures 1-7; paragraphs [0025]-[0052]).
Referring to claim 7, Cook discloses a system comprising all the limitations of claim 6, as detailed above, and further discloses a system wherein:
the clean pump bank (144) is configured to be fluidly isolated from both the first and second dirty pump banks (144) simultaneously (Figures 1-7; paragraphs [0025]-[0052]).
Referring to claim 8, Cook discloses a system comprising all the limitations of claim 7, as detailed above, and further discloses a system wherein:
each dirty pump bank (144) further comprises one or more high-pressure lines(160b); wherein for each dirty pump bank (144), the one or more high-pressure lines (126) comprises a primary high-pressure line (in 126), and each of the corresponding plurality of pumping units is fluidly coupled to the corresponding primary high-pressure line (in 126) for the dirty pump bank (144); and wherein the primary high-pressure line for the first and second dirty pump banks extend approximately substantially parallel to each other (Figures 1-7; paragraphs [0025]-[0052]).
Referring to claim 9, Cook discloses a system comprising all the limitations of claim 8, as detailed above, and further discloses a system wherein:
the red zone for the first dirty pump bank (144) does not extend to encompass the primary high-pressure line (in 126) corresponding to the second dirty pump bank (144), and the red zone for the second dirty pump bank (144) does not extend to encompass the primary high-pressure line (in 126) corresponding to the first dirty pump bank (144) (Figures 1-7; paragraphs [0025]-[0052]).
Referring to claim 10, Cook discloses a system comprising all the limitations of claim 7, as detailed above, and further discloses a system comprising:
a controller (there is inherently a controller of some sort that opens and closes the valves), wherein the controller is configured to control fluid isolation of pump banks (144) in the system (Figures 1-7; paragraphs [0025]-[0052]).
Referring to claim 11, Cook discloses a system comprising all the limitations of claim 3, as detailed above, and further discloses a system wherein:
the red zone for each pump bank (144) comprises a pressurized equipment red zone and a rotational equipment red zone (Figures 1-7; paragraphs [0025]-[0052], wherein the disclosed red zone is both).
Referring to claim 23, Cook discloses a system comprising all the limitations of claim 1, as detailed above, and further discloses a system wherein:
a first of the two pump banks (144) is disposed in proximity to the red zone of a second of the two pump banks (144), and wherein the second of the two pump banks (144) is disposed in proximity to the red zone of the first of the two pump banks (144), thereby minimize a wellsite footprint (Figures 1-7; paragraphs [0025]-[0052]).
Referring to claim 24, Cook discloses a system comprising all the limitations of claim 2, as detailed above, and further discloses a system wherein:
the space between the two pump banks (144) is substantially open and without any significant barrier disposed between the two pump banks (144) (Figures 1-7; paragraphs [0025]-[0052]).
Referring to claim 25, Cook discloses a system comprising all the limitations of claim 24, as detailed above, and further discloses a system wherein:
the space does not comprise a barrier disposed therein configured to reduce the red zone of one or more of the two pump banks (144) (Figures 1-7; paragraphs [0025]-[0052]).
Referring to claim 26, Cook discloses a system comprising all the limitations of claim 24, as detailed above, and further discloses a system wherein:
the space is sufficiently wide so that the red zone of each pump bank (144) does not encompass the other pump bank (144) (Figures 1-7; paragraphs [0025]-[0052]).
Referring to claim 27, Cook discloses a system comprising all the limitations of claim 1, as detailed above, and further discloses a system wherein:
no shield is erected between the two pump banks (144) (Figures 1-7; paragraphs [0025]-[0052]).
Referring to claim 28, Cook discloses a system comprising all the limitations of claim 5, as detailed above, and further discloses a system wherein:
the space between the first dirty pump bank (144) and the clean pump bank (144) is substantially open and without any significant barrier disposed between the first dirty pump bank (144) and the clean pump bank (144), and wherein the space between the second dirty pump bank (144) and the clean pump bank (144) is substantially open and without any significant barrier disposed between the second dirty pump bank (144) and the clean pump bank (144) (Figures 1-7; paragraphs [0025]-[0052]).
Referring to claim 31, Cook discloses a system comprising all the limitations of claim 9, as detailed above, and further discloses a system wherein:
no barrier is disposed between the primary high- pressure line (in 126) corresponding to the first dirty pump bank (144) and the primary high-pressure line (in 126) corresponding to the second dirty pump bank (144) (Figures 1-7; paragraphs [0025]-[0052]).
Referring to claim 32, Cook discloses a system comprising all the limitations of claim 3, as detailed above, and further discloses a system wherein:
the red zone of the first dirty pump bank (144) does not encompass a primary high pressure line (in 126) for the second dirty pump bank (144), the red zone of the second dirty pump bank (144) does not encompass a primary high pressure line (in 126) for the first dirty pump bank (144), and a space between the primary high-pressure line (in 126) corresponding to the first dirty pump bank (144) and the primary high-pressure line (in 126) corresponding to the second dirty pump bank (144) is substantially open and unblocked (Figures 1-7; paragraphs [0025]-[0052]).
Referring to claim 33, Cook discloses a system comprising all the limitations of claim 10, as detailed above, and further discloses a system wherein:
the controller (there is inherently a controller of some sort that opens and closes the valves) is configured to: responsive to the clean pump bank (144) being isolated for maintenance and both dirty pump banks (144) pumping fluid to the well, alter the composition of the dirty fluid supplied to the dirty pump banks to maintain approximately the same composition of treatment fluid flowing to the well; and responsive to the clean pump bank (144) being placed into fluid communication with one of the dirty pump banks (144) and one of the dirty pump banks (144) being fluidly isolated for maintenance, alter the composition of the dirty fluid supplied to the dirty pump bank (144) in fluid communication with the clean pump bank (144) and the well, to maintain approximately the same composition of treatment fluid flowing to the well (Figures 1-7; paragraphs [0025]-[0052]).
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.
Claims 29 and 30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U. S. Patent Publication 2023/0083234 to Cook in view of U. S. Patent Publication 2012/0060929 to Kendrick.
Referring to claim 29, Cook teaches a system comprising all the limitations of claim 1, as detailed above, but is silent as to the pump elevations. Kendrick teaches a system wherein:
two pump banks are disposed at different elevation levels (paragraph [0033]).
It would be obvious to one of skill in the art, at the time of invention, to modify the system taught by Cook with the pump elevations taught by Kendrick in order to operate the system on uneven terrain.
Referring to claim 30, Cook teaches a system comprising all the limitations of claim 29, as detailed above, but is silent as to the pump elevations. Kendrick teaches a system wherein:
the first pump bank is disposed at a higher elevation level than the second pump bank (paragraph [0033]).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on April 10, 2026 have been considered, but are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 BRYAN MATTHEW LETTMAN whose telephone number is (571)270-7860. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8am-4pm.
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/BRYAN M LETTMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3746
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