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 .
35 USC 101
Claims 1-24 are eligible under 35 USC 101. The claims when viewed as a whole or in ordered combination integrates the abstract idea (mathematical calculation -see step “calculating…”) into a practical application, i.e. performing a caving analysis using the failure criterion and the received subterranean formation characteristics to determine a caving volume or a caving probability; and communicating the caving volume or the caving probability to a drilling controller of the borehole.
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 1-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Guo et al. (USPAP. 20230203937) (hereinafter “Guo”) and Khan (USPAP. 20210017857).
Regarding claims 1, 20, and 24, Guo discloses a method, comprising:
receiving input parameters for a subterranean formation proximate a borehole undergoing a drilling operation, wherein the input parameters include user parameters and received subterranean formation characteristics received from one or more sensors (see sensor 122 at Pars. 26 and 27) (Abstract, Pars. 26, 27: a method for determining caving volume estimation based on logging data and geomechanically models);
generating transformed subterranean formation characteristics by transforming the received subterranean formation characteristics representing rock stress (see subterranean operations Par. 22 and sampling operation at Par. 27);
calculating subterranean formation parameters using the transformed subterranean formation characteristics and the received subterranean formation characteristics (see calculation Pars. 32-37);
applying a lithology-specific algorithm to the subterranean formation parameters to generate a failure criterion (see Abstract; and algorithm such as Coulomb failure criterion at Par. 16: caving volumes can be estimated based on the shear failure analysis of discretized wellbore using Kirsch's equations combined with any failure criterion. The combination of the Kirsch's equation and any appropriate rock failure criterion can allow both breakout angular width and depth to be determined. This is done by determining stress around wellbore using the Kirsch's equation and evaluating rock shear failure based on an applied failure criterion, such as the Mohr Coulomb failure criterion);
performing a caving analysis using the failure criterion and the received subterranean formation characteristics to determine a caving volume or a caving probability (Abstract; Pars. 34-41 for caving volume estimation; and output);
and communicating the caving volume or the caving probability to a drilling controller of the borehole (communicating to a processor 202).
However, Guo does not explicitly disclose the transformation to a coordinate system.
Khan teaches transformation to a coordinate system (Abstract; Pars. 30-36: transforming the in-situ earth stresses from a global Cartesian coordinate system to a local wellbore coordinate system; calculating, based on the transformed in-situ earth stresses in the local wellbore coordinate system, principal stresses around the wellbore; generating, using a failure criterion that incorporates (i) principal stresses, (ii) mud weight, and (iii) rock strength, a function for calculating a rock compressive failure; and predicting, using the function, a failure zone around the wellbore).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art at the time of filling the Application to modify 's invention using 's invention to arrive at the claimed invention specified in claim to calibrates geo-mechanical models and predicts mud weights for safe drilling operations more reliably and accurately than currently available techniques (Khan: Par. 13).
Regarding claim 2, Guo and Khan disclose everything as applied above. In addition, Khan teaches wherein the coordinate system is a Cartesian coordinate system or a cylindric coordinate system (Abstract; Pars. 30-36).
Regarding claim 3, Guo and Khan disclose everything as applied above. In addition, Guo discloses wherein a portion of the received subterranean formation characteristics representing a radial distance layer is utilized and the calculating, applying, and performing are repeated for each successive radial distance layer from an inner surface of the borehole to a maximum specified distance (Guo: Pars. 36-38, Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 4, Guo and Khan disclose everything as applied above. In addition, Guo discloses wherein the radial distance layer is incremented by a distance increment multiplied by a radius of the borehole (Pars. 36-38).
Regarding claim 5, Guo and Khan disclose everything as applied above. In addition, Guo discloses wherein the maximum specified distance is a radius of the borehole times one or more (Guo: Prs. 36-38).
Regarding claim 6, Guo and Khan disclose everything as applied above. wherein the lithology-specific algorithm is a Mogi-Coulomb failure criterion when the received subterranean formation characteristics indicate a carbonate rock (Guo: Par. 16 discloses that caving volumes can be estimated based on the shear failure analysis of discretized wellbore using Kirsch's equations combined with any failure criterion. The combination of the Kirsch's equation and any appropriate rock failure criterion can allow both breakout angular width and depth to be determined. This is done by determining stress around wellbore using the Kirsch's equation and evaluating rock shear failure based on an applied failure criterion, such as the Mohr Coulomb failure criterion).
Regarding claim 7, Guo and Khan disclose everything as applied above. In addition, Guo discloses wherein the lithology-specific algorithm is a Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion when the received subterranean formation characteristics indicate a sandstone or a shale rock (Par. 16).
Regarding claim 8, Guo and Khan disclose everything as applied above. In addition, Khan teaches wherein the generating calculates a principal stress by subtracting from the rock stress a result of a Biot’s coefficient multiplied by a pore pressure derived from the received subterranean formation characteristics (Par. 35: considering a plan strain boundary condition and assuming isotropic and elastic rock medium with a Biot’s coefficient of 1 and a perfect mud cake at the wellbore wall, the stresses on the wellbore are calculated using equations).
Regarding claim 9, Guo and Khan disclose everything as applied above. In addition, Khan teaches wherein the rock stress is one or more of a vertical stress parameter, a minimum horizontal stress parameter, a maximum horizontal stress parameter, an inclination parameter, an azimuth parameter, or an orientation of the maximum horizontal stress parameter (Pars. 11 and 29).
Regarding claim 10, Guo and Khan disclose everything as applied above. In addition, Khan teaches wherein the subterranean formation parameters are one or more of a rock strength, a Poisson’s ratio, a porosity, a density, or a friction angle (Par. 29: rock strength parameters are friction angle and a Poisson’s ratio).
Regarding claim 11, Guo and Khan disclose everything as applied above. In addition, Guo dsicloses wherein the received subterranean formation characteristics are determined from real-time or near real-time data collected by downhole sensors or at a surface location proximate the borehole (Par. 26, Fig. 1: the received subterranean formation characteristics are determined from real-time data collected by sensors 122).
Regarding claim 12, Guo and Khan disclose everything as applied above. In addition, Guo discloses wherein the received subterranean formation characteristics are received and correlated from data received from one or more of a previous sensor collection in the borehole, a proximate borehole, a laboratory, a data store, a cloud environment, or a computing system (Par. 26 and Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 13, Guo and Khan disclose everything as applied above. In addition, Guo discloses wherein the generating, calculating, applying, and performing are repeated at more than one measured depth layer of a depth interval, where the measured depth layer is incremented by a measured depth increment until an end state is satisfied. (Pars. 27-30, Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 14, Guo and Khan disclose everything as applied above. In addition, Guo discloses wherein the end state is when a maximum depth layer is exceeded, or a measured depth interval of interest for analysis is reached (Pars. 27-30).
Regarding claim 15, Guo and Khan disclose everything as applied above. In addition, Guo discloses wherein the caving volume determined at each performing are added together to obtain a measured depth caving volume for the depth interval (Guo: Pars. 16-20. Also see Par. 26: determine the breakout depth).
Regarding claim 16, Guo and Khan disclose everything as applied above. In addition, Guo discloses wherein at each radial distance layer, a breakout angle is calculated utilizing the transformed subterranean formation characteristics and a failure criteria (Par. 26 determining caving volume based on a break out angular width).
Regarding claim 17, Guo and Khan disclose everything as applied above. In addition, Guo discloses wherein the performing is applied to a restricted set of angles radially arranged from a center point of the borehole, where the restricted set of angles are perpendicular to an inner surface of the borehole (Par. 26).
Regarding claim 18, Guo and Khan disclose everything as applied above. In addition, Guo discloses wherein the restricted set of angles is 0.0 to 180.0 degrees with a direct symmetry calculation or 0.0 to 360.0 degrees, from a specified starting point (Par. 32: a restricted set of angles is 0.0 and 180 degrees).
Regarding claim 19, Guo and Khan disclose everything as applied above. In addition, Guo discloses modifying a drilling operation plan using the caving volume or the caving probability (Par. 17: he caving volume estimation may be output for use in determining an adjustment to a drilling operation in the wellbore).
Regarding claim 21 (Guo: Pars. 24-26 and Fig. 2: Processor 122 communicates with a shear failure analysis 222 and performing calculation, application, and execution of a shear failure analysis 222).
Regarding claim 22, Guo and Khan disclose everything as applied above. In addition, Guo discloses a result transceiver, capable of communicating the caving volume or the caving probability and interim outputs to a user system, a data store, a computing system, or a drilling controller (Guo: Pars. 20, 24-26).
Regarding claim 23, Guo and Khan disclose everything as applied above. In addition, Guo discloses wherein the drilling controller is one of a geo-steering system, a mud pump, a rig controller, a drilling assembly, a well site controller, the computing system, or a drilling operation system. (Guo: Par. 21).
Conclusion
USPAP. 20250003336 discloses A method for performing a borehole operation is disclosed. The method includes determining a characteristic diffusion time that corresponds to an undrained response period or a non-monotonic pore pressure dissipation phase of a porous medium surrounding a borehole, determining, based on a pre-determined failure criterion, a critical time of the borehole that corresponds to when a failure of the porous medium occurs within the characteristic diffusion time, identifying a failure region of the failure occurring at the critical time of the borehole, and performing, based on at least the identified failure region, the borehole operation (Abstract; Pars. 31-40).
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/PHUONG HUYNH/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2857 June 8, 2026
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